Are you getting an epidural?

BillieB123 · May 2011

I tried submitting this as a poll but it wasn't working.

I've been going back and forth on whether or not I want to get an epidural. Just curious on what everybody else is thinking/choosing?

amanda1128 · May 2011

Yep! I got one with DS and loved it. I was able to relax and really enjoy my birthing experience, I don't think I would have loved it as much if I would have felt it all. The only part about it that sucked was the doc had a hard time giving it to me because of scar tissue from past procedures.

mandyhall2882 · May 2011

Yes, I'm planning on getting one.

nic5606 · May 2011

YES!!!!!

SarahP15 · May 2011

Yes. I will see how bad the pain is (obviously) first but am 99% sure I'll end up with one.

Marsupial1022 · May 2011

Nope! I'm going med-free.

Jessie*J · May 2011

Nope - didn't with my first and don't plan on it with this one. I'm not against them or IV meds, just don't prefer them for me.

zenma · May 2011

I'm going in with an open mind. I'd really like to go med-free but I've never birthed a child before and therefore I have no clue what my pain tolerance will be like. I do want to labor via walking, showering, using the birthing ball, etc, and push in the squatting position and to do that I can not have an epidural.

So again my goal is to go med-free but I'm not against getting help it if I need it.

MaestraMama · May 2011

Yes, please! I had one with DD and will get one with this one.

jenniep19 · May 2011

I am just going to wait and see how things go. I would like a natural childbirth, but this is my first so I really don't know what to expect as far as pain. I expect some pain, and I think I can handle it well, but I know this will be different than anything I've experienced before, so how can I really decide ahead of time?

Kierasmommy09 · May 2011

Hellz yeah. My school of thought is why endure the pain if I don't have to. I support whole heartedly the women who try and or succeed in a pain med free birth, but that doesn't mean I understand the desire to feel and endure the pain. That's just me though.

jenmarshall88 · May 2011

Ohhh yes, if I could have 5 I would

I don't do pain well.

jboricua · May 2011

yes I did with both DD1 and DD 2 and planning on it with the twins....

with DD1 I waited until I couldnt hold the pain no more and the pain was horrible and excruciating I really dont think I could had gave birth without it....

with DD2 I didnt wait because I knew labor pain wasnt something I could put up with and Im glad because I guess the anesthesiologist was pretty new or something because it took her literally FOREVER she had her eyes closed counting my vertebrates and recounting them.... I would had died if she would had been my anesthesiologist the first time around lol

all in all I enjoyed my birthing experience I didnt feel anything and was able to push them right out.. pushed 7 times with DD1 and 3 times with DD2

ekfritsche · May 2011

My initial plan was to go med-free... That was before I found out I am going to be induced. My hope is to still go med-free but we'll see how things go! I'm keeping an open mind.

skidunks · May 2011

Yes, yes and yes. I'll labor while I can without it but as soon and I want it I'm not waiting.

P0upette · May 2011

Hell Yes. I don't want my baby to come out with me in pain and screaming from the top of my lungs, I want to be able to "enjoy" the process ( as much as that is possible)

I also feel that if there was an emergency and I needed a C section, it would make the process much faster

lil_shocker · May 2011

The epidural REALLY freaks me out. The needle, the location, the lack of feeling, the restriction of mobility, everything. I don't want one because it freaks me out and I have a high pain tolerance so I am telling myself I don't need it, but I'm not closing it off as an option because I've never had a baby before so I've got NO idea what labor is like and how I'll react.

I will probably have the narcotics, though. But I want to see how far I can go without anything because I don't like taking medicine in general, even tylenol and ibuprofen.

jntaylor11 · May 2011

I plan to use all other methods of natural pain relief before I have any type of medication... Since I am a first timer I dnt know what to expect, but Ive been doing my research and I plan to go as natural as possible.

pettycrocker · May 2011

Hopefully not, but if I need one- I'm not against it.

chloephoebecali · May 2011

Yes. I LOVED my epi last time and had no doubts I would get one. I'm not a huge fan of where it needs to be placed and the whole idea of it, but I was only 3-4cm and was in major pain. No thanks! It made the experience wonderful. My ob knocks it down before pushing and I pushed for only 20 mins. Honestly, the iv was worse than the epi, for me, last time.

cookierlr1 · May 2011

Absolutely! If pain relief is available I have no shame in accepting it. I am going to try and walk as long as I can though, I don't want to be sitting on my butt imobile for hours if I can help it, but we will see!

redshe · May 2011

Nope, I didn't have one with DD and my Doctor knows I don't want one this time either. I have my TENS machine and Gas instead.

rab41380 · May 2011

Yes!!! I had it with DD and it was so great to be able to enjoy labor, and I pushed DD right out!

