What do u think about epidural?

Question

i'm 34 weeks and i want to have a normal delivery . my doctor suggested that i have an epidural.. this is my 1st baby and i need to know the pros and cons of epidural.. thanks mummies

Answer 1

Don't do it there are other pain meds you can try first I had a horrible experience and would never do it again I had to re learn how to walk it took my almost a year to be able to take care of myself and my son. I still felt all labor pain I would ask your Dr what statistic say about it happening to you

Answer 2

i gave birth 7 weeks ago to my first child.... what an experience. i was adament not to have an epidural because of the research i did on the risks involved. i got to 2cm dialated after induction and was in the most amazing back labour (baby was posterior) the (first) midwife suggested epidural as the length of labour was most likely to be more than six hours from the point i was at and didnt believe i would last the process without an intervention. the anethesist was asked to come and speak to me about the pros and cons...........did you know after the procedure 1 in 100 women have blinding migrane headaches, 1 in 1000 have partial paralasis lasting over the following month and 1 in 10000 have permanent paralasis. these are the facts i was told prior to making a decision...... by the person about to go ahead with the process.......she was unable to assure me none of these things would not happen to me, I decided after hearing this not to go ahead with intervention. it was at this point a shift change occured and the most amazing (second) midwife came to join me she had 20 years experience and got straight to natural pain relief, massage, hot shower, movement etc, all the things that i needed. 2 hours later i was 8 cm dialated, 2 hours after this i was holding my beautiful new son. i learned that fear gave me so much more pain than being calm and being guided through the process by someone with the knowhow, she allowed me to relax and birth naturally. in all honesty once my body took over there was NO pain. adrenalin causes the body to tense up, endorphins allow the body to relax and open up. my next birth will be in a birthing centre as i believe if given the option of an epidural you are more likely to jump at the chance rather than trying tried and tested alternative options. GOOD LUCK to you, if i knew being a mum would be this good i would have done it years ago!!!!! another thing, dont listen to all the "horror" stories, not all birth experiences are bad. i had two stitches (no pain relief needed) and was up and about the next morning as if nothing happened.

Answer 3

Congratulations!!!

When i had my son I wanted to experience the pain as well and I did and then I couldn't handle it anymore so I asked for epidural.  

Answer 4

I think it's a personal choice. I don't like pain meds in general- I HATE the numb, weird feeling. Whenever possible, I skip the pain medicine the dentist gives during a filling simply because I don't like the numb feeling. I wanted to skip the epidural with my child, but ended up with a c-section, so I really didn't have any choice. I certainly wouldn't want to go through a c-section w/ no pain meds!!

Everyone has a different level of pain tolerance. Some women give birth completely natural. For some, the pain is too much and the epidural is a big help. If you're all tensed up because the pain is getting to you, your body won't work the way it needs to birth your baby. I say- if you need the epidural, go for it.  

Answer 5

I don't plan to have one, but i'm not ruling it out.

For me, the slight risk of permanent problems is not worth the benefit of using it unless it's necessary.

Also, being overweight, i'm worried that if i have an epi, it will make it easier for them to give me a (potentially unnecessary) cesarean.

I think i'll ask for gas first.

Answer 6

I don't understand why a doctor would recommend an epi unless there was real due cause to. I had one with my first born, who is 21 months, after a long and drawn out labour, and although I didn't feel the birth and the pain, it was one of the worst experiences of my life. Because you can't feel the contractions, you don't push as effectively as you would do if you could feel them, so I had to be cut about 2 cm to allow for a forceps and vaccum extraction, and this is common practice with women who have epidurals. And afterwards, the cut site was unbearably sore for weeks. It hurt to pee, to poo, to wipe and to sit down and stand up. And also i had pain where the needle was inserted too. After you give birth and you're in the ward, because you're still under the influences of the drug you can't move your legs so if your baby starts to cry, you can't get up to hold it or walk about with it, you have to get a nurse to come and give it to you. And when the drug does eventually wear off, be prepared to have very wobbly legs and to be very unstable on them.

Now i just gave birth naturally 7 weeks ago, and whilst it was very painful (not going to lie to you) I would do it again in a heartbeat. I was up straight after delivery, washed and dressed, and feeling fab! I had no tear or cut and i just felt so much better than when i had my first.

I suffered quite badly with post natal depression after my first born and I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I felt so crappy after the birth that this little person who caused me so much pain and was so reliant on me was to blame for it. Of course I loved him, and no one could tell this is how i felt on the outside, on the inside I felt hard done by! If you understand what I mean.

The offered me the epidural after 24 hours of labour and still only being 3cm dilated. I was so tired it was more to help me sleep so i could eventually push (as much as you can do with an epidural.) And i was very greatful for the rest and sleep at the time.

