Scared to use the Epidural!!?

Question

Hey Ladies! im 19 years old & 34 weeks and 5 days Pregnant with my First! its a Boy! :) but okay 37 more days til my due date and im getting scared because its getting closer but i dont want to have an epidural because i herd good and bad about it so im Definitly not going to get it but is there any other pain relievs that i can use like a pill or a shot in your arm that just atleast relaxs you a bit.. thats if it hurts that much if its not to Hectic i will go Strictly natural but just incase i might need a lil head start what can i use other then the Epi?!?! Thanks in Adance.

Answer 1

first of all there is nothing wrong with the Epidural. Everything that you have heard is either not true or one in a million. I was totally scared when i had my son (i was 19 too, now im 21 and hes 2 next month) i heard so many horrible stories like you can get paralyzed or the shot hurts worse than the labor itself, and other things. When i was almost done with labor i could not take the pain anymore, the nurse assured me that they have perfected the Epidural and all those stories are from when they first started it. so i was in so much pain (at 10cm, horrible i know) but they gave it to me and i didn't even feel a thing at all. i was relaxed and everything after that. so dont be scared everything is ok get it if you dont want pain.

as for anything else they can give ya there are a couple different shots but they only work once and it for about a half hour. thats what sucks. i  got Demerol and it lasted for about a half hour then wore off, the nurse gave it to me again and it didnt work (she warned me about that) so ya there are things to take but they will ware off quick and you wont have anything else.

dont be scared everything is good. if the stories were true they wouldn't offer it. Good Luck! hope everything Goes Well.  

Answer 2

i had neubane (spelling?) it's a pain reliever they put in your IV, i did NOT like it because it made me feel drunk.  i got the epidural also and it was heaven, i felt no pain but could still push.  it was a very comfortable and calm birth.  i would recomend epidurals to anyone.  they do hurt to get put in, but the pain is nothing compared to the contractions.

Answer 3

i was scared as h**l to get one my first time too, but they do it during a contraction and you dont feel a thing. promise. :) good luck.

Answer 4

I had morphine in my IV, and I HATED it.  I fell asleep between contractions, then woke up completely disoriented every time the pain hit.  There are several hours that I just don't remember at all.  It also made me vomit, though they also put some anti-nausea medication in my IV.  If you really are determined to go all natural, you should try to get into some classes.  Its a little late in your pregnancy, but you should be able to pick up the basics of the breathing techniques & relaxation methods.  

Answer 5

I had to have an epidural for my Cerclage surgery ( surgery to Tie my uterus)- i was scared too I even threw up on the doctor when he just made me bend my back... It is not as bad as you think, it is not as painful as the contractions. Trust me i also expereinced contractions when I had a miscarriage at five months last year- I was not allowed to take the epidural shot back then! Trust me, You will be begging for it when you get your first huge contraction.. It aint that bad, just relax and have someone hold your hand when you get it done...Congrats!

BYTW: you and I have almost the same due date, I am due october 4th! I have ababy boy too!  

Answer 6

I've had it and it was heaven. It stung like h**l when they first put it in but I was really glad for it. I think you'll make the real decision when you start going into labor. Women have different tolerances for pain, so you may be able to handle it with ease. Some, like me, can't and give in when those contractions make you want to knock yourself out. Don't be scared. Go with your intstincts. You'll be fine, congratulations in advance.  

Answer 7

Sweetie, 4 babies ago I was scared of the epidural too.  It sounds really harsh.  The first baby they gave me demerol and I was relaxed,  but I could feel the pain.  Even a local at the site doesn't help.  It traumatized me and I was 26.  I can't imagine my fears at 19.  Finally they gave me the epidural and I was able to get through the labor.  They numb  up your back first and they are very excellent at giving the epidural.  Keep your mind open if you begin to hurt too bad.  The reason they don't just give it to you in your blood stream, it goes to the baby too, and you don't want to dose the baby.  The pain of labor is much greater than the pain and risks of the epidural.  I'm not trying to talk you out of it, I'm just saying be prepared to do it your way, but leave your options open.  These days theres no reason to be a hero and endure the pain.  They don't give out a trophy for it.  Oh, and dreading the labor won't help either.  Just take it as it comes and worry about it when it does happen.  Spend your time being excited about baby.  You sound like a tough cookie!  Good Luck!

Answer 8

Embrace the epidural... it's amazing!!  There are many pain management options for you.  You should discuss these with your doctor at the next visit.  

I watched my sister avoid the epidural.  She was SO HIGH by the end.  She ended up getting the epidural too because the other stuff wasn't working for her back labour.  The epidural helped.

