Did you have an epidural?

[shell8558]

h-e-double hockey sticks yeah, I did!!

With my second delivery (twins) I was required to have one because of the increased risk of c-section. That way, if the second baby got stuck, they could perform an emergency c-section without having to put me completely under. I was also required to deliver in the OR because of the c-section risk.

A was 6lb 8oz and B was 7lb 10oz and thankfully were both delivered w/o a c-section.

GREAT size twins!!! So awesome! I had to 2 premie babies and neither weighed what one of yours did.

 

[LiveYourLife]

h-e-double hockey sticks yeah, I did!!

With my second delivery (twins) I was required to have one because of the increased risk of c-section. That way, if the second baby got stuck, they could perform an emergency c-section without having to put me completely under. I was also required to deliver in the OR because of the c-section risk.

A was 6lb 8oz and B was 7lb 10oz and thankfully were both delivered w/o a c-section.

Wow! Are your little beans 6 months old already?!?!? I remember when you first found out you were having twins!!!! Just yesterday it seems like

 

[Sorsha]

1st and 2nd DDs I had intrathecal injections. They were managed perfectly and worked wonderfully.

3rd DD's delivery turned into a bit (ok, a LOT) of train wreck and so we never had a chance. It was ugly.

As someone else said, if I am in pain for any other reason I am going to take pain medications, I see no reason why childbirth should be any different. Medical science has worked for years to develop all those nifty meds, after all.

 

[ebtbmom]

Yes but my meds wore off when it was close to pushing time, they wouldn't redose me!

 

[Cantw8]

I wanted one BIG TIME but my belly was so big and I am small, I just couldn't curl up in the right position for it to be effective The nurse tried several times and I had the pain of the needle sticks but not able to get the effect

 

[worm761]

DS- no. My water broke but I didn't really feel any contractions. I decide to wait until it hurt. By the time I asked for it, the nurse said too late then opened the door and yelled for a doctor. It was painful. VERY painful. I was in induce labor for 7 hours. It sucked.

DD- yes. Pregnancy and I don't really get along. I was on bed rest most of my pregnancy. Then I was 42 weeks pregnant when they decided that it was time to induce since she just would not come naturally. And I was trying every trick in the book to bring on labor. They induced me at 7 am. They stretched my cervix manually at around 2. Painful, VERY painful. At 4 when they were discussing more very painful things to get things moving along, I asked for the epi. They numbed my back so I didn't even feel it go in. DD was born at 11pm. 16 hours of labor is more than I think I can handle. I did go in with the plan to go natural though. It just didn't work out that way.

 

[Bluestars]

Baby #1 - No epidural. My water broke at noon. They started inducing labor at midnight. I had back labor, along with the severe pain of being induced for 9 hours. It was the worst pain of my life. I took no pain meds.

Baby #2 - Yes to an epidural. I pleasantly watched TV in the hospital until it was time to push. It was a wonderful experience and I had no side effects.

Baby #3 - Yes, it was a C-section. I had no side effects.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

No twice, and I never regretted the decision.

same here

 

[Erin1700]

DD yes!

DS yes and then he ended up a csection because he was very big.

 

[Betsy82]

Epidural with one, spinal with the other.

Epidural I never even felt. Anesthesiologist was amazing.

Spinal was terrible. He couldn't get it right and it was very painful as he kept trying. My BP "bottomed out" & that was less than pleasant.

If I have another child I will be requesting fluids for much longer than I got them last time to try to avoid the reaction to the spinal. I'm assuming that was the issue, as I heard the anesthesiologist ask how much I had gotten and scoff at their reply. It was a scheduled c-section.

 

[mimmi]

Yes. First I tried without but after one sleepless night and with many more hours to go, I was so awfully tired, I just wanted to sleep a bit.
I got 5 hours of sleep and woke up fully dilated, I guess because I could finally relax.
I had no side effects, could move my legs, I could have stood up, the midwife encouraged that, but felt too dizzy (hadn't had something to eat for 20 hours).

I keep reading that people couldn't get an epidural because it was too late, when is it too late?
My midwife and my doctor told me that it's never too late, except for, maybee, when I'm already pushing, because it doesn't make much sense then .

 

[java]

Yes for all 4 children!

No side effects. Why suffer when there is an option? no regrets.

 

[mickeyboat]

Yes. First I tried without but after one sleepless night and with many more hours to go, I was so awfully tired, I just wanted to sleep a bit.
I got 5 hours of sleep and woke up fully dilated, I guess because I could finally relax.
I had no side effects, could move my legs, I could have stood up, the midwife encouraged that, but felt too dizzy (hadn't had something to eat for 20 hours).

