Epidural - how pain free was your labour?

[Ashtower]

I have tokophobia (fear of labour). Stems from the fact my mother almost died giving birth to my sister. I am considering ttc this year but recognise I have issues to overcome.

AIBU to ask if you had an epidural and how pain-free your labour was (if you feel comfortable sharing of course)

My cousin says hers was completely pain-free - sounds too good to be true.

I’m not sure how useful this thread will be as the pain of child birth is, for good reasons, mostly easily forgotten even when it’s bad at the time. If we could vividly remember the experience we wouldn’t be back for round two or three So I suspect the answers will be mostly positive even in the cases where objectively it may have still hurt

Mine fell out!!!!
They didn’t realise till afterwards and kept saying to me I couldn’t possibly be in pain when I was screaming
If you feel pain get them to check it. For the first part it really worked

Mine were also completely pain free. The drip is left attached to you and you have a button you can press to top up every 20 minutes. It really does work 🙂

You could opt for an ELCS, I know of people who have done so due to tokophobia.

I didn't have an epidural myself. But from what I've heard the issue will be persuading the medical staff to give you an epidural when you want one. I have heard of women labouring and being denied an epidural at first (and subsequent) request(s) or being told the anaesthetist isn't available.

Sorry if I am adding to your anxiety but I think it's best to be informed about what could happen.

I do recommend hypnobirthing as it can be very helpful for calming anxieties about birth. You might also find counselling helpful.

I was in labour for 23 hours when i got to 18 hours i decided to have an epidural. Best thing ever! The relief of no pain was fantastic i even managed to have alittle nap. I couldn't have gone the 5 hours without one, I wasn't sleeping well in late pregnancy and I was knackered and just had enough.

My delivery with epidural was painfree. But was quite sore for a good while after. Whereas the one without was a bit ouchie at the time, but quicker, genuinely amazing and much better recovery.

Totally pain free. Great if you can get one (ie you're not already too far along in labour, anaesthetist doesn't come in time etc)

3 births, two with epidoodles (does anyone remember that?) and felt precisely bugger all.

Zero pain and the most recent epidural was a year ago and it was a 'walking' one so nowhere near as strong as my previous one (14 years ago), yet felt absolutely nada.

I was in a lot of pain when I had an epidural with DS2. It was instant relief and I even managed to doze/sleep a bit until it wore off and then I needed to push, it took the edge off that pain too. I would recommend it to anyone, I don't know why I went without for DS1

Mine didn't work, maybe because I was having a back labour? Also didnt get one of those wee buttons, though I dont know why!

Gosh I feel you are opening up to everyone’s labour stories now... I had 3 natural births, without pain relief - the gas and air made me feel drunk after one breath so I didn’t like it and chose to do without, i was too late for epidural when I asked for my first so did without, my second was too quick, and my third... I would it again tomorrow, it was a perfect labour (in my opinion), relax, take some good music, and remember the pains are for only 1 minute, use them as stepping stones and remember you are stronger than the pain. I just felt empowered, but at the end it does get too much and you can’t think about anything, Mother Nature takes over and before you know it you have a baby in your arms and it’s all done... it really is the most beautiful thing in the world x

Posted too soon. You can do this OP, your body is designed for it. Good luck

the issue will be persuading the medical staff to give you an epidural when you want one. I have heard of women labouring and being denied an epidural at first (and subsequent) request(s) or being told the anaesthetist isn't available

This is my fear.

Would going private ensure I could have access to an epidural?

Mine only worked on one side. They told me it was a good thing as I could then still feel something and would know when to push. I disagreed as I was in searing pain. They only fixed it when they decided to do an instrumental delivery.

Second birth was an elective CS. There's no way I'd have had a second if I'd had to have a VB again.

Make it part of your birth plan to keep epidural topped up at all times, let them know your fears.

My labour was painful until I got the epidural in, then it was blissfully pain free. But the epidural led to more intervention in the form of a forceps delivery because I couldn't feel to push.

I wasn't booked in for an epidural, but 15 hours into my labour they suggested I have one. I had taken all the drugs and was in agony so agreed. Oh. My. God. The relief was un-fucking-believable. I wished I'd have opted for it.

We only wanted one, so haven't had another baby, bit if I did, I definitely would have booked in for one.

Nobody gets any prizes for going through a natural, drug free labour!!!

I had 2 ELCS so can’t comment - other than when you conceive talk to midwife about your fears straight away and don’t be fobbed off

Would going private ensure I could have access to an epidural?

I believe so.

I had epiduralwith first and never felt a thing genuinely

With second I asked for it but was denied due to short staffing

I had one on my first and didn’t feel a thing. I was induced and found the early contractions uncomfortable but manageable. I was ok until I had to have the syntocin(?) drip and then they were awful. The epidural was fantastic. I had it in at 6am until I gave birth at 3:30pm. I couldn’t feel a thing when I pushed him out. It made it difficult pushing as I couldn’t feel it lol, but I managed it with a small cut.

Had a csection on my second and that was fine too x

I went from being in the most pain I’d ever known to having this feeling like warm water being poured down my lower half and then feeling nothing. My birth partner couldn’t believe the change so quickly, still ended up having an emergency csection but my god, the best part of that labour was the epidural! I had one with my second one as well, though that birth was a lot less stressful all round but still awfully painful again and I couldn’t cope and again ended in a section. I’m not sure if the reason I was given both times was because I was literally screaming in agony and scaring the other women (was on a ward) or because they knew I’d end up having sections so thought may as well.. best thing ever though!

My epidural worked really well, I was in
Labour for 3 days so after 2 was exhausted .
The epidural gave instant relief

I’ve had two epidurals and both were pain free lovely births with no complications or issues. I went private in another country so was guaranteed an epidural really quickly. It won’t be totally pain free because if you go into labour naturally there is that initial period of contractions but it was manageable.