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2nd Trimester
The Truth About Epidurals
This discussion has been closed.
Re: The Truth About Epidurals
A friend of mine posted that on FB and I really enjoyed reading it. Too many people try to tell other women how to give birth to their own child. I for one thourghly enjoyed my pain free epidural birth. I was very fast pain free and perfect. My ds nursed fine right after as well. I know some enjoy the med free experience and I'm not knocking it. It's just not something I want to go through. I have a low pai tolorence and if there is a pain free option I'm all for it.
Landon * Kaydance * Kennedy
5/13/05 ******5/24/06
* Baby is due July 24 2012 *
I love it! I'm so sick of people I barely know telling me how horrible epidurals are and how much better for the baby "natural" birth is. I mean, how do all of those millions of babies survive when the mothers have epidurals?
I don't do well with pain, so trust me when I say- it's better for all involved if I have some drugs.
I totally agree with this (including having an epi w/ my first delivery but hoping to go med-free for this one). Yes, babies survive being delivered with an epidural. And yes, some people have no complications during delivery or with bfing. However, the fact is that's not always true. I think a lot of people experience some of the complications and don't even realize it because it's considered so normal. The truth is it's really hard to know for sure why the complication exists even b/c unless you can go back and re-birth your child without an epi you don't know for sure if the complication would have still happened or not. So, do your research on your own and make the decision that is best for you, but don't let one person's story of "I got an epi and had no complications" be what you base your decision on.
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I just skimmed this, so maybe I missed it, but does it mention that some of us are actually allergic to them? I haven't had an epi (first sticky pregnancy), but I handled a fentanyl patch and had red, itchy skin where I touched it. I would presume that if I am allergic to a fentanyl patch, I would be allergic to it being injected into my spine. Of course, I have a lot of other reasons for wanting to skip the epidural, but I think that articles like this that lead women to expect a high degree of pain relief with no discomfort or side effects are misleading. It would be more accurate to state that 1 in 20 women experience little to no pain reduction, some women are allergic to it, and getting the shakes/chills to a degree that can cause muscle cramping is not uncommon. My SIL was shaking pretty bad from hers and found it more uncomfortable than the contractions at one point. Her nurse said it was normal and happened to about half of patients.
Also, she gave birth almost exactly one year ago, not in the 1980's or 1990's, and she had problems pushing. She was also given what they said was the lowest effective dose, and still couldn't feel when to push or tell if she was pushing, or how hard.
Again, it should be presented as, "This medication, like any other, will affect every woman's body differently, so if you have never had an epidural before, we cannot guarantee how your body will react and what degree of mobility, feeling, or pain relief you will have." No doctor can 100% tell you what your body is going to do. My SIL felt like she was lied to, more or less, so that she would get the epidural (not that she went in having decided for or against it, but as soon as she arrived they were asking her when--not if--she wanted it). We should all be able to make an informed decision about this matter, and the article, like most mainstream press, doesn't help that.
Thank you for posting this article!
My mother is an anesthesiologist in Canada, and she completely agrees with the points that this article brings up. She's impressed that the article quotes RECENT medical studies, given that epidurals indeed used to be a much higher dose that would impede the pushing stage.
MODERN EPIDURALS ARE 100% SAFE!!!!!
No one should feel guilty or "like a failure" for requesting or requiring one.
Sorry, but I have to completely disagree with this! Modern epidurals are NOT 100% safe. If they were 100% safe there would be no side effects, complications, or interventions for some women who use them. Like I said above, I don't judge any woman who decides to get one, but this is just not true.
Perhaps I should have said, in Canada, epidurals are 99% safe and effective. This is likely because in the event that you fall in the 1% chance of an accidental spinal tap (resulting in headaches) or the epi doesn't set properly, here in Canada your anesthetist will work to reset it, since there is no question as to whether your insurance covers it. It's all free!
My mom, the anesthetist, agrees that epis should be a last resort, but the interventions and complications associated with them were likely bound to happen anyway, due to bad positioning or a bad fit in the pelvis. If an emergency c section is required and there is no epi in place, you get put under general anesthetic, which is far more dangerous to both baby and mother, and your partner is not allowed in the operating room.
I don't think that you, butterfly1979, is judgmental of women who get them, but someone else's story will never compare to the educated views of people who administer them. An extra 10 years of med school must have something to it!
