epi vs no epi

mlandwehr · April 2013

From the minute I saw the pregnant come across that stick I knew I was going to get an epidural. I am not aganist not getting one, that was just my choice. I keep hearing about people all natural birth and I am starting to want to know what I will be missing out on? Is anyone else thinking about changing their mind either way?

smithm24 · April 2013

I originally thought I would want an epidural as soon as I could during labor. Now I've switched to wanting to see how long I can go without one. I'm still open to receiving one if I have back labor, an incredibly long labor, or if I just can't take it. I want to try without one, but I won't feel like a failure if I get one.

Ilovebeingamom · April 2013

I had one with DS 1 but wasn't planning on one this time. Overall my experience with an epi last time was fine but I almost passed out and my blood pressure dropped. I just found out my hospital doesn't even offer epidurals.... Only spinals or cervical blocks.

Britt8058 · April 2013

I am going natural this time. I had an epi with DD, but there were lots of issues. It took 2 anesthesiologists, 2 tries and over 2 hours to get it to work. I apparently have a curved spine that makes it very difficult to access my epidual space. It was not the most pleasant experience and I would rather not go through that again.

homebird · April 2013

I think people think too much about what everyone else is doing, honestly.

Read some articles about the benefits of getting an epidural and the benefits of not getting an epidural. Make sure they are as unbiased as possible. Then make a decision and realize that people have healthy babies regardless of whether or not they have an epidural and in the end it doesn't really matter.

TriciaandSean · April 2013

I was 100% against getting an epi during my last pregnancy and told the nurses I would only get one if the pain was a 12 on a scale of 1-10.

Well I ended up getting one in the long run. I labored and pushed for a long time and to be honest my body and mind were just really tired and I think I needed the epi to get me back to neutral.

After I had the epi put in my son was born less then 30 minutes later so it did relax me enough.

I'm not sure if this is true or not but my doctor said sometimes women that are in shape fight labor in the sense that they aren't able to relax their muscles enough since they keep tensing up. He said body builders are the worse laborers. Not that I'm a body builder by any means, but I had run through the majority of my pregnancy so I was in fairly good shape. I'm hoping the fact that I was lazy this pregnancy will help me out and give me an easier experience.

This time around I will labor as long as possible and try to avoid the epi but know it is an option if I need it.

GingerBabyTX · April 2013

homebird:
I think people think too much about what everyone else is doing, honestly.
Read some articles about the benefits of getting an epidural and the benefits of not getting an epidural. Make sure they are as unbiased as possible. Then make a decision and realize that people have healthy babies regardless of whether or not they have an epidural and in the end it doesn't really matter.

This! Do what's best for you and what you feel is right.

But as for me, I'm going to try to go as long as possible without one, with the goal of delivering naturally. We'll see what happens!

btsrc5 · April 2013

I, like you, planned on getting an epi as soon as I could with DD. But she had other plans. I was too late to get an epi and barely made it to the hospital in time to have her. Going med free was not my plan, but I survived.

Since I know I can do it, I plan on trying again this time. But if I don't feel like I can take it, I am completely open to getting an epi.

squeaks521 · April 2013

I didn't have one last time. I told my OB that I really would like one this time. I think it will help me relax. Last time I ended up with some really bad tearing and my midwife said she thinks it was because I was so tensed up and pushing.

jane.says · April 2013

My advice would be to stop worrying about it now, as you sit pain free and unaware of what your labor will be like, and just take things as they come. Also, just because you get an epidural doesn't mean you will miss out on labor/delivery pain. They affect everyone differently. For my first I couldn't feel contractions but I felt the actual delivery; with my second I felt nothing at all. But, in both cases, I felt plenty of labor pain before I actually got the epidural. Everyone's experience is so different. If you're not super committed to a natural delivery, just wait and see what your experience is like.

jlaOK · April 2013

I had one with DS and had a great experience. I waited until I was about 6 cm and continued to labor quickly after I got it (DS was born about 2 hrs afterwards). The cord was wrapped around DS's neck and he had to be vacuumed out because his heart rate was dropping and I ended up with a 4th degree tear. I can't imagine how horrible tearing, having to get sewn up, and the initial recovery would have been if I hadn't gotten a epidural.

I plan on getting on epidural again.

CindyRelluh · April 2013

homebird:
I think people think too much about what everyone else is doing, honestly.Read some articles about the benefits of getting an epidural and the benefits of not getting an epidural. Make sure they are as unbiased as possible. Then make a decision and realize that people have healthy babies regardless of whether or not they have an epidural and in the end it doesn't really matter.

You. I love you.

There will always be folks on each side of the spectrum that are able to give you pros and cons of each that really make your head spin. For me personally I chose to have one because I'm a huge wimp, and they don't hurt LO. I wasn't drowsy or anything, and even though I had an emergency csection I still got to be with dd right after delivery and whatnot.

You have to decide what will work best for you. You can go in saying you don't want one, but then the contractions make you feel like a Mac truck hit you and you'll change your mind. My advice is be open minded to anything. It'll make your experience better IMO.

Mommy2CB · April 2013

My epi's failed last time.. Needless to say I am praying to god it works this time. OUCH!!! I

guess Id rather not be in that much pain if I don't have to be.. I feel like I'd enjoy labor and birth a heck of a lot more!

ladybugpjb · April 2013

I didn't like feeling powerless after I got the epi with DS. I couldn't move to shift position or anything, and I hated it. It also made me nauseated. It was good for helping me rest a bit since I had a long labor, but that's not worth it to me.

I made it for quite awhile without the epi and only agreed to it because I had been having back labor for so long, was progressing very slowly, and they told me it would be at least 6 more hours.

KynnaBomb · April 2013

I had an horrible back labor with DD and took the epidural as soon as it was offered to me. I still felt EVERY last contraction and my back labor was still very much there. The only thing I didn't feel was DD coming out. Which the doctors allowed me to catch her because they said I did so well laboring and pushing. I will not be receiving the epidural this time as I am looking forward to being able to walk after birth and not have a catheter. It works for some, but not for me, so I'll be going au natural this time and am not worried about it in the slightest.

ckettenb · April 2013

homebird:
I think people think too much about what everyone else is doing, honestly.
Read some articles about the benefits of getting an epidural and the benefits of not getting an epidural. Make sure they are as unbiased as possible. Then make a decision and realize that people have healthy babies regardless of whether or not they have an epidural and in the end it doesn't really matter.

THIS.

ktr722 · May 2013

Once contractions begin you will realize as beautiful this experience is, it hurts. I lasted a whole day with contractions and ended up being 5 cm dialated by the time we got to the hospital. I got the epidural and then within min I was 7 cm. my LO caused some trouble when coming out and if I didn't have the epidural I would have been in excruciating pain. Get it! You will be happy you did! Good luck!

handsonthewheel · May 2013

I wanted to go natural with my first and was determined not to have an epidural, but my labor ended up being around 48 hours from start to finish and after my second night of not sleeping, I desperately needed it so that I could get an hour or two of sleep. The sleep I got completely refreshed me and this combined with being allowed to eat during labor gave me the strength to make it through the pushing. I'm convinced without both of those things I would have ended up with a C section. I know epidurals don't go smoothly for everyone, but I must say, my experience with one was amazing--it *did* slow my contractions down (about 10 minutes apart during pushing) but the midwives were happy for me to push when I chose/without contractions and I had a picture perfect delivery in the end. I haven't decided what I'm doing this time around--will probably try to go without for as long as possible but am completely open to having one again if need be.

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