In all, i would say that an epidural was the right way to go for me with the first born because of the long and drawn out labour, but not right for the second delivery because everything progressed as it should. So my advice to you would be to NOT book an epidural, but make sure one is available should you need one incase things are going very very slowly. There should always be someone there to give you one anyway because it's the same thing they do with emergency c sections so what i would do is try and do it natural, which is what you want, but if you can't manage, don't be ashamed to ask for one. Just be prepared for a catheter to be inserted, a drip in the hand, a monitor strapped to your belly to monitor your baby, and also to feel the pain once the drug has worn off! Good luck!

Answer 7

I had one with my first and I was relieved, after 17 hours of labor I thought I had my fill of experience.  but it messed my back up for life.  Some days I'm in so much pain I don't know what to do and the other thing that relieves it is going to see a chiropractor.  

With my second I had no epidural but my labor was very short. 6 hours.

With my third I started out without it but once the pain really set in after 3-4 hours I got one and it was a relief.  

The pros was it relieved the pain and I was able to relax and push.  The cons was it messed up my back.

Answer 8

Get it!  It didn't take with my first birth and the pain was beyond belief (google Ring of Fire).  I planned to get it with my second delivery, but little Rocketman came way too fast and the pain of the contractions was excruciating.

That being said, my neighbour gave birth (full term) and felt no real pain.  

Your back may feel bruised where the epidural goes in.  If you don't get one, just remember that as soon as the head comes out, the pain is gone.  Your recovery is much faster.  But I feel like I didn't get to 'enjoy' or get the most out of the experience because it was clouded by all of the pain.

Answer 9

i have 4 kids. i had an epidural on my first which was 13 years ago. the epi was great. the only thing about it is u have to be told when to push. and u cant get up and walk for a few hours after. that was my experience. i didnt have it on the other 3 but would have liked to. good luck. enjoy every second.  

Answer 10

I had an epidural... i was lucky i even got it because once they gave it to me they checked and i was already 10cm dilated (lucky me) only problem was once they gave it to me because i was so dilated they didnt top me up so when i had to push... i did it naturally. Otherwise i say if you want it get it, it isnt as painful as i thought it gave me some relief for the short time i had it... they say it can slow labour down and you can get some problems afterwards.Just research as much as you can, and you make your choice, good luck!

Answer 11

After my water broke I went through 8 hours of labour without the epidural, it got to a point where the pain was unbearable and I asked for something, I had the epidural and it was like a miracle, I could joke, and rest and just lay on the bed. I am very scared of needles so it took for me to be in so much pain that I could have the epidural put in without freaking out, I am not planning on having one this time, but I am definitely not ruling it out!

Oh and by the way I ended up giving birth only 2 hours after the epidural was placed, so who knows maybe I would have made it if the nurse had have allowed me to have more gas and air

Answer 12

if you don't want an epidural don't have one, i did after 17 hours of labour and it was heaven,  the upside with the epidural is that they can let it wear off and you can still feel the need to push and feel it all..they told me this before they gave it to me, but i ended up having a c-section anyway...

Answer 13

Let me see if i can remember. I was induced, when i got to 5cm i  thought the pain was too much so i asked for an epi. The anesthesiologist came in did it and stayed after administering the needle to make sure i was completely numb. The next contraction came and i was feeling it on one side of my body. One side was numb the other was not because of how i was sitting when he gave the epidural. He had to do it again. After i was completely numb, i didn't like the feeling of feeling as though i had no legs. However the epidural did allow me to go to sleep for the night. When i awoke in the morning feeling a bunch of pressure i was 10cm dilated and the epidural had worn off. I was in pain. i asked for more pain meds they said i couldn't it was time to push. Having the epidural in you do not know when you need to pee i woke up in SO much pain plus with a full bladder.ugh. So i ended up pushing my daughter out with no pain meds, but i am grateful that the epidural allowed me some relief and some rest while labor progressed. I sometimes get back pain as a result and some days is worse than others.

This is just my experience, and as you have read so far every ones experience differs. Their are pros and cons with everything. So in the ned its up to you. With this baby I'm going to see how long i can go without the epidural and try not to get one, but i am not ruling it out if i need it.

Best of luck to you!!!!

Answer 14

I had one with my daughter a year ago and plan on having another with this baby thats due in November. I didnt feel any pain at all what so ever and I personally think thats it was the best thing that happened to me that day to take away all the pain. But like another person mentioned already the onlt thing about the epidural is that you have to be told when to push and that you cant walk around for a couple of hours later but with my case after i got my epidural it seriously felt like i had no legs. that part was horrible because i couldnt fel my legs like i was paralized or something. The next day or so everything was back to normal though. So I wish you the best of luck with your soon to be natural delivery and be strong. Congrats!!!

Answer 15

My personal choice would be not to have one, just because I almost feel robbed of the whole birth experience because I was induced with my son and I had my twins by c-section.