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AIBU?

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Original poster

Has anyone else experienced failed epidurals?

60 replies

elm26 · 18/06/2025 10:11

Hi, I’m posting for traffic as I’m becoming increasingly anxious about this.

I gave birth to DD 2 years ago, it was an induction at 38 weeks due to IUGR and my placenta starting to fail.

I was in for week, having dilation rods, pessaries and sweeps then finally on day 6 I was dilated enough for them to break my waters, she was born 39 weeks on the dot weighting 5lb 15oz.

I had an epidural as recommended when they started the drip to medically induce me, it didn’t work so they re-sited it a few hours later, it still didn’t work.

DD was back to back and I gave birth with only gas and air and I was not coping with the pain, it was horrific.

I’m now almost 29 weeks with number 2 and have had a letter to meet with the anaesthetist at 32 weeks. Would this to be discuss my failed epidurals? If anyone has had one and it’s failed, have any of you gone on to have a successful epidural for another birth?

Thanks for reading x

OP posts:
Original poster
elm26 · 18/06/2025 11:01

Amba1998 · 18/06/2025 10:45

Mine, but it’s because it had been put in the wrong place. Ended up in forceps under spinal instead.

Thank you for sharing. I really applaud all of you that go through the forceps procedure because it looks awful 😖

OP posts:
Original poster
elm26 · 18/06/2025 10:59

Meetmeundertheclock · 18/06/2025 10:53

It was my first and hell, they couldn't find the place to site it. Maybe somebody on work experience! after a lot of prodding they abandoned it and C section full anaesthetic. Baby D and I did well.

Thank you for sharing. Two different anaesthetist's placed the epidurals so I’m wondering whether I just don’t react well to them.

OP posts:
Original poster
elm26 · 18/06/2025 10:58

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 18/06/2025 10:55

Would you consider going straight to a c section?

I would like to avoid if possible, I had a difficult labour but I healed so well and was sat outdoors at our local village pub 3 days after giving birth celebrating my 30th with a medium-rare steak 😂

OP posts:
Wavescrashingonthebeach · 18/06/2025 10:55

Would you consider going straight to a c section?

Meetmeundertheclock · 18/06/2025 10:53

It was my first and hell, they couldn't find the place to site it. Maybe somebody on work experience! after a lot of prodding they abandoned it and C section full anaesthetic. Baby D and I did well.

Amba1998 · 18/06/2025 10:45

Mine, but it’s because it had been put in the wrong place. Ended up in forceps under spinal instead.

SweetnsourNZ · 18/06/2025 10:44

My first was for a normal birth, just induced, not cesarean

SweetnsourNZ · 18/06/2025 10:42

I did with my first. Didn't have any effect at all. The anaesthetist also had a sprained hand and had to try about 6 times to get it in. I was left black and blue. Stupid thing was I didn't even ask for one in the first place. 16 years later I had one booked for a cesarean birth and was very anxious it wouldn't work, but it did perfectly. Had my 1st in 1986 and think they were quite new then, so that could have been a factor.

McSpoot · 18/06/2025 10:23

My mother did when my brother was born. And he was huge and caused damage (this was in the 70s, unlikely that it would have been a vaginal birth these days).

She did meet with the anesthetist before my birth (about a year and a half later) and she had a very success epidural when I was born (the story is that she (and my dad) fell asleep and had to be shaken awake to know if they actually planned to, you know, push out the baby). As I said, totally success (and strong) epidural.

I always tell me brother that there was no way I wasn't the favourite child after that :)

HeyThereDelila · 18/06/2025 10:16

My epidural was successful but they made me stop clicking it at the end so I would “know when to push” 😕- I had a stuck back to back baby and the pain flooded back. I ended up in theatre with a spinal, massive episiotomy and forceps.

I’m now living elsewhere and due again in October. I’ve been told I can have a c section if I want one. I’m undecided but think if I get to my due date or over and baby is seemingly back to back again then I’ll go for the section. I’d prefer a vaginal delivery but I can’t risk forceps etc again.

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