I agree... you can't say any medical procedure is 100% safe, especially when there's side effects many of us have personally experienced. I had an epidural with my first in 2006, and I could feel nothing, no contractions, no idea if I was pushing or not or when I should be. They were preparing to use the vacuum when I started throwing up, and the heaving is what pushed him out.
I hope to go "natural" this time because I hated being in-capable of getting out of bed for hours before and after my son was born, and hated feeling like I missed out on his birth. He did have nursing issues as well, but I don't know if that would be contributed to the epidural or not.
**Butterfly and Spunky**..... what are you doing differently this time around? Are you taking classes or having a doula this time?
I'm not going to go back and forth with you about this, but having a 10 year degree doesn't negate the fact that women DO in fact have side effects, complications & interventions due to epidural use.
I went with a midwife this time around, and I am reading the Hypnobirthing book and will take a Hypno class at my hospital as well.
I loved my epidural.
I had back labor to the point of nearly passing out from the pain. I literally lost all color in my face and my eyes were rolling back. The epidural stopped all that....so I can't argue against them. It's like getting your teeth drilled, you can try and be a hard-ass and say no drugs or you can get numbed up...what's your decision? I'll take the drugs.
If I could include getting hooked up in the parking lot in my birth plan, I would....
I would rather take laying in a bed pain free for hours on end, with a catheter then being able to walk the halls feeling EVERYTHING. I walk the halls any time after the labor, there was no need to when I was waiting to fully dilate. When I began to push, they turned it almost off so I could feel the contraction coming on and was able to push.
Oh, and this quote from the article completely contradicts my experience "The women who had the epidurals were equally as able to lift their knees, wiggle their toes, and walk as those who had no additional meds."
There was no way I could lift my knees or walk. Don't remember trying to wiggle my toes, but my legs were complete dead weights, and I fell when I woke up during the night after he was born (son was born at 1:30pm) and tried to go to the bathroom on my own, because portions of my legs were still numb.
That's too bad, I could lift my knees and and wiggle my toes. My legs only felt heavy but I could move them.
Warning - possible tmi in details below
I had an epidural for both of my daughters, and I plan on having one for this baby. I did not have any major issues with mine - not to say that that is the case for all women. I pushed for an hour with DD1, but I only had to push 4-5 times for DD2. I think the pushing and progress can vary depending on a lot of different factors. For both of my babies, I had deep contractions in my back. The doctor had to break my water for both babies. The location and strength of my contractions literally pushed the water on the floor when I was getting my epidural. Gross - I know. Honestly, I am allergic to anesthesia (not an uncommon issue) so I threw up. Also, my body has a low tolerance for anesthesia, so I couldn't lift my legs or feel my toes. Despite these factors, I am happy with my experiences. Every person needs to determine what birth plan is best for them. The epidural worked best for me, just as natural worked best for other women. A good friend of mine went natural and it was an amazing experience for her. Part of me longs for a natural experience, and the other part likes the epidural. There are reasons to support both options. In the end, each person needs to do what is best for them. Educate yourself on both options, but always keep in mind that a birth plan is just that. A plan. There are no guarantees, but having information on all of your options can provide comfort during that time. Regardless of your final decision, GL and here is to amazing deliveries.
I think another thing that needs to be mentioned is that because epidurals do slow down the process, women feel pressure from some dr's and nurses to have c-sections because the labor is taking too long.
Just last week a girlfriend of mine was in labor for 10 hours and really not progressing to the dr's liking and said that she should consider a c-section. She asked if she could have another couple hours to see if she progressed and she did. They held off on the c-section and she had the baby 14 hours later.
Meh. I'm about as over this issue/debate as I am with BF vs. FF and so on.
Here's the deal: if you don't want an epidural, don't get one. Easy peasy. Lots of women deliver medication-free and go on to tell the tale. But unmedicated birth isn't for everyone. Labor hurts. A lot. So, if there is a generally safe medical alternative that allows you to deliver with less pain, and that appeals to you, then go for it.
