Epidural Poll!

[DisneyDmbNut]

I requested one at my six month OB appointment and made sure it was written, in Magic Marker, in LARGE red letters at the top of my chart.

Me too..even checked in the night before the induction and told them "MAKE SURE I GET MY EPIDURAL!!"
unfortunately, my induction went very quick and the anestheliogist didn't wake up early!

and I agree with Kristilew..I didn't think I could do it because I didn't know I was so close to the end...the pitocin started at 6am and she was born at 11:07am..

 

[december]

I've had 2 epidurals, and will have another one. I did have some complications after my 2nd, but I know it was a freak thing. And my kids had NO trouble nursing at all.

 

[4greatboys]

First of all think it's natural childbirth with or with an epidural.

I had an epidural with my first son. It was great! I was all numb from the waist down.
Ds #2 came to fast. I didn't have any drugs at all.
Ds #3 the dr stuck me twice trying to do the epidural. It didn't work.
Ds #4 went for the epidural again but once again it didn't work.

 

[krcit]

3 kids, 3 epidurals. the first one wore off before I gave birth though and I was screaming at the Dr to "please give me a c-section'' The second was a painless wonderful delivery. With my 3rd, by the time the anesthiologist got there I was 8 cm and he said 'you're doing so well, are you sure you want this?' Um, YES!! lol, now I kind of wish I had not gotten it just to have the experience.

 

[waltskids]

I had planned on having an epidural but ended up having a very, very short labor and had to ride to the hospital by ambulance at 9 centimeters! By the time I got to the hospital I was only pushing for about 45 minutes and DS was born. The pain was terrible (whoever says you forget the pain must not know me very well ) But honestly, now that I have been through it once, I am not sure what I will do this time. I am not a fan of needles. I just know they say second babies come quicker and I won't have much time if that's the case!

 

[Buckalew11]

I said, "Meet me in the parking lot!!"

I also said, "If the epidural does not work, what is plan B?" He starts giving me stats about them working and I was like, "I do not care about all the stats. IF the epidural does not work, what is plan B?"

I think I was 4 cm when we got to the hospital. I wasn't even really hurting with that. I think I could have managed the pain but, oh well. My sister had 4 w/o anything and the other sister had 2 w/o anything.

 

[mickeyboat]

I voted yes, but I had one delivery with and one without.

The labor with the epidural was an induction at 34 weeks. Labor lasted 16 hours and contractions were excruciating and one right after another.

The labor without was very intense, but fairly short (2 1/2 hours). I preferred it.

Denae

 

[jodifla]

Epidural was great! I was stalled until I got one, then labor kicked in.

I had three friends who each had two kids. First kids, no epidural...lots of regrets! So second kids, they each had an epidural, and each said it was the way to go. So I took their advice.

 

[mhsjax]

I have 3 kids and 3 epidurals. I think you should keep your mind open, You may be able to handle labor. I was induced for all 3 of mine, the first was horrific, I wanted to kill myself. The nurse said that I never cam down completely off of the contraction before I started another one. She actually lied about how for I had dialated to get the epidural in faster. A poster earlier stated that it can stall out labor, well In my case the nurse said the it actually sped up the process, I was in so much pain that I was fighting the contractions. and I have been told that I have a high tolerance for pain. Also it didn't slow down my kiddos suck reflex he darn near killed me,. scuked so hard I bled. So I don't believe that one either, I think people say these thing because they are against epidurals. Anyway, off track, my next two, I probably could have gone natural, but didn't want to, although with the last baby the epi didn't work.. So LONG story short, don't make any preconceived plans and just see how it goes. And whatever you decide, it is worth it in the end.

 

[mamacatnv]

My best advice - leave yourself open to all options. Do not set yourself up ahead of time and then feel like you "gave in" or should have given in but didn't want to appear weak or something else silly. No 2 experiences are the same and IMO child birth is not an "experience" it is a necessary evil.

I had 2 kids and 2 totally different experiences, neither of them pleasant.

DS - I had an epi but back in the day where it was allowed to wear off as one approached transition and no epi for pushing. I pushed for almost 4 hours with DS with no pain meds. I was so worn out and out of it from the pain that I honestly do not remember him being born.

