How on earth do women give birth without epidurals?

[Begaydocrime94]

genuine question, for those of you who have given birth without epidurals, how?? Just gave birth for the second time and was hoping for no epidural this time but caved pretty much immediately. How do women cope without? Do some women just cope better with pain etc?

Hi @Mumtobe202310
Genuinely, no cons for me whatsoever. I imagine every midwife led unit is different, but this is how our local one is/was set up.
Once we were allocated a room, it was ours until we were discharged, which meant no being wheeled out on to the maternity ward with 5 other women, their babies and their birthing partners. It also meant that my DH wasn't restricted by any visiting hours.
Our room had it's own wet room, so no sharing a bathroom, and DH could use it and shower too. There was also a double bed for both DH and I to sleep in.
There were permanent birthing pools set up in every room, a Bluetooth speaker to have our choice of music on and we could change the lighting to different colours or have it bright or dimmed.
When I was in labour our midwife was with us the whole time, only nipped out to go to the loo and get me/DH/herself a cuppa and/or snacks. When her shift ended she did handover with the next midwife in our room, with us. And then that midwife stayed with us the whole time. Once baby was born, she did her checks, sorted me out and left us to it for a while, before coming back and helping with breast feeding (which didn't end up working out, but that's another story).
There was a kitchen with tea, coffee, soft drinks, biscuits, sandwiches, fruit, bread, jams, etc that you could just go help yourself to - all for free.
And the whole thing was a quick turnaround, we were admitted in the early hours of the morning, DS was born at 1:30pm and I was at home eating a dominos pizza by 9pm that same evening.
I hope that's helpful!

@Mumtobe202310 I guess the disadvantage of a midwife-led unit is if you have complications, you have to be moved.
I gave birth in a maternity ward and the consultants saved my and my baby's life. The midwives were pretty hands-off and not very helpful. I was probably quite unlucky with them.

It just wasn't bad enough to need one.

Nowhere near as painful as meningitis, frozen shoulder or having my toe nail smashed off. Also, I've only been in labour for 7 hours in total (2 children). If it had lasted for 48 hours I might have felt differently.

With my first I had that pethadine injection in my bum which was awful!! I got induced by the drip so it was very fast but very painful. For the second I caved and asked for an epidural and I'm glad I did but then that meant I had to stay overnight. It's all so different for everyone'. I think you just do what you have to do at the time. My midwives were brilliant but so bossy I just kind of did what I was told 😂 the first time I remember looking at my hisbdand and shouting HELP ME as they stripped me naked and kept moving me about. It felt so traumatic. I think that's why I asked for the epidural the second time, as the pain is bad enough but being man handled and moved about like you are an object felt so much worse

Not putting midwife's down in any way . I'm glad they were bossy I think they have to be otherwise I wouldn't have my beautiful kids now

Perhaps ask this in a country where maternity care is far less sohisticated and safe, with no options for analgesia

I started with tens machine at home then gas and air and diamorphine at the hospital. The diamorphine was great, it took the edge off contractions but I could still feel everything. Just as it was wearing off I was at pushing stage so I just had gas and air from then on.

They said all this to me. I didn't know the hospital uses delay tactics but might well have. It worked just fine though.

@Mumtobe202310 having had my first baby in a MLU I honestly didn't see any cons at all - just pros! Obviously no epidural available but I didn't see that as a disadvantage.

You need to have had a 'normal' pregnancy, and no risk factors like breech baby, low lying placenta etc. Yes there's always the possibility something can happen during labour which will mean transfer but in most cases that doesn't happen, and of course without the cascade of intervention which can sometimes happen with a more medicalised birth then it's even less likely you'll need interventions.

For me it was absolutely the right decision. I wanted a non medicalised birth and for me, being in a more relaxed, midwife led environment helped me to feel less afraid (which in turn helped me cope better with the pain.) of course it's still very painful, but I just found it better to be in pain in that environment than in a big impersonal hospital.