After watching her be completely out of it by the time the baby was delivered, I decided to go straight to the epidural.  It was great.  After 9 hours of labour I was able to sit up in bed and talk to my family... play cards... rest... and read a book.  I was completely myself, except I couldn't feel anything from my b*****s down.  Within 2hours after having the epidural, I went from 6cm to 9cm.

Answer 9

I'm 21 and having my first in December and also am REFUSING to have an epidural.  They can cause paralysis, and since I have scoliosis (my spine is curved) I'm definitely not risking it!  I've also heard that they leave you sore afterwards and most often go into effect too late, causing you to still feel the pain.  I want to go all natural, I never really hear of anything but the epi and I don't want drugs in my system.  On the other hand, I do NOT respond well to pain and am a little apprehensive about this whole process.  

Answer 10

I know how you feel. I had my baby in April, my first one. I was open to the epidural but unsure about the other options. I was afraid I would get nauseous and sick during labor with an IV and drugs. remember, every person is different and every labor is different. You may tolerate some meds and not others.

In my own experience, I got to the hospital and was only abut 1 CM , but my water had started to break so I was stuck there. I got through the little contractions pretty good, with no drugs. Once they broke my water fully, I needed something. They gave me a very low dose of stadol in my iv. It did wonders....at first!

As the contractions got stronger, I was begging for more and more. It didn't help. I ended up not getting the epi. until almost 7 or 8 cm. I felt nothing when the dr did it. It was nothing at all compared to contractions

It is true , there is good and bad to it. It is basically totally for the mother and usually doesn't benefit anyone else except the dr and mother. I ended up pushing too hard because I couldn't feel a thing. I tore and had a hard recovery afterwards.

My advice is to be open to things, but if you want to go all natural. try it. You can change your mind later. Let them know you may want an epi, but not to start with. Your body will let you know and you have to do what is right for you. don't worry too much, the baby will get here one way or another.

Good luck and hang in there! It will be over all toos oon!

Answer 11

I scared about epidural too !

That's why I never get it..

But when you're having contractions they put some medicine in your IV to relax you for a lil bit..

It's better to go all natural !

besides at the end is worth it ! once you have your baby in your arms...

Answer 12

if you are definitely not planning on getting the epidural i would try to learn some natural pain reduction methods and child birth techniques like breathing and massage since the other drugs they may offer you carry more side effects and risks than an epidural. they are often narcotic like in nature and although they are "relatively" safe for the baby, it doesn't make them free of risks.

if the only reason you don't want the epi is the pain, then get it. you will be in a substantial amount of pain, likely, from labor so the minimal pain from the shot in the spine won't even bother you, especially knowing that shot is going to take the pain away...or at least a good amount of it. my epidural didn't hurt, in fact, i don't remember feeling it at all.

the risks associated with epis are much smaller and occur less often than with iv drugs they give you, so if you are concerned about side effects and the safety of the pain control method, epidurals are your best bet besides going natural.  

Answer 13

I felt exactly like you do.  I planned on refusing an epidural.  I figured I would rather have pain that I knew was going to end at some point than have a needle stuck into my spine.  Well then I had to have a c-section and of course, I had no choice about the epidural.  I had absolutely no problems with my epidural.  No residual back pain or anything else you hear about in the horror stories.  At my sister-in-law's induction delivery she was given some medicine in her IV and she went to sleep.  We all thought she was so peacefully sleeping, but it turns out that even though she was knocked out she was still in pain.  

Answer 14

I started off having stadol at the hospital.  This is a pain reliever that they put in your IV.  I hated it!  I fell asleep between contractions but would wake up and feel everything when they happened!  The epidural was heaven in comparison as I felt nothing.  I would never have stadol again.

Answer 15

never say never!!!!! theres nothing wrong with an epidural i you have to you have to, and dont feel bad if you have to get it!!!!!

Answer 16

Well it is still a shot in your spine but it doesn't imobolise you. It just takes the pain of contractions away. It is called intrithical (not sure how you spell it though) It wares off when you start pushing and just works on contractions (which I think is the worst part) So congrats! All natural isn't that bad. It is painful but bearable.  

Answer 17

wow, i am only 13 weeks, and i am already freaking out about the delivery and epidural and pain! ahhhhhh!!!

i think  whether to go natural or with drugs is every person's choice, i personally don't think i can do it without it.  i am very weak lol i pretty much would cry if i scrapped my knee.

i've been watching a lot of "baby story" shows. and have not seen them use any other drugs.  but am curious to know if there is aything else out there as well.