Childbirth - Epidural or No?

[clovergirl5]

1st dd...didn't have anything, she was posterior and it was the most excruciating pain I have ever felt still till this day. Was to late for an epi.
2nd dd...epi = great labor and delivery
3rd ds...epi = great labor and delivery
4th dd...planned c/s because she was breech, had spinal
5th dd...planned repeat c/s, had spinal

I would highly recommend an epi. If your dr. and you agree it is safe for you and baby. No need to be superwoman, you don't have to prove anything to anyone about going natural. You are able to be painfree and calm and enjoy the expected arrival of your most perfect present!

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

I had my three without any pain meds or epidural. I wish that I had tried a delivery with an epidural. I believed all of the books and Bradley classes, and was afraid that I would be taking the "easy" way out by getting an epidural and could cause complications with the delivery. My labors were very frantic and painful.... I didn't really get to "enjoy" them. In fact, my family has told me that I was very nasty while in labor and used language that I would never use normally. (I do not remember this!!) Maybe I watched too many episodes of A Baby Story, the medicated women seem so relaxed...don't they?

 

[jodifla]

Go in with an open mind, at the very least.

I always planned to get an epidural, and I was careful to ask for it the soonest they said I could have it. As someone said earlier, if the aneisthesiologist gets busy, he/she may not get there in time. I got the last maternity bed in the hospital that night -- they were booked solid.


As it was, my labor was SO long that the epi RAN OUT! Luckily, my hero (DH) MADE the doctor call him back and give me another shot of painkiller. I was experiencing sciatica along with the labor pains and couldn't push when I was supposed to. As son as I got re-upped on the epi, I could push again and DS was born shortly after.

I will say my doctors hung in with me for hours and didn't leave me alone. Neither did my nurses.

 

[ginna74]

I never had one for my 3, but with the first I had a shot of demerol and she was born a little groggy. I was soooooo scared to get an epideral, but REALLY had tough labors.(is that a word?) going into labor hoping you don't have to have one is nice, but if it were to become super bad I would get one.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I was deathly afraid of needles, too, but after months of them drawing blood every week along with pricking my fingers 5 times a day for gestational diabetes, I figured I could handle it. The kicker was the nurse who couldn't get my IV in the back of my hand (why the back of the hand??) and after her 3 rd try at digging to China had to call in an anesthetist assistant to give me lidocane so they could finally get it going. I was about to pass out by that point (plus the induced labor), so the epi was welcomed. My only problem was sitting still long enough for him to insert the needle in between contractions. Trust me, the needle in the back was nothing compared to any one of these other pains.

Those whose reason for skipping the epi are because you are afraid of needles, didn't you have any contact with a needle during your pregnancy?

I totally get the fear, one of the reasons I don't get a flu shot is because I hate shots, so I am there with ya on that!

 

[IHeartTink04]

I just gave birth in October and I went in planning on it and got one and it was amazing!

Pretty smooth sailing from there!

 

[T16GEM]

I was so 100% totally against having an epi when I had my DD, I was scared stiff of the needle and having it go near my spine was just a complete no no for me. However, labour was very very painful and traumatic for us, I had gas and air, then pethadine and the whole time had a tens machine on me too. Nothing worked and I couldn't take it any more, so after 9 hours I relented and had the epidural. It was amazing, I remember saying it was like cool ice cream running through my body, the relief was instant. I was too tired to push properly so I ended up with forceps and vontuse (sp?) which was just the most awful thing to have happened after going through labour for nearly 15 hours!

Keep an open mind and just see where the time takes you .

 

[Tasmen]

I went into the pregnancy knowing I was going to have an epi no matter what. I didn't see the point in experiencing pain if modern medicine gave me a way to avoid it. Keep in mind, I /hate/ needles. I can't look when they prick me.

That being said, I couldn't have my epi at first as they had to dilate me first before giving me pitocin. The pain was bad but manageable until I stood up and walked around a little bit to speed things along. Nothing like feeling a contraction when you are peeing. I almost fell on the floor.

They knew at that point my labor was progressing enough that I could have the epi. When the nurse asked me if I wanted one, I didn't hesitate to say yes. She then said to me: 'Good girl, we don't give out medals for folks that don't take the meds. You all get the same prize at the end regardless.'

I've never been so happy in my life to get medicine. I actually got to nap and such while the pitocin did its job.

A friend that went natural with the birth of her son was marveling at the differences in our labors. She said mine was so mellow and laid back while hers was rough and screamy.

 

[kim929]

There is no heros in Child birth.... it hurts.. it hurts a lot... yea, you forget the pain after, but why have pain when you can be nice and comfortable with a few drugs running thru your veins. at one time you could only get it at 7 cm, but now, the child birth gods have listened and you can get it at anytime. When my daughter had her daughter in Feb. the nurses kept asking how she was doing, she was doing fine. I asked her you sure you want to work thru this pain? yup she did. okie dokie... Then it hit her, this pain that rips thru you from your toes to your head.... she wanted the epidural and she wanted it now.... Of course do whats best for you, but why suffer if you don't have to

 

[SydSim]

A better poll might be "how many people actually had their birth plan work out as planned" . I am sure the nurses love when parents come in with these spread sheets of how everything will go for their labors, I wonder what percentage of the things on that plan actually happen since it wasn't shared with the baby.

So true! Know what you would like to achieve is a great idea - except everyone keeps forgetting to tell the baby!


I have seen many, many birth plans. The ones that are detailed down to almost the minute are the ones that seem to go awry. Sometimes a little flexibility can help you achieve most of your goals. If you refuse to budge on anything, many times you end up with almost nothing.

