Did you have an epidural?

[NYEmomma]

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

It's ironic that I spent almost 9 months absolutely terrified of preterm labor & time in the NICU... it just seemed like a foregone conclusion with twins. Then weeks and weeks and weeks passed, and even though I had been 4cm since 34 weeks, nothing was happening and they had to induced me at 39+ weeks just to get the stubborn little buggers out!

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

I know!! They'll be 7 months tomorrow. I don't know how it's possible but these past 7 months have flown by & have felt like the longest 7 months of my life, all at the same time.

Plus I had heard some horror stories of people pushing for hours and ending up with forcep-assisted deliveries.

Had an epidural and 2 of my 3 babies were delivered with a vacuum, but all were delivered after only 20 minutes of pushing, max. With DD1, I didn't dilate evenly and had a "lip" that she couldn't make it past. So they used just a tiny bit of suction to help her past it. Pushed for about 20 minutes but it was my first time so I probably only had about 5 minutes of GOOD pushing, lol.

With DD2, she was apparently have some pretty bad decels whenever a contraction came when I was trying to push, so after only about 2 pushes, they put the vacuum on her and got her out ASAP. She came out sunny side up, screaming at the doctor & peeing all over him -- she was just fine.

DD3 didn't need any assistance... she came 14 minutes after DD2 with only 3 pushes. She was over a pound heavier than DD2 too.

 

[Granny square]

No, because I was more scared of the epidural than of the pain of childbirth. It worked for us.

 

[macraven]

after 37 hours of labor, had a spinal.

the other pregnancies, nothing.




not my choice, but the boys came too quickly for the epidural.

 

[North of Mouse]

Yes, twice

First time worked like a charm.

Second time, blood pressure dropped so they had to stop the epidural (side effect), then could not administer a different kind, so had to tough it out - not a good thing!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I'm due in 6 months and plan to get one in case I need a c-section. General anesthesia and I DO NOT get along so I want to be prepared. Plus I think the pain may trigger my panic disorder if I think something is wrong and it isn't normal pain.

 

[nanienamou]

Nope, three natural births.

Two in birthing centers, one at home, with a midwife. Such empowering experiences and I was up and about 10-15 minutes after giving birth all three times. Those birthing experiences were for me priceless.

 

[fun4me]

Three kids, one epidural. Hard to describe how much better I felt post delivery for the no epidural births.

Same here for me! I had 3 babies. The first 2 no epidural the last one with an epidural. My recovery from the last was much longer. I wonder if it would have been a faster recovery if I opted not to have the epidural.

 

[3Gsandme]

Yesx3.

I tried to tough it out, but various minor complications kept me stuck in bed on my back. I think I could have pushed through otherwise, but it wasn't to be.

I had three lovely, healthy little girls and that's all I really care about.

 

[NYEmomma]

I'm due in 6 months and plan to get one in case I need a c-section. General anesthesia and I DO NOT get along so I want to be prepared. Plus I think the pain may trigger my panic disorder if I think something is wrong and it isn't normal pain.

I have anxiety disorder and the nerves and stuff when everything started happening, especially with my first, really put me into a tailspin. I felt so much better once I had the epi placed and could relax and could forget my body was getting ready to evict this baby, lol. For me, dwelling on it & the myriads of things that could possibly happen and all the various scenarios of what it's going to be like, etc. is really what sets my anxiety off so being able to put it out of my mind and distract myself with other things helped calm me down.

 

[Dax]

I am due in Aug, and I will not be getting one

 

[HelenePA]

Yes for all 4 children!

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

I did not suffer with no epidural. My pain was very controlled with breathing. My longest pushing was under 20 minutes with #1... I pushed once for #4 and he was out. They tried to get me to stop mid push so I wouldn't tear with him but there was no holding that back.. #2 & #3 were 2 pushes... KEGELS HELP!!! DO YOUR KEGELS pregnant people!!!! The more you can control down the better!!

 

[tar heel]

Same here for me! I had 3 babies. The first 2 no epidural the last one with an epidural. My recovery from the last was much longer. I wonder if it would have been a faster recovery if I opted not to have the epidural.