Are epidurals 100% safe? Of course not. Guess what? Neither is unmedicated childbirth. Being pregnant and delivering a baby is associated with clear risks to your health whether or not you get an epidural. Does an epidural come with its own risks? Of course - as does any medical intervention. That includes all the stuff mentioned above. Blood pressure changes, itching, and shakes/chills (all treatable) are probably most common. Spinal headache less so, but, again, also treatable. As far as do epidurals slow labor? The jury's still out. Studies have shown conflicting data and every OB seems to have a differing opinion on this. Generally, the epidural may increase risk of an instrumental delivery (i.e., forceps, vacuum), but has no significant effect on labor length or neonatal outcomes in multiple studies. And allergic reactions are fairly rare - true opioid allergy occurs infrequently in humans. Most reactions are "pseudoallergies" caused by the release of histamines these drugs cause in general.
If you want to try an epidural, know that the vast majority of women who receive them during labor do so with few, if any, complications. And those complications that do occur are often manageable without taking away from the birth experience. Are there some horror stories? Of course - but true, long term adverse events from peripartum epidural placement are quite rare and should not be used as a fear tactic to dissuade women from considering an intervention that is generally safe.
I'm hoping not to get induced.
I was induced with my first because my bp was really high (180/100). I feel like I did really well managing the pain for quite some time (made it to almost 8cm), but eventually the pitocin got the better of me. I truly think that if I didn't have the pit I'd have been able to go without an epi so that's what I'm hoping for this time around. With my first, I walked the hospital floor for hours. Not only did it help me progress but it also helped me focus on something else so my plan is to do a lot of walking. I'd also like to labor at home as much as possible. I have a midwife (and did with my first) and I'm hoping that having her there will also be a good encouragement. But it's all wait and see.
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Make a pregnancy ticker
Fantastic post!
Make a pregnancy ticker
I think this argument about epidurals is one of those that no one really budges on...everyone has their own beliefs / reasons, and it seems like you can't change their minds. So I wish this article would stop being posted!
I've had one birth with an epidural, which to me, did more harm than good. Yes, I avoided some pain for a few hours, but I had to push for THREE hours, get an episiotomy, and have a forceps delivery. Due to prolonged forced pushing, I was swollen for a long time and did not feel normal down there for several months. I also had poor bladder control for awhile. Because I have scoliosis, which no one noticed and I was in no shape to remind people, they misplaced it the first time and it was super painful. I wish I would have just said, "Never mind!" I now have sciatic pain, that began after the epidural and is still here five years later.
My next birth was med-free, uncomplicated, and my recovery was amazing. Breastfeeding the first time was more challenging, and I had to use a nipple shield the entire time. This could have been because we were both new at it, so I won't attribute that to the epidural but it could have played a part. Breastfeeding after my second birth was so easy, and I felt great after a week. Those benefits alone are so much more awesome than a few hours of pain relief.
I guess my argument is that while the epidural itself isn't inherently evil, it can lead to other interventions that cause more problems.
I don't expect my experiences to change anyone's mind, in fact I know it won't. But I feel complications happen to a lot of people.
Well said. I completely agree. Especially the part about non-medicated births not being 100% safe/complication free either.
DS - 7.5
DD #1 - 6
~ mmc 7.11.2018 @ 9w ~
DD#2 - born 12.24.19
The thing is- everyone tells you about how unsafe epidurals are but no one really tells you how safe the actually are.
Yes, complications can arise from epidurals. But complications can come from any natural birth as well.
What I really want to find is actual statistics. Of the whatever number of millions of people that have epidurals- how many of them have complications? What is the actual PERCENT of people that have serious complications from epidurals? I also want to find the same for natural births as well. I'm finding these statistics hard to find from a reputable source.
I think the fact is that's a hard thing to judge. Many women might not even realize they're experiencing a side effect from the epidural (i.e. is the breastfeeding issue from the epi or not? did you have to push longer b/c of the epi? did you have a c/s b/c of the epi?). There's just no way to know for sure that the cause is the epidural. You might be able to judge serious complications (i.e. spinal headaches), but there are so many other side effects--some that some women are willing to put up with and others not so much. Also, you can't judge the recovery either--even if you've given birth both ways. You just don't know.
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Same here. I was in labor (back labor) for four hours with zero progress (dilated to like 1 1/2 the whole time). Had an epidural and within the next four hours I had DD, including 20 minutes of pushing. I could absolutely move my legs, wiggle my toes and walk if necessary could tell when I was having contractions, but felt no pain. I'm lucky my doctor came on call when she did because the doc on call wasn't going to let me have an epidural until I was dilated 4cm.