Positive epidural stories

[Tallblue]

Does anybody have a positive epidural birth story?
After a traumatic time with DC1, I'm expecting baby number 2 very soon and my plan is to have an epidural as soon as possible this time (didn't manage to get one last time). Lots of articles I've read point out the side effects of epidurals and how it can slow things down, lead to a cascade of things going wrong etc. A friend of mine has just had a baby and has been re admitted due to severe head pain after a spinal fluid leak caused by an epidural.
I'm trying to find some positive stories to balance out the scary ones!

[mellowyellow1]

I had an epidural once I got to 4cm and was about 6 hours from the time I had it until I gave birth. Was really good for me apart from the jelly legs for a few days afterwards. I was very adament that they were going to give me one and just pleased that they did!

[minijoeyjojo]

I am certain I wouldn't have given birth vaginally without one. My DD was back to back and I wasn't dilating - I was stuck at 6cm for 14hrs. The epidural allowed me to rest and give my bruised cervix time to fix so I managed to dilate fully and give birth.

I had signed the consent form for the Caesarian it was that close! Honestly it was brilliant and I was absolutely ademant/petrified of having one before birth!

[gertyglossop]

I was induced by drip, and was recommended an epidural; very glad I agreed - everything after that point was calm (tiring, but calm). Needed a few stitches afterwards but was otherwise problem free. I really hope to be able to have one this time around too...

[Strokethefurrywall]

Awesome.
Got to hospital with DS2, was 4cms, it was 11pm and I was contracting every 2 mins so asked epidural, it was sited, and I was asleep by midnight.

OBGYN woke me up at 5.45am to let me know I was nearly 10cms, started pushing at 6am and dS2 was born at 6.05am after 3 pushes.

I could feel him moving out but no pain, and they left me nursing him and having skin to skin for a couple of hours whilst the epi wore off.

Removed the catheter and I was up and in the shower (a bit wobbly on my feet) straight after.

Twas amazing.

[DowntonDiva]

I had an epidural at 7cm, my only regret is I didn't have it sooner. Back to back and face presentation DD needed help out but would have otherwise regardless of the epidural.

I said to the midwife "God bless whoever invented that" then i slept from 7pm to 12am when I was woke up to start pushing.

[GuessHowMuchILoveGin]

I was induced with my second baby earlier this year. First had been a difficult forceps in theatre with various complications. I am shit with pain and contractions hurt so much so I had an epidural at about 2cm dilated. Took a little while to site but once sorted I was completely pain free. I was staggered to find I was fully dilated much sooner than I'd thought. Had an hour before I started pushing, then pushed her out in about 20 minutes. I had no faith in my ability to do it and I wept tears of joy when I realised I'd actually done it.

The epidural was brilliant for me and my labour. I wouldn't hesitate to have one again. It took three goes to site, and I had no ill effects at all. The lovely anesthetist earned a big box of chocolates.

[GuessHowMuchILoveGin]

Oh, and she was born at 3am and I was home 12h later.

[PacificDogwod]

I've had a 'good' epidural and an equally good spinal anaesthetic - first one for pain relief after induction. It did slow things down and the drip went up, but I did not care as I did not feel any pain, but could still feel in which direction to push when it came to pushing IYKWIM. The spinal was absolutely fine although I did not like the sensation of feeling like a block of wood from below my breasts down - weird feeling. I've in the meantime compared notes with my dad who had prostate surgery done under spinal and he felt the same
I have also had to labours without epidural and they were fine too.

The only advice I ever give anybody worrying about what their labour will be like is to play it by ear on the day. By all means make plans but accept that you might feel differently on the day.

Best of luck

[Tallblue]

Thanks for all of these lovely positive stories! I'm feeling much more positive about my decision now. Just hoping I get to the hospital and have plenty of time to have an epidural put in place. I will be much more forceful in my request than I was with DC1.

[Wavingnotdrown1ng]

I had one because I was still in labour after two days and not progressing. EMCS later that day. It was fine and I suffered no after effects. Best of all I was able to sleep for a good few hours after two nights without sleep.

[cherrypiemay16]

Same thing happened to me as your friend but despite all the complications I would definitely have another one, couldn't have survived the birth otherwise!

[NovelDensity]

Mine was great!

Second baby, had it at 4cm dilated and baby born 4 hours later, no interventions needed.

It was low dose and they let it wear off a bit towards the end which helped for pushing. I could feel the contractions but they didn't hurt. I used visualisations from Ju ju Sundin's 'birth skills' for the pushing phase as I couldn't feel very much.

Only downside was needing to be in hospital a bit longer afterwards (until I had done a wee and could get someone to take canula out), and I had a pressure sore on my bum from sitting on a fold in the sheets without realising. It wasn't bad and healed quickly.

I could walk ok afterwards and only needed a quick in-out catheter just before pushing.

Check out peanut shaped birthing balls. I didn't really need mine as was mostly trying to sleep after epidural went in, but in research studies they have been shown to significantly shorten epidural labours.

Good luck!

