To ask why you didn't have an epidural?

[sachabloom]

Currently 17 weeks and up until today has made the decision I wasn't getting an epidural, until someone asked me why I wasn't and to be honest I was a bit stumped! I guess my main reason is the fear of a bad back after... but I don't even know if that's a myth or truth?!

I haven't had a pain relief discussion with my midwife and as this is my first child, I'll be honest I'm quite in the dark.

Just curious really to hear of people's experiences as most people I've spoke to say no to epidural but I've never really asked why.

FWIW, absolutely no judgements from me, I think we're all fabulous however we do it.

Because of the cascade of interventions and the risk of long term side effects.

Love an epidural, I'm a big fan. But it won't stop you feeling pain - just dulls it and you still get breakthrough pain but obviously it massively reduces especially if you are induced.

I personally think it's best not to have a strong opinion either way. You may decide you want it, you may be told you need it and have no option or you may not require one. Don't over think it as birth is always a surprise and never goes exactly how you think it will. Just keep an open mind and don't be too focussed on the exact birth you want as the only guarantee you have is that it won't go exactly how you expect!! Being too set in your ways can lead to disappointment and overly fixating on the things that went away from the plan. Focus on doing all you can to get baby out safety and to allow you to do what's best for both of you at the time. Good luck

I couldn't have one, I have had a back operation and have scar tissue where the epidural would go in as well as a metal rod on my spine. Due to this I was told I couldn't have one it was to risky. My lumbar scoliosis means that my hips and pelvis are uneven and my babies lie back to back, both did, and labour really hurt my back even with gas and air, so I can understand why some would like an epidural.
To be honest I'm pleased medical staff said I couldn't as I was reluctant to want my back messed with again

Never got offered one with either. Wanted EC I was so terrified but kept talking me out of it both times( basically saving costs) induced with pre eclampsia Struggled on PARACETAMOL WTF? with very long labour then episiotomy and forceps blood transfusion. no one told me the options of pain relief.. Felt like I was being soft when screaming I couldn't go on. second time gas and air just to be redone stitched and unpicked inside and out was worse than birth itself . Shitty hospital so no wonder..

All this stuff about 'not being able to feel what i was doing' is BS. Epidurals have come a long way. I had one because i was induced so it was going to get very intense very fast and i have a chronic pain and fatigue condition and i knew the contractions would knacker me out and i wouldnt have the energy to push which would result in needing help.
Best decision i ever made.
They give you a button so you are in control of how much you feel. I kept and element of feeling and dealt with that with gas and air. This meant i could feel everything i needed to when the time came. MW tried to convince me i didnt need it but i knew my own body and afterwards she told me she had never seen someone push like that with an epidural and never seen someone know their own body and abilities so much. i did need stitches but this was due to babys positioning and would have happened anyway. When i was taken to theatre DH was still in the room and could hear the MW saying how much i had helped myself by having it.
There are no awards for doing it without. Im more proud of myself for knowing my body and making that decision than i would have been for pushing on and needing help because of exhaustion. The needle in the back is nothing.. i had gas and air for contractions during it and they numb the area anyway. Do what you need to do for you.. balls to everyone else!

I’ve had two ( the 1st one 25 years ago! )
Both brilliant.
No other intervention, just lovely, normal, pain free births.
No side effects at all.

1st child I started on gas & air, requested an epidural at about 7cm. Midwife suggested to see how I went with diamorphine and that was enough for me, even managed to sleep for a short while.

2nd child I had an awful pregnancy, pain from the start. I wanted as much pain medication as possible as early as possible so I could just have 1 nap without being uncomfortable before baby arrived, arrived at the hospital 9.5 cm and ds arrived 20 minutes later. Didn't have time for anything, including my nap 😔

I didn’t want one as I hoped to be able to move around during labour and give birth in a pool. As it happened my labour was quite quick and I wouldn’t have had time anyway.

That said, I did have an open mind and certainly wouldnt have ruled it out if my labour had been different or had to be induced (and had the opportunity to do so).

Tbh I found it really annoying that people would ask if I was going to have pain relief! I can’t imagine why they would want to know that. My stock response was ‘I’m going to see how it goes’ and change the subject!

Had epidural with DC1 and ended in forceps hypertension and days of labour. Also got nerve damage. Said no with DC2 and will with DC3 X

I wish I'd had an epidural. For various reasons it just didn't happen. I still ended up having ventouse delivery but I could have probably saved myself some of the pain.
Next time I'm asking for one straight away to try and avoid the trauma I went through the first time.

Because I had watched every episode of one born every minute and imo epidural just seemed to make everything longer and more complicated (forceps etc). DH was under instructions that epidural was a last resort tool. As it was both mine shot out so it wasn't an issue.

