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AIBU?

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Original poster

To feel vindicated by the D of H report, which confirms midwives are withholding epidurals?

557 replies

RevolutionofourTime · 04/03/2020 05:51

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/mar/03/women-in-labour-being-refused-epidurals-official-inquiry-finds

I was denied pain relief during my first labour for no reason whatsoever. When I complained to the head of midwifery, she encouraged me to try a home birth next time. 🤨 I have also witnessed other women in maternity ward being denied pain relief.

Despite this, I have seen it argued here time and again that midwives are not acting as gatekeepers or withholding proper pain relief in labour.

This report confirms what many of us know.

I will be curious to see if this will lead to changes- more specifically, to adherence to the Nice guidelines that it’s never too early and never too late for an epidural in labour.

OP posts:
DropYourSword · 04/03/2020 05:54

I remember when I was training that some midwives really did whatever they could do withhold epidurals. I wrote a reflection on it, and the midwife argued with me about it.
Honestly, some think they know fucking better than the woman they’re looking after. I would never withhold one from a woman.

madcatladyforever · 04/03/2020 05:58

I'd sue if an epidural was withheld from me. I don't want to experience natural birth and never have. I soon got one when I said that.

ukgift2016 · 04/03/2020 06:01

I was denied an epidural as they said it was "too late" looking back now I am guessing from the article it wasn't?

How dare they.

VashtaNerada · 04/03/2020 06:03

This doesn’t surprise me at all. I was denied pain relief because the midwives thought I was making a fuss over nothing and probably had ages to go - this was despite it being my second child and knowing damn well that I really was in labour not just making it up for attention Hmm

DropYourSword · 04/03/2020 06:04

@ukgift2016 Its realistically “too late” if you’re fully dilated and can’t stop yourself from pushing. Before that, no, it’s not too late. I heard women at 8 or 9cm being told it was too late. Bollocks.

SomeoneElseEntirelyNow · 04/03/2020 06:07

@madcatladyforever same here - when the gas and air and the birthing pool stopped cutting it for me and i asked for the epidural, my midwife asked my husband (!!) if I'd previously said i didnt want one. He told her that I'd ALWAYS said i did want one, but I'd been browbeaten into trying it without pain relief by our local midwives who wanted me to have the baby in the birth unit rather than the hospital. Turns out theyre at risk of getting shut down due to low numbers. Anyway, the midwife at the hospital told me to wait, as i was probably only 4cm dialated, i told her (politely, somehow) that it felt much more urgent than that and that i needed her to call the anaesthetist and examine me right now. Guess who was 8cm dialated and had an epidural 20 minutes later?

There are protocols and procedures and people are under pressure to save the NHS as much money as possible. It is vital, to receive the best care, that you advocate for yourself. That means educating yourself on the situation and having a plan prepared in advance. My husband knew that if i asked for an epidural, it was his job to make sure i got one. Luckily, he didn't need to put his foot down. Healthcare isn't passive, you have to be prepared to get involved with your own care and decision making process.

Elephantonascooter · 04/03/2020 06:09

They tried to deny me an epidural and in the end DH turned to the midwife and said "she said she knows her own body and wants pain relief so get my wife the fucking epidural" he later apologised for it but made it clear to the midwife that it was my decision, not hers, and after years of fighting to be heard about my chronic pain and fatigue condition, I knew my own body and what I needed.
She conceded after I gave birth saying "fair enough, you do know your own body". So glad i fought for it but very nearly didnt

Jellybean100 · 04/03/2020 06:09

It’s too early if you’re not in established labour and contractions aren’t regular enough as you could have an epidural put in and then all your contractions stop and you’re then stuck on a monitor, on a bed, with an unnecessary medication going in to your back, for an unlimited amount of time.
It’s too late if you are pushing and baby’s head is visible.

auslass · 04/03/2020 06:14

Wow, I'm pregnant at the moment and you're right, the MW's are so funny about epidurals. Have sent this link to my husband! He won't have any issues telling them to wind it in on the natural birth stuff. I have no plans on being a hero!

ClassicallyConditioned · 04/03/2020 06:16

This thread has reaffirmed that I do want another c-section instead of a VBAC!

auslass · 04/03/2020 06:23

All this stuff makes me so afraid of childbirth seriously. You should be able to trust your midwives!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 04/03/2020 06:42

I remember with DS1 that I asked for an epidural when I was a lot of discomfort but it wasn't the MW who refused it, it was some doctor or possibly even the anaesthetist, not sure (was a bit hazy) - I had previously said an absolute NO to epidurals and it was on my birth plan but I was just so tired and in seemingly endless pain that I was prepared to try anything. In the end I'm glad I still didn't get one but it wasn't the MWs who withheld it in my case.

I do think it's very poor that they try to stop you having one if you need one though.

