Pregnant #4...How do I handle this?

Question

I'm pregnant with my 4th. all 3 of my pregnancies i had the epidural. But with my last 2 deliveries i had some issues with. With both of them i noticed after getting the epi there heartrates would decrease, not soooo much but enough that i had to wear an oxygen mask up until it was time to push. anytime i would take off the mask a beeping thing would sound off and nurse would tell me i need the mask for the baby. if i changed position sometimes it would help but only for a few minutes. Now, this time around i am scared to death i will have to endure this again,that mask was horrible and very scary. BUT...I KNOW i cannot go without the epi. I am soooo bad with pain and anything after 3 cent make me cry..what do i do? could it be different this time around? anyone else this happen to because of the epi? my kids are perfect and fine though..but still i NEED the epi this time but dont want to go through that again!

Answer 1

well... if you NEED the epi. then theres not really much you can do to avoid the same problems youve had with your last 3. But why dont you just try to tough it out and just have the IV pain killers?

Answer 2

try to go without the epi for as long as you possible can, when it gets too bad, get it, then maybe you can hold off the scare for just a little while,  

Answer 3

i've been through the epi's as well.  i've had two and each time my children weren't in distress, but the problems i had were after wards...pain at the site and such.

with my third child i decided not to have the epidural.  i decided to have a spinal block instead.  it does the same thing an epidural does, but it's less invasive.  now i don't know if your baby will go through distress, but for me, the spinal block was much more comforting than the epidural and much less painful.  i understand that you need the pain medicine.  i couldn't go without it either. but then i had to have three c-sections with each child so...it's not like i wanted to have general anesthesia.

i hope everything goes well.  good luck to you.

i hope i helped.

Answer 4

Is this going to be your last? Have you talked to your doctor about these concerns? What are your feelings on a scheduled c-section? It might not seem too appealing but at least it's another option to avoid the mask and putting your child at risk?