I definitely think an open mind is the best policy. I went in with my first wanting no pain relief apart from gas and air. But I had very strong contractions from the outset (confirmed by midwife from the monitoring equipment) which were really close together. In the end I was exhausted from the pain after eleven hours, so begged for the epidural. They tried to convince me to keep going without one but I was extremely assertive that I needed one (quite unlike me at the time!). The pain lifted immediately and I could focus on what I was doing rather than just being practically passed out with pain and exhaustion. But they did give me a mobile epidural which means you still have some mobility and control as it's a low dose. I did need a ventouse but that was less because I had an epidural and more because my baby had his arm pointing upwards which made it more difficult for him to come out.

I didn't need it with my second which was only three hours in labour. The point is you don't know how you'll feel. It maybe a lovely experience with strong cramping like some people describe it. However, if it isn't you may feel you need one. It doesn't make you a lesser person, it probably just means you feel pain differently/the baby is in a different position/contractions are longer or stronger etc. When I had mine I didn't even think of needles or headaches, I just knew it was what I needed and one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Wasn't time

I did have one (sorry I know that's not the question but thought is also useful) I had no intervention, only 3 hour labour and could move around about 30 mins after. They don't always give a block, mine was self administered so could feel pushing just no contractions. Was an absolute dream!!

An epidural was completely off my list from the start. It's not something that should be thought of lightly, it's not popping a couple of pills and feeling better.

For me, the fact that I would be on my back (big no!) and that I wouldn't feel the urge to push (another no) and that it almost always results in an assisted delivery (no thanks) and the accompanying tears/episiotomy (nope, no) with the health implications for myself and my baby (no), it was a no brainier. On top of that, you'd need to stay in hospital longer, have a catheter and probably poo yourself while giving birth. Then there's the risks involved in putting a needle into your spine...

Your body knows what it is doing, you have to trust it, and you can't trust it if you can't feel it.

Yes it hurts, but women are strong and we have been given birth for hundreds of thousands of years. The majority of that has been in a cave with little medical (if any) assistance at all. It's only recent years that birth has become so medicalised.

I would strongly urge anyone to try without, it's completely achievable. Yes, we all have different pain thresholds (labour hurts!) and yes, sometimes things can go wrong, but listening to your body, rather than fighting against it, increases your chances of a natural birth with less complications for you and your baby.

I had an epidural for DC1 (induced), because in France it is assumed you are going to have one. I was young and impressionnable and did not question it. The epidural was perfect, worked the first time, and I could still move my legs and push.
DC2 was born 16 minutes after we arrived at the hospital, so I gave birth without any form of pain relief. And then I realised I felt robbed of my first birth.
For DC3 I refused pain relief. This time I was fully prepared mentally and it was my favourite birth by far.
I am due around Christmas and I do not intend to have one. However I know that all births are different and it is nice to know the epidural is available if I cannot cope with the pain.

Wanted to reduce an escalation of intervention. Luckily I went into labour spontaneously (I was so worried about being induced).

When it came to giving birth, I was open to all pain relief and at the stage I wondered out loud if I might like an epidural, the midwife said I was coping well, labour was progressing and she thought I could do It without. She was right. I was involved in that decision though, but could see how it could have been misconstrued as “midwife told me I couldn’t have an epidural”.

I didn’t want one due to increased risk of intervention and wanting to be able to move around.

However I ended up being induced so had one, I am so glad I did. I couldn’t feel any pain at all but could feel pressure when I pushed. I didn’t need any interventions and had very minor stitches.

I didn't fancy the idea of a needle in my back & losing feeling from the waist down & it turned out I didn't need one anyway. First labour in a midwife led unit, next 2 children born at home, all straightforward labours that I recovered from with ease.

I wanted to see whether I could manage without.

Because i didn't need one the pain was bearable and I wanted to feel my contractions as 1 it helps you push and 2 there was no need to medicate when I was fine. X

I've had a lot of lumbar punctures and didn't fancy another needle in my back, thought I could manage without it. Gave birth in the pool with 2 paracetamol and hypnobirthing to help, all fine but I do remember vividly thinking I should have taken the drugs! But 19 weeks with DC2 now and planning the same again...

I have a bit of a kink towards the bottom of the spine (where the epidural goes in) they attempted one when I was having my second baby and it bounced off bone, they couldn't do it.

I had one and am absolutely sure that was the best decision for me. I was induced and in absolute agony and exhausted with contractions every few minutes for hours and hours. When I eventually had the epidural, I could think clearly again and even managed to have a little sleep. Ended up with an episiotomy and ventouse delivery. Not sure if they might have happened anyway (big baby), but I absolutely could not cope with the labour pains. Was up moving about the next morning, feeling absolutely fine and baby was absolutely perfect.