DD - 10 years later - I was looking forward to an epi that would take me all the way thru to the birth. I was in the hospital overnight and scheduled to be induced in the morning. My water broke at 1:20 a.m and DD was born at 2:03 a.m. Labor came on so hard and fast there was no time for drugs. That was the worst 45 minutes of my life. I was petrified that I was going to have another DS experience and totally lost it, I panicked. Don't remember much of that birth either.

Oh and for what it is worth, I too get mind numbing can't walk, make me vomit cramps on a monthly basis. They don't even come close to labor pain.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

.

 

[clgwli]

A friend of mine had a horrible epidural given to her. She now has permanent damage to her spine due to it. After that I was scared to death to get one so I didn't. I didn't try to do it because I thought I was a better woman or anything I simply was also too scared after seeing the damage it did to someone else.

I did okay really with out it. I even had pitocin at one point and survived. Pain free would have been nice but it is doable Personally it irks me how much a nurse in a birthing class I went to was pushing everyone to get one. When discussing negatives she actually told me that back damage is not a "side effect" of one. It infuriated me and I almost walked out.

 

[Shmily1]

I had no epidural and no medicine for either of my two and would do it again that way again. One was induced the other not. They didnt have anyone available to do it for the first but I didn't want one either time so it all worked out for the best.

 

[Judy from Boise]

No . I can take pain, I can't take anyone entering my central nervous system for an elective procedure!

I wonder how many of the "yes" epidurlals were the "no" on the chiropractor(justifying it that "No one is going to touch my back")

 

[mhsjax]

No . I can take pain, I can't take anyone entering my central nervous system for an elective procedure!

I wonder how many of the "yes" epidurlals were the "no" on the chiropractor(justifying it that "No one is going to touch my back")

Well an anesthesiologist is an MD a Chiropractor is not. sorry, I had an epidural but wouldn't go to a quackopractor.

 

[lisadr]

I have no intentions of having one, not because I don't think its not going to hurt, or because I think I will be more of a woman going through labor naturally, but because I can't stand the thought of a needle in my spine, the costant worry of one slip up and I could end up brain dead, I know they are safe and women get them every day, but I want to try to last as long as I can without one, because I am too fearful of the needle, I mean come on my great grandma had 16 kids and there were no epidurals back then, my other great grandma had 12... I think they might have stopped if it were that bad...

I know every woman is different, and that I might end up being in the worst pain ever and getting one in the end, but my plans (and I know they change!) are to not have one... I think I'm pretty tough though... I survived a car running over my legs and stomach, I've passed kidney stones, and I get mind numbing can't walk cramps once a month...

So to anyone who feels like answering, did you get one? Anything you care to share about the experience, without or without one?

Had one and definitely a for it. When I say it is 3 seconds and the pain is gone -I am not exaggerating. One little pin prick and *poof* all better! It's totally your choice but you never see the needle coming-you grab your knees, take a deep breath and just hold still a moment.

One bit of advice-don't wait too long to decide you want one-get too far a long and you can't have one .

 

[disney1990]

I answered for my 2 children. Yes, for the first one and totally natural for the 2nd one.

 

[bekkiz]

I had a scheduled c-section with the boys due to Pre-e, so I had a spinal, not an epi.

THANK GOODNESS I never went into labor. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but with twins, they pretty much insist on an epi during labor because emergency c-sections are likely. However, I had spinal fusion 2 years ago, and there was lots of scar tussue in the area. It took them almost an hour to get the spinal in the right spot. If I had been contracting, and in labor, I would have been miserable. There's just no way I could have sat there for that long. As it was, that was the most uncomfortable part of giving birth--including the recovery. That was a snap compared to sitting down, hunched over for an hour

 

[dislal]

I had one for my first 2 and I didn't have one for my 3rd because there wasn't enough time (very short labor).

This was me. I would get an epidural again if I had to, but my third child was the most intense pain I ever felt, but was the quickest and easiest delivery.(if that makes sense) I had him less than 45 min. of getting to the hospital.

 

[HelenePA]

The first 2 were epi's the last 2 were no epi's.. I liked the labors with out the epidurals better I was induced all 4 times.. 3 of the labors were under 2 hours.. The longest I pushed for was 30 min with my first and epidural, shortest I pushed for was one push with my last son.. didn't even tear! Go me! Oh yeah no hemorrhoids either