2nd Trimester
MommyMals2012
member
Will you get a epidural again? (follow-up question to tropicalmommy's post)
MommyMals2012
member
I was just reading the post from tropicalmommy about the epidural. I am going to be a first time mommy, and my plan is to go the epidural route, my question is, if you have gotten it before, do you plan on getting it again? If not, what is your birthing plan for now?
Thanks ladies!
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Re: Will you get a epidural again? (follow-up question to tropicalmommy's post)
I had Pit and and epi with DS#1 and went med-free with DS#2. My med-free birth was much more rewarding. I liked feeling like a paticipant instead of an observer. Also, after watching Pregnant in America, I'm not sure that DS#1 complications after birth (breathing needed to be monitored and he was jaundiced), could not be contributed to the medical interventions.
I also bonded much better with DS#2 and was able to establish BF much quicker. Unless there is a serious medical need, I would never get an epidural again.
I technically got the procedure done and they gave me a test dose which was like 15 min of HEAVEN! Then the test dose wore off before the fun began and I got no more because the baby was not tolerating labor well.
I will do it again no questions asked.
Yes. Yes. Yes
I more than definitely felt like a participant and my baby had NO medical issues upon birth.
My DH still talks about how he'll never be able to get the sound of my third-degree tear out of his head. I'm extremely grateful I didn't have to feel it.
Exactly what I was going to say. Hell to the YES!!
WOW!!! That is making me lean more towards the epi!!! I know that I am not a pleasant person to be around with when I have just regular cramps from "aunt flow", (but hey, that ain't no damn walk in the park!) knowing that the pain will be TIMES A THOUSAND WORSE...that is just making me more nervous!!! AAHHH, if the "tearing" happens to me, my poor DH is gonna pass out LOL!
My water broke with DD which meant I had to be induced with pitocin. I ended up getting an epidural pretty quickly out of fear of the unknown.
This time my plan is a med-free birth, just because I have a strong desire to try. I'm going to prenatal yoga and working out a lot to try to manage my heartrate and breathing. However, if I have to get pitocin again I will probably get an epidural again.
My plan is the same as last time. Go as long as possible without pain medications. If the doctor and I both think it's the best, get an epi. Last time, I was in labor for 36 hours straight. I wasn't able to manage the pain past that timeframe. if this one goes quicker, maybe I won't get an epi at all. I'm not opposed to it, but I'm not necessarily planning on it, either.
The replies to your post just go to show how delivery is different for each of us. This really is a personal decision and one that you have to make after weighing both the positives and negatives. For me, I had the epidural with both of my DDs and it was 100% the right choice. For some reason sped up the delivery process and I had both of my girls within an hour of having the epi. I did not tear either time and definitely felt like I was fully participating in the delivery. I felt great after delivery and felt like I could genuinely enjoy my DDs first moments of life without feeling any pain. (Given how euphoric that moment is... I probably wouldn't have noticed the pain in any event!) Neither of my DDs had any complications after birth and scored very high Apgars. I plan to have the epi again this time.
Hope the posts help and remember that even if you plan to have it... things can always change when you actually get to the hospital!
No, I won't. I had a slew of unnecessary interventions with DS and while I didn't feel pain during L&D (didn't feel anything, actually), my recovery was hell. I couldn't even take care of myself, much less a baby, and idk what I would've done without DH, my mom, and MIL. They brought me DS to nurse, but beyond that I could barely move, they had to cook food and make me eat, etc. I can't do that again, especially with a toddler to take care of.
I'm planning a natural birth this time, and DH and I took Bradley classes to prepare. This time I want to be in control and in charge of my body and my labor, and I'd much rather endure labor pains and have an easy recovery than what happened last time.
Oh Yeah!, and I thank everyone for just sharing there stories, eveyone that I talk to(friends, family) has told me about there birthing experiences, but it is just good to hear others stories and get a good perspective from every angle (to get it or not to get it.) I don't know anyone who has tried alternative methods of birth. I am just excited and nervous at the same time!!
That is really great that you went this long without drugs! That's amazing
I'm thinking yes.
If things progress really fast (unlike last time) and I don't feel I need it then of course I won't have it -- I don't plan to go in there and let that be the first thing I ask for.
I did have some issues with him latching on to nurse -- but I truly believe it had nothing to do with the epi (he was wide awake). I never for once felt like an observer vs. a participant in my child's birth. The epi took away most of the pain but I still felt tons of pressure and was able to push when needed without having to be coached on when to push. I felt him coming out and I also felt when they did my stiches.
ETA: I just wanted to add that I had a pretty long labor. I was not progressing but once the epi was in place I was able to relax and things went pretty smoothly after that.
I was induced with pitocin and had an epidural with DD. I am planning a med-free birth this time around.
My epidural wore off on the right side well before pushing, and I couldn't move my left leg for about six hours after she was born. It wasn't a very fun experience.
