Pain management during birth

fallenpegasus · April 2015

FTM and first time poster on here. I am 36 weeks today. Just a question to everyone about their plans for pain management when they have their babies. Do you plan to have an epidural right away, no epidural, or only have an epidural if you cant stand the pain?

I have allergies to many anesthetics, but have been told I can still have an epidural with a mixture of drugs that I am not allergic to. I would really like to try to give birth with no drugs because I am worried that with my allergies, my LO could have allergies to other anesthetics that I may not be allergic to. Not sure if there is any research that's been done on this, but when I talked to my doctor, he said he hasn't seen any research on it. I'm sure I'm over thinking everything. In the end I'm going to have an epidural if I cannot handle the pain. Doctor basically told me not to worry. As a FTM, I think I'm just so worried I could do something to put my baby in danger. That terrifies me. Sorry about the rambling post...what are your plans?

NittanyPA · April 2015

Breathing helps a lot with pain management. Have you taken any birthing classes? I haven't and won't be but everyone tells me they teach you breathing techniques.

I have learned breathing techniques on my own, and although I plan on an epidural I'm going to hold out as long as I can by using breathing techniques...( but not too late that I miss the window for it, of course.

KateLouise · April 2015

I've only ever had natural births (and personally wouldn't choose anything different), so I could be wrong with what I'm about to say. But my understanding is that you can only have an epidural after you've progressed to a certain point.

Therefore, if I'm correct, you might like to look into different coping strategies to get you to that point.

Everyone's experience is different and some people find it all really manageable while others have long, exhausting labours that are much more difficult to manage.

Best wishes to you in your upcoming birth.

fallenpegasus · April 2015

Thank you both for your responses!

I wasn't able to take a birthing class because the only ones they had available when is asked were on the day of my baby shower and the next is four days after my due date.

I would love to be able to make it through labor with just breathing and relaxation techniques, but whenever I tell someone that, they laugh at me and say I'll never be able to do it. I try to ignore them and brush it off as everyone is different. We will see soon enough if I can do it or not

hbombano · April 2015

You can do it!!!! Its not easy. But if u determine to want to go med free good on u. Im very sensitive to chemical drugs also. So it was just something i had to deal with thankfully iv managed each birth not without a fear bit of sweat and tears but once acheived its magic. (My first was Just over 9lbs and was back to back was a very difficult task) but iv gone back 4 times soon to be 5. So dont let anyone tell u it cant be done and if u end up with meds well it ok too (i ask each time when im between 9-10 dilated) its a good sign for me as i know wen i start asking for meds its sooooo close to having baby!!! All the best whatever u decide.

KateLouise · April 2015

fallenpegasus said:
Thank you both for your responses!

I wasn't able to take a birthing class because the only ones they had available when is asked were on the day of my baby shower and the next is four days after my due date.

I would love to be able to make it through labor with just breathing and relaxation techniques, but whenever I tell someone that, they laugh at me and say I'll never be able to do it. I try to ignore them and brush it off as everyone is different. We will see soon enough if I can do it or not

You can definitely do it, if it's something that matters to you. There is a huge amount of information online about the process of birth, relaxation techniques, and positive birth stories.

For me the most important thing was relaxing as the contractions got more intense rather than fighting them, and moving into whatever was the most comfortable position at the time. For me, that meant leaning over the bed or bar and semi squatting down as the contraction built. This kind of position is relaly common because it is naturally opening up your pelvis and using gravity to help baby move down.

No matter which way it swings, or whatever you choose, I wish you a wonderful bith!!

Leahauc · April 2015

It depends on where you deliver as to their rules on pain management. I have heard of hospitals having rules about not giving epidurals until a certain point, but mine allows them at any time once you hit l&d. Definitely ask your hospital and/or doctor.

Personally, I know I am a huge wimp and will end up getting an epidural eventually. I do still want to experience labor first, so I plan on holding off until I can't stand it, but pain management WILL happen.

traceyade11 · April 2015

I will be using gas n air n warm water only for the pain because I will be having my son in the birth centre so I will be doing breathing techniques.

ariejsmom · April 2015

With my first I did it natural. I had asked for an epidural but missed my window. I did breathing techniques and found a vocal point to focus on. All in all it wasn't that bad. With the second I opted for epidural and I regretted it. It did not help with the pain Mainly bc they didn't do it right. I moved my legs the whole time and still felt pain. Which irritated me and made my discomfort worse. I am having to have a c section this time and I have a new OB. She takes my concerns seriously and is working to make sure it's smooth.