Mine was with the third, too, and I've always assumed recovery would have been just like the first two without the epidural. I had to work so much harder pushing that my arms and chest were sore. It was almost like I was working against my labor.

 

[Footnotegirl]

Nope. Had to do an induction a week and a half overdue. No epidural, no other pain killers. The idea of having a needle anywhere near my spine and not being able to get up and move around easily freaks me out way more than ANY amount of pain would.

 

[disykat]

Yes with both.

The first one I finally caved 27 hours in, 11 of which had been constant pitocin contractions. The nurses told me they were placing bets how long I'd make it and I outlasted them all. I wish they'd told me that because I was holding out so wouldn't think I was a wimp! I ended up with a c-section at hour 36.

For the second I had a 12 hour trial labor for a VBAC. They did my epidural at that point before taking me in to surgery.

 

[SLP958]

Yes, I still think it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I didn't because my providers told me that the Apgar scores of babies born with epidurals are usually lower than those of those born without. There have since been lots of conflicting studies, but I spend a lot of time on a Labor and Delivery floor every day and I can tell you that that is still the general consensus in my particular hospital.

I've seen the nurses tell the patients that it is fine and normal and okay to have a drugs...and then call them selfish behind their backs.

 

[North of Mouse]

I didn't because my providers told me that the Apgar scores of babies born with epidurals are usually lower than those of those born without. There have since been lots of conflicting studies, but I spend a lot of time on a Labor and Delivery floor every day and I can tell you that that is still the general consensus in my particular hospital.

I've seen the nurses tell the patients that it is fine and normal and okay to have a drugs...and then call them selfish behind their backs.

Those nurses are definitely in the wrong profession then. The last time I checked there were no *medals* being given out for those that were able (or just wanted to) have their babies with no anesthesia. Some mothers act like you're a wimp to need something for pain - well, I know that some have much easier deliveries than others. I had one SIL that had 4 children, and they just literally slipped out. Someone like that can in no way understand what a *very* painful hard delivery is like.

It's a *choice* - no right or wrong. Everyone should be able to do what they feel is best for them, with no judging on either side. My three babies all had high Apgar scores. The epidural didn't affect that with them. We were all happy and healthy and that's all that matters.

Are you a delivery nurse? How would you have seen/heard that? I would love to know when a nurse would say something like that - would definitely have a word with her supervisor!

 

[Hardy]

I didn't either time. My first I was induced and he was born two hours later, very quick labor. It was good that I had prepared to not get one, bc there wouldn't have been time. My second, I wanted to be natural as possible labor was only really painful for the last hour, pretty quick as well, in fact she was born 5 minutes after the nurse claimed I was at 8. Needless to say the doctor didn't make it.

 

[Zandy595]

Those nurses are definitely in the wrong profession then. The last time I checked there were no *medals* being given out for those that were able (or just wanted to) have their babies with no anesthesia. Some mothers act like you're a wimp to need something for pain - well, I know that some have much easier deliveries than others. I had one SIL that had 4 children, and they just literally slipped out. Someone like that can in no way understand what a *very* painful hard delivery is like.

It's a *choice* - no right or wrong. Everyone should be able to do what they feel is best for them, with no judging on either side. My three babies all had high Apgar scores. The epidural didn't affect that with them. We were all happy and healthy and that's all that matters.

Are you a delivery nurse? How would you have seen/heard that? I would love to know when a nurse would say something like that - would definitely have a word with her supervisor!

 

[fairestoneofall]

Same here for me! I had 3 babies. The first 2 no epidural the last one with an epidural. My recovery from the last was much longer. I wonder if it would have been a faster recovery if I opted not to have the epidural.

i had an epidural with all three of my children. and i experienced three completely different recoveries!

first was a long time of pushing. they had to vacuum her out (and i had an episiotomy). that recovery was tough.

second was a quick three pushes. he was a pound smaller than his sister and i did not have an episiotomy (or tear).

third was a c-section. recovery for that one was the worst.

my recoveries had more to do with the actual delivery than with the epidurals.