justam0mmy · May 2011

Most definitely I respect all of the natural mothers. But I will be registering at the hospital asking about an epidural lol. I had it with my angel baby and lord I was already freaked out that he was going to be stillborn, but to have to endure that pain as well was not possible. So I opted for it and IT was the best! My DH hated it because the pain meds and epi made me loopy and weird and it scared him. However I will be asking for an epidural this time as well. Happy Birthing!!

ctygrlstl · May 2011

I'm planning on needing one, but I'm open minded. If I don't need it, I'm not going to ask for it. (I'm worried I might not be able to get one anyway because of lower back injuries.) It's surprising the number of ladies who find out they really just don't need one. OH! Also surprising is the number of women who have said that birthing their child actually gave them a *gasp* continual orgasm! (Makes a little sense really, the kid is popping right by the G-spot). I always idolized my mom for going natural, but I'll go for the meds if I need to.

abell77 · May 2011

No. I didn't last time and don't plan on it this time.

jaredandjenny · May 2011

I am going to try not to use pain meds. Our hospital doesn't offer the full epidural and Dr. said they won't offer the intrathecal if we are progressing well. So first option will be pain medication in the IV (which I will have to have with antibiotics anyway). Then the intrathecal, but not full epidural.

I want to be able to move around anyway and a friend of mine who had the epidural said she hated it, but liked the intrathecal.

Jessynlove · May 2011

SurfBabe900:

I'm going in with an open mind. I'd really like to go med-free but I've never birthed a child before and therefore I have no clue what my pain tolerance will be like. I do want to labor via walking, showering, using the birthing ball, etc, and push in the squatting position and to do that I can not have an epidural.

So again my goal is to go med-free but I'm not against getting help it if I need it.

this exactly!

JrsMommy11 · May 2011

yes definitely.

12bailey18 · May 2011

YES!!!!! Smile

kerrbear72 · May 2011

The lack of control you get from an epidural really makes me nervous. If I could still walk, etc., I'd be more open minded to them. With that being said, I have no idea what to expect and while I do not want one right now, clearly, I could change my mind.

acellardoor · May 2011

I feel the same way!

acellardoor · May 2011

SurfBabe900:
I'm going in with an open mind. I'd really like to go med-free but I've never birthed a child before and therefore I have no clue what my pain tolerance will be like. I do want to labor via walking, showering, using the birthing ball, etc, and push in the squatting position and to do that I can not have an epidural.
So again my goal is to go med-free but I'm not against getting help it if I need it.

I feel the same!

chelwig89 · May 2011

I got one with first DD and loved it, I was able to talk to the nurses about what was going on and make semi-informed decisions. There were some problems with my DD heartbeat and whatnot so I was able to chill out. Oh and did I mention I'm a big, fat wuss? lol

Also, a lot of women mentioned my first time around that a nasty side effect of them are severe back problems, but mine were already pretty bad, and I actually haven't had them nearly as bad in the past 2+ years since I got one! I think it may have someone to do with the fact that thanks to the man who usually does the labor epidurals wanting to sleep in that day, I got to sit around on Pitocin for an extra hour and wait for the surgical anesthesiologist to pay me a visit

ExpatFamily06 · May 2011

I proudly got one with my first son and damn straight I will get one with this new baby.

MrsVictoriaB · May 2011

Well my first was a c-section so I had to get an epidural, I do plan on getting one again for my VBAC this time though

ElatedMom2B · May 2011

Yep! I had one with DD#1 and I was so relaxed and able to enjoy the birth. I had been planning on trying to go without it originally but my doc, who has been in practice for 40 years, told me the pros and cons (really weren't many cons, in my eyes) and he said that in all his years of practicing, he felt it was the greatest thing they could ever offer for the whole pregnancy/birthing process. Don't get me wrong, I was still on the fence and considering that I was going to wait it out and see what I needed to do, but then I found out that I was going to be induced. That kinda made my decision - I wanted to be able to allow my body to relax so I could dialate (I wasn't dialated or effaced AT ALL before induction at 41w 1d) and the baby could come on down...which she did beautifuly and I had a wonderful, perfect birth.

BetsyDavis · May 2011

I'm going in with teh same plan as I did with DD. I will try and go as long as I can without one. But as soon as it becomes to much I will as for one. With DD I went over 24 hours before asking for one.

mrsmullins0500 · May 2011

YES!

Tikat · May 2011

After 6 hours of labor the Anesthesiologist threatened to leave for the night at 10 pm so I jumped on the chance and was so glad I did...I got some sleep while waiting for my cervix to do her thing...labored down and then had plenty of energy to push at 8 am in the morning...So worth it to me.

But everybody is different...and you won't know till you get there...my best friend was in labor for 2 hrs...there was no time for meds...

I recommend you go in with an open mind... a birth plan is just a guideline for your Doctors and honestly I don't recall whipping mine out to check what I had planned next... Stick out tongue

cherihall20 · May 2011

SarahP15:

Yes. I will see how bad the pain is (obviously) first but am 99% sure I'll end up with one.

This!

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