VBAC
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epidural question
what's the deal with vbac and epidurals? Is it better not to have one so that labor proceeds more quickly and you feel something if your uterus ruptures. Or is it better to have an epidural so that you are prepared for a fast c-section if necessary?
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Re: epidural question
But that said, my original birth plan included an epi and I did tons of medical journal research and didn't find evidence of it delaying progression though it does limit position changing.
From what I've read there isn't much out there that is conclusive that says an epi can slow labor, but in my personal experience, for me I believe that getting the epi really stalled my labor, and is part of the reason I ended up with a c/s with my son. I don't plan to rule it out (getting one was actually pushed on me after declining it 4 times while in labor with DS), but I will hold off as long as I can.
I just had this conversation with my OB today when discussing VBAC. I ended up with my c/s for a few reasons: one was the epidural affecting my ability to feel/push, and the second was DD in the OP position.
My OB did make the comment that if your uterus ruptures, or if there is any emergency and you do not have an epidural in place, than general anesthesia is required. GA would certainly alter the birth experience, but at the point of something bad like that happening, would it really matter much to you in the long run? As long as the medical team did what they needed to do quickly? I guess there would also be a possibility of general on top of an epidural if it was not enough?