Original poster
RevolutionofourTime · 04/03/2020 06:52

@Jellybean100, what is your expertise? What you are saying directly contradicts the Nice guidelines, which state that You should be able to have an epidural at any point if you want one, including during the early stage of labour.

@SomeoneElseEntirelyNow, you were lucky. Some of us argued just as you did, but were still denied an epidural in labour. I even asked to be transferred to another hospital if they couldn’t give me one at my booked hospital. I still didn’t get one.

OP posts:
jeanne16 · 04/03/2020 06:58

I was told by a midwife that everyone must feel pain and suffer in child birth. When I asked why, she couldn’t answer. I’m afraid a lot of midwives have a belief that does not include epidurals. Give me a doctor led birth any day.

Sipperskipper · 04/03/2020 07:00

I, luckily had a good experience. My birth preferences said I wanted to avoid an epidural, so when I asked for one, they double checked with me, but listened. The anaesthetist was there within 10 minutes!

Postnatal ward was another story of course...

NewNameEveryWeek · 04/03/2020 07:01

I was induced and when it became very painful they gave me gas and air for about 7 or 8 hours. When I said it was becoming unbearable they didn't give me the epidural or c-section that I was pleading for until the pain became so bad that I literally just started screaming continuously.

After they eventually gave in, the midwife said she had waited because she thought it would slow things down and I had gone from 2 to 8cm on the gas and air. But why didn't she tell me that whilst I was going through it so that I could try to see if I could suffer through it for the baby's sake or at least make an informed choice. I just felt like she was ignoring me. I didn't consent to that treatment.

I never complained, because I was just relieved that DS was born healthy and focussed on him and my recovery, but I think that midwife did a poor job.

It all ended in an EMCS anyway and if I had another I'd just go straight for the c-section this time.

MVDorset · 04/03/2020 07:01

If anyone who lives in Dorset has experienced this can you please PM me? I’m a Maternity Voices representative, and represent patients at meetings with the maternity service. So far I’ve heard very little of this from women in my area, but I definitely want to know if this is happening so please do get in touch. You wouldn’t need to give me your name or anything, just some general details on what happened and when.

I’m so sorry to anyone who has experienced this, it’s unacceptable.

(I’m a regular poster BTW, just changed username as my details are online for this role)

RoxytheRexy · 04/03/2020 07:04

Due to serious allergies my plan was to go straight into the obstetrics unit and have an epidural early. This was suggested by the Cons Obstetric Anaesthetist. I was still being put off an epidural by midwives! They even used me as an example during the bloody antenatal classes.

I booked an elective section for my second

Sparklingplasters · 04/03/2020 07:06

I went to 9cm dilated pacing in a waiting room with other people as I wasn’t believed, epidural denied also.

SarahTancredi · 04/03/2020 07:07

Wow

I had a home birth with dd1 which removed the option completely. I didnt want one anyway how er I do remember being told it was reliant on an anaesthatist being available. The deliberate attitude of making it such a vague possibility makes sense now.

I was ignored when I asked for gas and air with dd2. They barely interacted with me at all. Took multiple requests for g&a before someone finally told me I couldnt have it as I wasnt downstairs in delivery.

Anyway having been ignored for ages they suddenly panicked when they discovered I was 8cm and showing signs if a partial placental abruption.

(I was high risk for that anyway. Thanks To SCH and an ecv. They ignored me when I said their was blood in the waters)

Good news was i finally given g&a. Bad news was they all fucked off and I very nearly have birth alone. Luckily dp had just made it and went and got help.

They ran me a cold bath after and i wasn't given so much as a paracetamol ...

I'd never trust a hospital to deliver my baby again ( if I had one)

Fluffybutter · 04/03/2020 07:07

Same happened to me during my second birth.
Begged for something ,anything, repeatedly and ended up with 2 co codamol.. that was it .

Fluffybutter · 04/03/2020 07:09

when asked for epidural they literally ignored me and went about their business

TeddyIsaHe · 04/03/2020 07:09

I think I’d have flipped out entirely if they tried to deny me an epidural. My midwife said they don’t like giving one because they need to stay with you from then on to monitor, whereas if you don’t have one they can nip in and out.

Mummyme87 · 04/03/2020 07:09

This is interesting as my experience as a midwife is women are always given one when they ask. Sometimes there is a delay due to other activity in the unit or baby is coming/mum involuntary pushing so dangerous to attempt. Otherwise, given more or less on request.

Sometimes women are refused an epidural as not in established labour and as much as NICE guidelines state women should be given one if requested in early stages, hospitals in UK are over capacity and can not accommodate this at all. We will most days sit with an almost full delivery suite and see numerous women in triage in early stages requesting an epidural but is refused as this just isn’t feasible unfortunately.

Russellbrandshair · 04/03/2020 07:10

I was told by a midwife that everyone must feel pain and suffer in child birth

That is truly frightening. She sounds like the mother in Carrie! What a horrible unprofessional thing to say

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