Epidural

[moose234]

what's people experience of a epidural? I suffer with anxiety, and pain makes my anxiety flare up, and have panic attacks, so am thinking epidural! I'm in process of being induced, they are gonna break my waters later on this evening!

I was in agony and then I wasn’t. I don’t know how I’d have coped without it. Literally had my birth partner googling who invented them so I could praise their name, and I’m not religious in the slightest 😁

Just felt lots of pressure, not pain, didn't feel drugged up or out of it, remember everything just fine.

As a bonus I was still numb to pain when they stitched up my 2nd degree tears and they offered me a suppository to help with pain once that wore off.

I was induced. The epidural was amazing.

I'm two sides of the coin:

DS1 - hypnobirth - amazing
DS2 - epidural - amazing

Both were fantastic experiences and I thoroughly enjoyed both my labor and deliveries.

Insofar as the epidural is concerned, DS2 had heart issues and needed to be closely monitored throughout the labor so I needed to remain in bed. Fine by me, the discomfort I felt at 4cms dilated with him, I was feeling at 8cm with DS1 and knowing I had a while to go, opted for the epidural.

Twas amazing. Anesthesiologist sited the catheter at 11pm, I was asleep by about midnight and OBGYN woke me up just before 6am to let me know I was 10cms and it was time to push.
3 easy pushes later and he was out. I could feel the pressure and sensation of pushing but absolutely no pain.

Best of luck to you, in your situation I would absolutely opt for the epidural - let us know how you get on!

Do not hesitate to ask for one.

I was induced and didn't really ever need an epidural. Second and third births I definitely didn't feel the need.

If you do feel the need - get one!

Hope all is going well.

Thanks everyone for there replies, they have too many people in labour atm, so they are not going to break my waters till morning as no rooms free

Tiddler mine failed to. Took 3 tries to get it in as well. One leg was numb but I felt everything and still had to stay in bed for hours after deliver. It can increase instrumental deliveries which I 100% wanted to avoid .

Second time , I was induced and had had and air and some pethadine (pointlessly late because he turned up 10 minutes later but had quite a good nap after )
And while it was painful it was manageable and I felt so empowered after, no damage, had a shower straight away and could walk during labour ect even though I was constantly monitored.

You should do what you think best! The midwives told me the exact same and said you get no medals for enduring the pain which was comforting but they helped me through it all. Good Luck!

Have it -
I had no problems with either DC except the first epidural was administered by the parent of one of my pupils!

Oh and as others mentioned you can't walk around and have to get a catheter (which I also was numb to).

I found that to be a relief though because I was on the hormone drip so it was a total PITA when I had to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes before that.

I was induced and was offered an epidural after several hours of labour, i'd also had pethedine (good stuff!) and the relief was astonishing. I could still feel what was happening but without pain. In the end I needed a c/section but was still up and about a few hours later.

Just reading re the catheter as well.. that was also making me nervous before hand but didn't feel it, i was pretty relieved to get one too because I was in so much pain I didnt want to walk to the bathroom so it saved me a job

I was induced and had an epidural. It was absolutely amazing. I could feel the contractions and the pushing but absolutely zero pain!
It was all so relaxed, I absolutely loved giving birth. I had no interventions and didn’t tear at all.

Two epidurals here, one for each child, absolutely wonderful for pain relief.
I just wanted to add as I don’t think anyone else has said this yet - they do require topping up every few hours, so if you decide you’d like to feel more (if you see what I mean) you can just refuse the top up and let it wear off a bit. I did this with my first. Obviously depends on how fast your labour is though... All the very best, keep us updated!

Can you request an epidural?

Couldn't when I had mine (1990's.)

I mean, I was in agony after 20 hours of labour, (at the time,) and they wouldn't give me one, saying 'you need to be able to feel what you're doing...

Maybe things are different now...

I had one and it was amazing. After a long and hard labour it was the best thing I could have had. I had forceps delivery and was pushing and couldn’t feel a thing at all, they were telling me “Your doing it! He’s coming” and I was like “What??? Really???” 😂 I hope all goes well for you OP

*Can you request an epidural?
Couldn't when I had mine *

I really want to cry when I read things like that. I absolutely believe you, but treating women that way is disgusting.

Yes, nowadays you can request one. The NHS is trying to prevent you from asking, by pushing towards birth centers -with no specialist, so no epidural available until you transfer to the nearest hospital (which could be down the hall or 15 minutes away).
You can ask, you just have to make sure its early enough in the labour, or the staff will try to tell you it's too late, and too bad.

Epidurals rule!
I really was able to concentrate on the delivery, breathe, do my job better of pushin' that baby out!
If you're anxious by nature, I'd go with an epidural all day, every day.

I didn't get on with it. I passed out a few times due to it lowering my blood pressure and it wore off before the actual pushing started. I also really didn't like being flat on my back and I tore myself a new one so badly it took an hour to stitch me back up. I felt that I had to have it before the hormone drip though so I went for it despite being very nervous. In fact I still have a lot of bad memories of that day and thinking I was going to die. That said I wouldn't completely rule it out if I felt that it was needed in the future because all births are different and I might react better next time.

First time I had gas and air, episotomy and ventuse and over all I felt more in control.

Lots of differing views on this thread, you need to do what you believe is best.

Wonderful things!

Don’t have the drip without the epidural. They are amazing, I pushed ds out and didn’t feel a thing.

Good luck x

I had one after approx 15 hours of back to back labour. Wish I'd had it earlier - I got to 10cm dilated really quickly but then nothing - DS was stuck in a corner and didn't move - and just hour after hour of painful, painful contractions.
Pros - before I had it, I was like a crazed animal - couldn't hold a conversation, couldn't do anything except concentrate on turning my tens machine up and up. Once it was in, bliss, the midwife actually said to me "Welcome back Dino".
No pain at all from the episiotomy and forceps delivery. It may be true they increase the risk of instrumental deliveries, but DS was so stuck he wasn't coming out without forceps whether I'd had it or not.

Cons - catheter wasn't removed until late the following day, which meant I was bed bound.
Couldn't feel my contractions at all so was difficult to push - I had to have a midwife standing over me with her hand on my stomach telling me when to start and stop pushing.
For several months afterwards I had a weird tingling in my back, not constant but like a pins and needles feeling several times a day. Probably some kind of nerve damage, but it disappeared after a few months.

Overall, good experience, and would definitely have one again and much earlier if I have another back to back baby.

Induced for first baby in 2014 and forceps used so no issues and very little pain during and none after.

This time round probably c section at end of July so epidural more likely.

I've had 5 lumbar punctures though so know what to expect.

Baby was born at 11.41 by emergency c section due to the fact she wasn't happy with contraction and even with the drip I didn't progress past 5cm