If you want a med free birth you can do it but also know the option is there and every experience is different. Be flexible though bc you can plan all you want but things do happen.

nggomez · April 2015

I have had natural births except 1, I never wanted an epidural, so other pain management I looked into was stadol and Demerol. I ended up going with Stadol because it had less effects on baby than Demerol. They are both considered narcotics. Stadol in my research showed it to be the safer of the 2! Epidural has too many side effects, such as spinal headaches which 80% of women experience who have it, and from time to time extreme lower back pain, caused by the spinal fluid drip. Also a chance of other medical issues! So I opted against if necessary!

jlgagnon · April 2015

You can do it! I did natural with my first two. First one was easier because for my second my water partially broke and then there was no progression. They had to induce with pitocin which made the contractions much more intense. Still managable with breathing strategies but not fun! Hoping no epidural with the third but I'm not against it if I need it. Good luck!!!

delujm0 · April 2015

I have had natural births except 1, I never wanted an epidural, so other pain management I looked into was stadol and Demerol. I ended up going with Stadol because it had less effects on baby than Demerol. They are both considered narcotics. Stadol in my research showed it to be the safer of the 2! Epidural has too many side effects, such as spinal headaches which 80% of women experience who have it, and from time to time extreme lower back pain, caused by the spinal fluid drip. Also a chance of other medical issues! So I opted against if necessary!

This is patently false. please link the study where you are seeing this information. The real number of women who experience spinal headaches after having an epidural during labor is about 1%. Spinal headache is a VERY serious VERY painful condition and it is not at all common. My friend had one with her third child (but not with either of her first two, despite also having epidurals then) and she was basically bedridden and out of commission for almost a week. She couldn't even feed the baby. It required multiple procedures to fix. While this is terrible and serious, it is so incredibly rare...using it as the main reason you don't want an epidural is kind of ridiculous.

FWIW, my friend says that if she had a fourth baby, she'd STILL get the epidural again, even after the spinal headache. Because it's so rare it would be almost like lightning striking twice for her to have it happen again.

nggomez · April 2015

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CDQQFjAH&url=http://www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona/mmepidural.htm&ei=WGg5Vd_vOdLbsASeooGoAQ&usg=AFQjCNG-xt-ZGw21stpdCsbA2ph_wp-TSw&sig2=D6U8vlqQd5K4coeIjATJBw

Here is the URL of a major wide study still in progress. It is published by the International Medical Journal, read by doctors for information. I have a total of 47 URLs that I can send you if you like. It is each persons opinion. And if it is her choice for the epidural then that's her choice. The risks are too great for me. I have 7 kids never had one. Most of mine were natural with NO pain management and I do not regret it at all. Didn't mean to make you upset. I just went by My best friends husband who is a medical research doctor (one who gave me this journal) as well as several opinions once I had my information. Also in that huge stack of paperwork they make you sign prior to epidural list all the risk. Jair let me know if you want the other URLs or you can look up studies of side effects of epidurals and spinal taps through Google.

nggomez · April 2015

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265991/.

delujm0 · April 2015

It is 100% any woman's right to not have an epidural. I support any woman's pain management decisions. I may not even have one myself - for me it will depend on the severity of the pain. I just don't want false information to be spread about the risks associated with receiving an epidural.

The below is directly from the "headaches" portion of the study that was linked to:

24. Headache:

Headache after epidural is a persistent problem that is more pronounced in younger patients.⁵⁷ One study found its incidence after epidural anesthesia to be 4.6%, significantly more often than women not having epidurals.⁵⁸ It usually occurs from the effects of puncturing the dura. Headache can also occur from air getting into the spinal fluid (called an iatrogenic pneumocephalus). The air is introduced into the spinal fluid and column when the test dose is given that is assumed to be in the extra-dural space. When the person giving the epidural feels a loss of resistance to the injection of air, this is when a pneumocephalus can occur. The patient that was described complained immediately of severe headache on both sides of her forehead followed by vomiting. The baby had to be delivered by Cesarean with general anesthesia. The patients headache resolved in 24 hours after Cesarean.

Of 34 women with spinal headache (from 4766 epidurals), nine had long-term disability from headache. Five of these were from accidental dural puncture and four occurred after accidental spinal block.⁵⁹

So this study said that getting a regular headache after an epidural happened in 5% of cases, and that an actual spinal headache happened in 34/4766 cases - which is less than a 1% chance. A spinal headache is not the same as a headache you can take a few Advil for and easily move on from, and it is very unlikely to happen. Just want to make sure that is understood among the other women reading this thread.

But again...it's any woman's right to read the research and decide for herself whether she'd like an epidural or not. But please actually read the research and don't just rely on percentages thrown out on public forums.

allrightmeow · April 2015

The best advice I got was not to work against my contractions. Like no screaming and no tensing up. When ever I had one Id stop talking, close my eyes and just let my body go limp. I feel like it really helped me. In the Delivery room the nurses turned off all the main lights and every one talked not in whispers but just calm voices. And there was none of that "PUSH PUSH PUSH" stuff. It was bright and noisy and loud when I had DD and I hated it. My last birth was a million times better. Good luck!

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Pain management during birth

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