In my case (I imagine also for many MLUs?) I knew the midwife team as there were only a handful altogether who I'd met through all the ante natal appointments. So I knew that going into labour, I'd be supported by a known person. This wouldn't be the case in a big hospital where I might be meeting the person delivering my child for the first time.

Everyone's different and for some people a MLU wouldn't be their choice but I found it perfect.

First one I was offered one several times as put on drip due to risk of infection needing to get baby out asap, didn’t want to risk back issues in the future so got through with gas and air then a local anaesthetic for delivery due to episiotomy so didn’t feel the head crown. Looking back contractions were extremely painful.

Second time only on the ward 20 minutes so didn’t have time! Managed at home all day not realising I was in labour, did lots of very deep box breathing (throughly recommend) Got there just in time but Jesus the actual birth was brutal, no time for gas and air to take the edge off either just two huge pushes and he was out, causing third degree tear. Incredibly painful and then went into shock and taken for surgery, the general anaesthetic was most welcome by then!

I had long, challenging labours with huge babies, and no epidurals. Because I didn't want an epidural.

Some people will tolerate huge pain and difficulty that most others would find intolerable in pursuit of some end that's important to them. I feel the same way about people who do iron man events or mountain climbing. I could never do it and I'd never want to. My 'iron man' was a two day labour (the last 4 hours with synto) with no epidural.

There's a lot of natural chemicals being dumped by your brain into your system. I think some people get more. I was high as a kite. I could feel endorphins rushing in after contractions and some of the things I was feeling were akin to hallucinations. This was on nothing but two paracetamol. I would love to know the science behind it.

@izimbra "I had long, challenging labours with huge babies, and no epidurals. Because I didn't want an epidural."

I genuinely don't understand why people won't accept that for some people it is an active choice.

Yup - it's very similar to people who choose to continue with difficult breastfeeding.

It actively offends some women.

I had an epidural that I don’t remember signing consent for, it didn’t fully work and I endured a lot of pain anyway 👍.

Good for anyone that had a straightforward birth and didn’t need any intervention. Worth bearing in mind it’s not a race, no one is going to give any of us a medal 😆

You think people who chose not to have an epidural (who may or may not have had straightforward births) need reminding that birth isn't a competition?

I didn't have a choice. There was no anaesthetist available. It's a large hospital with a large maternity unit but apparently they only had 2 anaesthetists and both were busy with c- sections if I remember right. I asked for pethidine but didn't get that either till I was already in the pushing stage of labour. I remember asking the midwife about every 5 min when I could have an epidural ajd finally she said "I have to be honest with you. You will not get an epidural." Oh well..thankfully it was over relatively quickly.

I just didn't find it that bad. Plus my second was born 15 minutes after I arrived at the hospital.

@arinya "Worth bearing in mind it’s not a race, no one is going to give any of us a medal "

I absolutely agree. Who do you think needs to bear that in mind?

I agree with @izimbra

I would never choose to run a marathon or compete in Ironman. I admire people who do; I wouldn't judge them as trying to be 'superior'. I have a friend who runs marathons and she says the feeling she gets outweighs the physical and mental demands.

Not all women who go without epidurals have a quick or easy birth, I would imagine most labours are damn painful! I know my first labour where I just had gas and air in a MLU - well, I didn't know pain like that existed! For me, the benefits of a non- medicalised birth; being able to be in water, labouring with just a midwife and dh without doctors or anaesthetists and being in a very 'un- hospital like' environment was really important to me and helped me to feel as calm as I could in a painful and unknown situation.

I'm quite aware other women feel differently to me - and that's fine!

This phrase that crops up - 'it's not a competition' is so judgemental. I doubt any woman ever has said it is!

This phrase that crops up - 'it's not a competition' is so judgemental. I doubt any woman ever has said it is!

So true - it's a get back in your box phrase designed to remind women they are not allowed to treat giving birth as an achievement or something to be proud of.