I keep reading that people couldn't get an epidural because it was too late, when is it too late?
My midwife and my doctor told me that it's never too late, except for, maybee, when I'm already pushing, because it doesn't make much sense then .

It was too late for DD#2 because I arrived at the hospital fully dilated. She was born about 20 minutes after they checked me.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

Yes. First I tried without but after one sleepless night and with many more hours to go, I was so awfully tired, I just wanted to sleep a bit.
I got 5 hours of sleep and woke up fully dilated, I guess because I could finally relax.
I had no side effects, could move my legs, I could have stood up, the midwife encouraged that, but felt too dizzy (hadn't had something to eat for 20 hours).

I keep reading that people couldn't get an epidural because it was too late, when is it too late?
My midwife and my doctor told me that it's never too late, except for, maybee, when I'm already pushing, because it doesn't make much sense then .

For me I was in hard labor and they told me it was too late.

 

[mjkacmom]

3 kids, all with pitocin/induction- no epi, no pain meds. Labors were 4, 12, 22 hours, varying intensity. I had witnessed too many complications, already had back issues, and had worked way too hard for 9 months ( no caffeine, no dyes, no nitrates, no deli meats etc etc) to pump my kids full of drugs at the finish line. Recovery was a Dream! As was breastfeeding---
Absolutely done, but if I were to have another, no epi for me.
To each her own though- if you want it, get it.
I will note that while many no epi moms seem ok with anyone getting an epi - there is a lot of " are you crazy? Why wouldn't you?" From the other side--

I had 3 (well, 4 if you count my spinal with my c/s). After I had the first one (and it took so long to get it, that they made me push when it was done ), I actually looked forward to it for the next births. It must be the greatest feeling on earth - I know they say heroin produces feelings of euphoria, but I can't imagine it comes close to being in active labor, and then pure relief!

But, I didn't change my diet in any way during pregnancy, drank coffee, ate cold cuts, a little sushi, a little wine in the last trimester... I did it the old fashioned way - got pregnant, and then, 9 months later, gave birth, without pregnancy being the biggest deal in my life. Get the baby in, get the baby out. Granted, I exercise, and eat pretty well, as it is.

 

[diamondpixienc]

Oh yes! All three times. It allowed me to relax and only focus on pushing instead of the pain. But mad props to those natural moms. But this momma does not like pain at all.

 

[momto2girls]

Of course! I knew that I would have epidurals before I ever got pregnant for the first time. Best invention ever! Why have unnecessary pain?

 

[jodifla]

+

Yes but my meds wore off when it was close to pushing time, they wouldn't redose me!

This happened to me as well, but my husband tracked down the anesthesiologist and dragged him back to my room to redose me. I was in such pain from my sciatica I could no longer push or feel contractions. The redosing was easy, he only shot some medicine into the tube that was already in place.

Our son was born about 10 minutes later.

This was my husband's most heroic act during the whole labor/delivery process.

 

[princesspumpkin]

For those who wonder why women don't have epidurals, I can say that most of the time (and I have over 26 years experience caring for literally thousands of post-partum women), even though you may not have complications from an epidural, the difference in the overall recovery (in things such as immediate movement ability, and general alertness of both mom and baby) can be quite vast.

Yes, I have had many,many patients that have had epidurals and have come to the post-partum floor with full walking ability and were as active and alert as someone who has not even had a baby. But by far, those who have not had an epidural were twice as active (and much less sleepy). As for the babies, they were also overwhelmingly more alert in the initial hours following birth.

So, there is an advantage to delivering a baby without an epidural, even if you have to endure intense pain. People wonder why someone would go thru labor without an epidural, and this is certainly one of the reasons.

 

[jodifla]

For those who wonder why women don't have epidurals, I can say that most of the time (and I have over 26 years experience caring for literally thousands of post-partum women), even though you may not have complications from an epidural, the difference in the overall recovery (in things such as immediate movement ability, and general alertness of both mom and baby) can be quite vast.

Yes, I have had many,many patients that have had epidurals and have come to the post-partum floor with full walking ability and were as active and alert as someone who has not even had a baby. But by far, those who have not had an epidural were twice as active (and much less sleepy). As for the babies, they were also overwhelmingly more alert in the initial hours following birth.

So, there is an advantage to delivering a baby without an epidural, even if you have to endure intense pain. People wonder why someone would go thru labor without an epidural, and this is certainly one of the reasons.

Still not worth it to me, though.

I had 3 friends who each had two children before I had mine; and in each case the first time they didn't have an epidural. Each chose to have an epidural the second time, and each (independently) told me the experience was night and day. They were miserable during the first delivery and didn't enjoy the experience, but with the epidural they could enjoy it.

I was one of the lucky ones, and up and about pretty immediately after my epidural. My son got 10 APGAR scores as well.