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?

I had pethidine and gas and air with my 1st, that was a whole long ass traumatic affair, with him being stuck, losing his heart beat with every contraction, the cord wrapped around his neck twice and then he pooed on the way out 🤢 with the 2nd thinking it couldnt possibly happen again i ended up having to have only oxygen as he also had the cord wrapped around his neck, I booked straight in for sterilisation.

Well I asked for one because I couldn’t bear it any longer, and was told it was too early. Then I was told it was too late. In the meantime I had asked for some paracetamol and none appeared.

It was agony as he was pushing my pelvis in the wrong place but they knew better than me! In the end I had him in theatre with forceps, and a local anaesthetic in the perineum due to the episiotomy required.

Exactly the same. I had gas and air and some paracetamol.

I'd also wanted a water birth but couldn't because I was induced.

Indescribable pain and discomfort.

But at least I was able to recover quickly. I had high blood pressure so had to stay in an extra day, but once home I was soon active.

Unfortunately I tore and have pain after sex where the stitches were (16 years later).

Kept moving.
Kept upright as long as possible.
Swore a lot.

No choice when it happens quickly!! There just isn’t the option. I think the pain of childbirth is the world’s best kept secret!!

I think people have different pain thresholds, are physically different, babies are physically different. There's a whole load of variables which affect how your birth is gonna go. Its what makes it so difficult to predict/plan for!

I had a 50+ hour labour with just a tens machine. Gave birth at home in the water. Then I had a 5 hour labour with gas and air, again at home in the water. The first one I'd say was uncomfortable but not painful at any point. The second one was forceful, which did make it painful at points. Wasn't ever bad enough to make me leave home, until it was too late. The last contraction I did wish I was in a hospital with all the drugs 😂. I just think I was super lucky tbh.

I've had two vaginal births with gas and air (used tens machine in latent phase both times). Both times I've used water pool at the hospital- my eldest was born in the water pool. It was a very long and very slow labour. 12 hours in hospital and 3 days of latent labour before that. My second was much faster and felt a lot more intense and I was shouting for pethidine and a c section as I heaved my bulk out of the water pool. Then my water went and he was born 15 mins later. So I only really managed with just entinox because of how quickly he came once I lost the plot 😅

Prior to having kids I didn't want one because the needle going in my back like that was a massive fear. I hate needles. I just wanted to go without. As luck would have it they were all so quick, I wouldn't of had time and didn't feel I needed one. With my first I had a tens machine, with next two used gas and air.

Had one with DS1. He was back to back and by the time I had the epidural I’d been in labour for 42 hours and was exhausted. Ended up being assisted with ventouse (next step would have been a crash section)

DS2 was much quicker (under 24 hours) and manageable with gas and air. It was less painful and I wanted to avoid the ventouse if possible because I needed an episiotomy with DS1 and it left my fanjo in tatters. So that was an incentive to avoid the epidural if possible.

Yep, this resonates with me. Not sure if the tens machine was a friend or foe. Don’t know if I would get one again in the unlikely event of having another baby.

Right at the end of the first stage contractions I remember thinking WTF was the machine doing, it was playing a really irregular pattern on my lower back. I think it was a good distraction from the dilation pain but a strange one.

I had horrific period pains pre pregnancy, the labour pains were similar and had gaps in the pain so was actually easier than a monthly period. The tear as dc came out though had me howling. The little darling tore me to my asshole.

2 natural birth in a pool. The warmth of the water does wonders. I was still screaming like a cow when I pushed them out

I didn't have a choice in the matter. I tore as well. I coped less with the stitches and the anaesthetic not working, in fact, that pain is more memorable even nearly 17 years later. Adrenaline just carries you through the rest.

Everything moved too quickly for me - fully dilated by the time I got to the hospital. I remember my husband offering me the TENS machine and hurling it back it him screaming ‘it won’t touch the bloody sides!!’.

In the end, I remember sort of going into myself and making low mooing sounds. I also remember a point where I thought very clearly that I could either carry on in agony for hours, or grit my teeth, deal with a few moments of extreme pain and get it over with quickly. I went for the quick option and still think it was the right decision, despite needing stitches afterwards.

Being at home and using hypnotherapy techniques. Honestly, the only part I’d say was painful was the pushing part and by then it would be too late for an epidural anyway, even if I’d wanted one. I had both my babies at home and it was the same each time. With my first, the midwives didn’t believe I was in labour until they checked me and I was fully dilated (then there was a panicked unpacking of all their stuff). The mind is incredibly powerful.

I did it with nothing both times. Just got through it. No real trick to it.

I agree. Even though I didn’t want one or have one, the way they are denied to women is, in my opinion, a scandal of massive proportions.

I find it utterly bizarre that there’s something legal, relatively quick, and easily available that completely (in most cases) takes away the worst pain most of us will ever feel, yet for some reason it’s rationed.

It’s like there’s a moral judgment attached to it that women are supposed to go through the pain. I understand epidurals can lead to more interventions but it’s still not a reason to routinely trot out the same excuses “too late”, “no anaesthetist” “you can manage a bit longer”.

Kept upright, sat on the loo a lot! The tens machine was a godsend. Than a warm bath. The last bit was painful though.

Didn't have a choice - wanted one but first "it was too soon for it" then it was too late, and I had to push. I'm thankful I didn't 'need' it, I was lucky with the pain I believe.

I asked for one, but things progressed too fast and there was no time. When the midwife told me I was fully dilated and it was too late for the epidural, I was actually relieved. I could tell she thought I'd panic, but it turned out I didn't really want the epidural. I was just scared I'd have to be in that level of pain for many more hours. I mostly wanted to get on with it and have my baby. It was hugely helpful for me to know it'd be over soon, as opposed to the midwifes initially telling me I wasn't even that far dilated and it'd be MANY more hours so just go back home, relax and wait.

Too late both times for me but to be honest it wasn't even in my birth plan because the thought of it was more terrifying to me than the thought of giving birth without it.

Embrace it. The pain is temporary. It’s not real pain in the true sense of the word, but your body doing something amazing.

You haven’t had an injury or are hurt, every contraction brings you closer to your baby.

It was only the last bit as the baby crowned that was intense but it was over so quickly and she was here.

A few hours later I showered and took my baby home! I recovered almost immediately,

I was 7cm when I got to hospital and progressing very fast so no choice, although I hadn't wanted one anyway (but was open to changing my mind, had things gone differently!).

I remember there was several shouts of 'I can't do it', in the final moments before I did in fact do it, but that was more because I didn't feel like I could physically push any harder than I was, than not being able to cope with the pain.

All labours are totally different though. A friend of mine was in excruciating pain for hours, I'd say I was very lucky.

I have an oddly high pain threshold when it comes to giving birth. Contractions uncomfortable but totally manageable especially with g&a.
Im a wimp in general life though, hate even a paper cut. But for some reason giving birth is ok.

1st labour hideously fast and painful so couldn't talk to ask for one. 2nd labour didn't even feel like labour, not really painful so didn't need it.