Case in point - patient doesn't want IV fluids at all. Baby has some complications in labor and IV fluids could help out. Patient still refusing and baby is now in so much distress that an emergency c-section needs to be performed. Now, not only does she get an IV, but also an epidural and a c-section.

Keeping an open mind and being aware that you really don't know what is going to happen is best.

Best birth plan I've read startd with:

"First, I'd prefer to go into labor in the morning"

 

[NMAmy]

Those whose reason for skipping the epi are because you are afraid of needles, didn't you have any contact with a needle during your pregnancy?

I totally get the fear, one of the reasons I don't get a flu shot is because I hate shots, so I am there with ya on that!

I can deal with a blood draw or an IV needle or even a flu shot. It was the thought of that enormous needle going into my spine that did me in.

 

[mickeyboat]

I can deal with a blood draw or an IV needle or even a flu shot. It was the thought of that enormous needle going into my spine that did me in.

I guess I was in so much pain when I decided to get the epidural, that they could have whacked me on the head with a club and I would not have cared. I knew the needle would be long, but made a point not to look at it.

 

[Stacerita]

I went into labor with a birthing plan that did not include any pain meds. Everyone was well aware of this and were sworn to keep their promise of letting me go natural. Well that was dumb. My labor was not long, but it was rough. It got to the point that I was ready to go to the back alley and find a crack head to get some from. In my family there was always talk about how beautiful labor and delivery was, why would you want to be drugged up. Hell no is labor beautiful. Its painful. I say go in with a plan, but make allowences to have drugs if you change your mind.

 

[luv2sew]

My first I was bucking the epidural when it was suggested by an intern that it was time to think about it....I said no just give me the other things you do....Doc came in and said "do you realize you are a slow driver (in terms of delivering the baby) and how long you have to go....OK I backed down and took it.......36 hours later and 6 redoses.... during that time my husband got quite verbal with the nursing staff when one of the doses ran out and I was screaming and then later I watched my husband quietly praying in his chair...he did not realize that I noticed...I delivered and was very thankful for the epidurals.

The anethesiologist (ok I can't spell it) came in the next day and told me I have a doctor that likes to wait it out and any other doctor would have given me a c-section many hours sooner. GREAT...thanks for that info.

Second child, I went into the emergency telling everyone that would listen....give me the drugs as soon as you think it's time...I'm not being a hero here. This birthe was 26 hours....Thanks to all those wonderful scientists that invented that wonderful epidurals. Heaven to me. both times

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

BTW, let's not forgot our friend Demerol...

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Those whose reason for skipping the epi are because you are afraid of needles, didn't you have any contact with a needle during your pregnancy?

I totally get the fear, one of the reasons I don't get a flu shot is because I hate shots, so I am there with ya on that!

It's not the needle, so much as the LONG needle in the SPINE. Esp. for me with Scoliosis, I was afraid they'd hit the wrong spot.

So true! Know what you would like to achieve is a great idea - except everyone keeps forgetting to tell the baby!


"First, I'd prefer to go into labor in the morning"

I'd like to go in labor after lunch, and have the baby born before 3, with no pain at all. Heck, If I coluld do that, maybe I'd have 10 kids. Ummmm....maybe not!

 

[Tasmen]

Best birth plan I've read startd with:

"First, I'd prefer to go into labor in the morning"

That makes me think of the birthing class we went to. The instructor had us all use index cards to layout our perfect birthing plan. Then after you were done, the couple to your right got to flip over two of your index cards to change up the plan.

This was used to demonstrate that things do not go as planned so don't plan on it. Of course, I had a real jerk guy sitting next to me that thought it would be funny to make me end up having an episiotomy without any drugs. He kept laughing at how he messed up my 'give me drugs, omg' birth plan because his wife was going natural.

BTW, let's not forgot our friend Demerol...

I first met my friend Demerol when I had my appendix out. We are old friends indeed

 

[mjkacmom]

It's


I'd like to go in labor after lunch, and have the baby born before 3, with no pain at all. Heck, If I coluld do that, maybe I'd have 10 kids. Ummmm....maybe not!

I did it - it was great! Got to the hospital at 10ish, IV in, water broken, pitocin started, epidural in, starting contracting right away, ds born at 4:30. Ate my bagel, had a beer (my birthing tradition). No pain at all.

 

[phragmipedium]

Wow! How nice to come home from work to such a full & great thread of replies!

My feeling so far has been - I will go in with an open mind. I have a pretty good idea of what kind of pain I can tolerate and what I can't, so I think I'll know what I want pretty early on. If it's quick and seems manageable, I may end up toughing it out - and might have no choice. But, I'm also no martyr. And I know I get no prizes for natural childbirth, and I don't have a real issue with needles - the procedure sounds bad, but if I don't have to see it I think it's not that big of a deal. Honestly, I've always felt like I'm pretty tough, but constant nausea and just feeling *bad* for the past two months has made me feel like I'm weaker than I thought! This is, at the moment, going to be an only child. I'll have to update everyone with what I actually end up doing.

I'm about halfway through right now and will finish this evening - please keep them coming. These are so great to read!

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

See what happens. You might surprise yourself. And besides, you can always change your mind before you get too far.

My first born was 26 hours labor and my second was 13. So I'm planning on 6.5 hours for the third child. I'd be willing to try drug free one more time, but it did help me relax enough to sleep and progress quickly. DH said it was amusing to watch the monitor and see a contraction, feel my stomach, and watch me sleep all at once considering I was barely myself just an hour before.

At the height of my pain with epi #2 I was almost unable to sit still for it. My contractions were under a minute apart so it took a good deal of time to complete all the steps. But thank goodness for a good nurse, a Lamaze instructor, who kept me focused.

I also claimed DS would be an only child after he was born because it took SO long, but now that DS2 is here, I think maybe just one more.