No. I had one with DD, at the very end of labor. It did not kick in fully, they lost her heartrate on the monitor just after the epi was placed- a whole team of people rushed in and turned me on my side. Everything ended up fine, but for a second there I thought the epi harmed my baby. Plus, I had an annoying lower back pain from it for 7 months. 7 months of pain is not worth the relief I got. My second birth I was more prepared, and yes it hurts, and no I can't deal with menstrual cramps either, I did it and was very proud of it. Even though feeling everything is painful, it was rewarding- and it was not the worst pain of my life by any means.
I do know many people who had wonderful experiences with their epi. My only advice would be to look into some natural pain managment techniques in case they can't get you the epi right away or it doesn't take the first time- which is what happened to my sister.
Thanks, but it is not a course of action I recommend.
Be smart and get the epi if you find yourself in labor forever.
oh yeah! I commend you for doing it for so long, me...not so sure. but I do want to start looking into all of my options first and try to go as long as I possibly can.
I ended up getting it with DD, but for this time around I plan to try to go natural.
Reasons are that when I got ont he epidural (a gift from god when it took all my pain away!), it slowed my labor, baby started not doing that great, had to go on oxygen, epidural completely numbed left side & I had pain on right, then they had to turn the drip off for pushing b/c I couldn't feel what I was doing. I got a fever & they were threatening me with c-section, etc.
so based on that experience, I am going to try my best to avoid it. That being said, if this is your first I say go in with an open mind. You don't know how you'll react to contractions or what will happen. And an epidural can be beneficial.
I'm going to try to go without an epi this time. I had an epi and it was wonderful until about 9 cm when it completely stopped working. I felt everything and honestly it wasn't that bad. (especially considering DS was 11.7lbs and NOT a c-section) The only thing that sucked with it wearing off was that no one told my ob when she came in the room and did 15 stitches down there that I could feel. Not fun.
Also, like pp I had back pain (and still do sometimes) that I contribute to the epi. For months my back would hurt only from where they put the epi in down and I couldn't sleep more then about 4-5 hours or I would wake up in agony.
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Ditto... except a lot sooner (I waited an hour with DS and regret it).
Missed m/c 10/25/10 @ 11.5 weeks
this! my anesthesiologist rocked. I was in labor for a looooooong time. It's the only way I got any sleep.
Absolutely. I had a fantastic labor experience with DD.
Labor from first painful contraction to delivery: 10 hours
Pushed for: 15-20 minutes
How soon I was walking around after delivery: one hour
How was my recovery: easy other than my first poop... yowza
Did I feel pressured by my nurses/doc: Not at all
Did I feel in control of my body & choices: absolutely. I could still feel to push, etc., it just took away the pain
What did it feel like to actually get the epidural: The numbing shot felt like a beesting... the rest was easy peasy. I fell asleep soon after and was asleep for most of my labor.
I plan to have the option - it just all depends on how it goes. I'll hold out as long as I can, but I have no issue if I need it for pain.
With DS I was induced for high bp, which meant I labored for 12 hours restricted to laying on my sides with a bp cuff going off every 15 minutes, pitocin for contractions and burning antibiotics in my hand for group strep b. Had I not had all of that going on, I might have lasted longer. LOL I have no idea.
The epi was heaven and I actually progressed much faster with an epi than I did before it. I think it gave my body a chance to relax and I actually went from a 6 or 7 to 10 during a 90 minute nap. Now that is what I call a pleasant laboring experience.
I woke up refreshed, completely there mentally and ready to get to the main part of the show.
FWIW, I felt much more drugged on the lighter IV drugs than I did with my epi. I opted for 2 separate doses of the IV pain meds hoping each time that the break would give me the energy to make it through without an epidural. Each time I felt drunk with the room spinning. It wasn't completely unpleasant but other then giggling with relief, I wasn't exactly an active participant at that point.
Once it wore off the 2nd time and I got my epidural, I was back on task (after we relaxed for a little bit). I felt all of the intense pressure to push and the relief once he was out. I don't think that part of the experience could have been any better without an epi.
This completely.
My water broke at 5:30 am and I wasn't making any progress by the time we went to the hospital and I was admitted/checked around 10. Because of that I was put on pitocin and it made my pain unbearable. I got a shot in my butt and some IV drugs and while it helped with the pain it made me feel drunk. My nurse warned me, but it was worse than I expected. I was able to get the epidural a few hours after that and I don't regret it for one second.
With that said, I'm not sure if I'll get it this time or not. I plan on waiting to see if labor with baby 2.0 is like my first, or if I'll get to feel "natural" contractions. I am totally open to having it again if I feel like I need it though.
Yes, I am planning on it.
I did not have any problems with my epidural, except that it caused my blood pressure to drop a bit. But they were able to get it back up by having me lay on my side and putting an oxygen mask on for a little bit.
Having said all that, I am also mentally preparing myself for the possibility of not having one, since who knows what will happen. But I would prefer it.
What she said
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Ditto!
NO!!!!!
Had epi for DS #1. Did not have have with the last 3 LO's and will not with this one! I had to many issues with having it done, and I had no problems the last 3 times without an epi!