[guineapig1]

Magic both times!
Like a pp above, my dc1 was back to back and i was "stuck" and exhausted at 8cm. An epidural and synto drip got me to 10cm and allowed me to rest a bit before pushing. Although i did need a forceps deliver this was to do with the cord being wrapped round the baby's neck rather than the epi. Without it, I think it would have been a c-section.

Dc2 was also back to back. Got to hospital at 7cm and demanded an epidural immediately. Luckily it was quiet and i got one pretty quickly. Dc2 born an hour and a half later after about 7 pushes and no interventions.

Both times i was up, catheter out and showered within an hour of baby being born.

I know you hear horror stories and some people do imo scaremonger re cascade of interventions but that was not my experience and I would highly recommend an epidural!!

[Veggiesupremeextracheese]

3 lovely births with epidural, the last one was the best! I would never not have one!

[cosytoaster]

I've had two difficult births - one with an epidural and the other with nothing. The one with the epidural was definitely preferable!

[Summerdaydreams1]

I had one for all three births! Had no problems - no regrets at all. do what is right for you OP. Good luck with the birth.

[popthisoneout]

The epidural I had for DC 2 was amazing. Contractions hurt and I seem to dilate slowly so it's a complete life saver. No way could I cope with 20+ hours of full in contractions.

Had a PCA so could administer it myself. I only needed very minimal amount and stayed on my feet and mobile the entire time. Was great.

[Forgetmenotblue]

I've had 3. Bloody lovely. No pain. Told when to push. Slowed down one delivery and needed a ventouse, but other two very straightforward. Good recoveries each time. Highly recommend!

[sycamore54321]

I adored mine - and I had been completely swimming in Internet sites full of all-natural birth right up until I realised that just because hypnobirthing avoids the word 'pain' doesn't mean contractions aren't the worst pain I have ever felt, despite all the positive mental attitude.

Mine was sited at first go, I didn't feel it go in at all. The relief was almost instant and beautiful. I had no unpleasant feelings of numbness or any nasty side effects. Alsoy labour was not at all slow - waters broke at midnight and contractions began shortly after (I'd had the induction gels during the previous day but they were leaving me to sleep overnight as they thought the gels had failed). I got epidural about two hours after waters breaking and delivered a further two and a half hours later. So pretty fast for a first labour. My baby had a nuchal cord wrapped tightly several times around his neck which was causing him distress during the final phases of pushing so he ended up a ventouse delivery. I believe this would have almost certainly been the case regardless of my pain relief choices and I was very glad to have the epidural so the staff could move immediately to ventouse (with further option of crash section) the instant his distress was detected.

I distinctly remember the midwife in my antenatal class listing one of the disadvantages of an epidural as "you will need to stay in bed go an hour or two after the birth until it wears off". Even though I wasn't at the time considering an epidural, I remember thinking "what the hell else would you be doing other than resting in bed with your newborn".

If you are interested in a good explanation of methods f epidural, effect etc, search for a blog by an obstetric anaesthetist called The Adequate Mother - she explains it all really well.

Best of luck!

[sycamore54321]

Oh and the most reliable evidence is that a cascade of interventions does not exist, or is correlative rather than causative. Of course there are specific risks like the spinal headache you mention but for me, the chance of those risks were strongly outweighed by the 100% certainty that I was at that moment in agony and without epidural I was going to continue in severe pain for several hours more.

[Tallblue]

Thanks for all the stories and information, it's very reassuring! Planning to discuss birth plan/pain relief at my 38 week check today.

[GillyMcFizzleSocks]

I had an agonising induction and the epidural was a blissful intervention. Would definitely go for it next time even though I was adamant I wanted no pain relief with DD. I think too many women are persuaded that no medication is a badge of honour and makes you better in some way. It's a crock of shit IMO- childbirth is a difficult and painful business and there is no shame in any type of delivery.

[ChocolateWombat]

I had one fairly early on (afraid of pain) and it enabled me to sit and watch Pride and Prejudice on the laptop until it was time to push. I can say with all certainty that going to the dentist has been far worse than that labour.

Thoroughly recommend it.

[spydie]

I had a horrific induction, baby was back to back and my contractions (without the drip!) were every minute when I was still only 1cm dilated when my waters went. 2 lots of pethidine got me (just!) onto the labour ward hours later, G&A did not touch it, and my epidural was, frankly, utterly amazing.

After it was in they were able to examine me and baby was half turned with her chin sticking out, not tucked in. I went from 4 to 9 cm in a couple of hours, and then got stuck at 9cm for maybe 7/8 hours, most likely because of her presentation. I ended up with a forceps delivery after about 3 hours of pushing with her heading downwards at the wrong angle, and the Dr said there was no way I would have gotten her out by myself.

My epidural didnt cause any of that, she was in the wrong position to begin with. It did however make it pain free, until it wore off afterwards!!!!!

[NotCitrus]

I had a long labour before I got as far as the epidural, so doubt it slowed it any further. Without it I'm sure I'd have had a C-section.
Happy I tried the birth pool and all the lower-intervention alternatives first, very happy epidurals existed. Had a second with dc2 - in both cases the epidural was because my SPD managed to get even more painful.

Slight headache with dc2, lots of shivers for a few days, and being stuck to a drip does make you more dependent on good postnatal care, but no regrets.