AIBU - to be really pissed off that epidurals are being restricted?

[christmasmum]

Was just reading an article in Mother and Baby magazine saying that epidurals are classed as an 'abnormal birth' and that they should be restricted in the future to avoid women having caesareans.

What is this all about? Why should women not be free to make their own decision on pain relief, while being aware of the risks involved in every form of pain relief? And is it not the case that women having diffcult births in the first place are more likely to BOTH have an epidural AND end up having a c-section anyway??

Before giving birth to my DD I bought into all the information from the NCT, books and magazines etc and was determined to go for a 'natural' birth. I ended up being induced and despite being told by every woman I have ever spoken to who has been induced, that I should have an epidural the midwife advised me that I would not need one. After 10 hours of intense contractions and finding out I was a huge 2cm dilated I decided enough was enough and had an epidural.

I was instantly relaxed and started to actually enjoy the process, 2 1/2 hours later (despite the consultant arriving to prep me for a c-section) I found out I was fully dilated and delivered my wee girl after 5 minutes of pushing to a room that was full of people laughing and singing Christmas carols.

I obviously only have my own experience to go by but I am absolutely convinced that the relaxing effect of being out pain helped me deliver my baby naturally.

What is this pressure on women to be in pain and suffering to be 'real women'. And why is that every new Dad I've spoken to with wives who did not have pain releif seem so proud of them? Is this just another example of male oppression of women? Even subliminally??

AAGGGHHHHH. Rant over.

g'night

"But I did it wrong. Otherwise I would have managed and coped. The reason I didn't and wanted to knock myself out was what? I didn't care about drugging my baby? I am selfish? I am weak? What then? "

I wanted a natural drug free birth for my first, but got pethidine, an epidural, forceps and a sleepy, bruised baby who wouldn't breastfeed.

I really didn't want my baby to have pethidine, and I didn't want it for myself. I wasn't weak to take it, I was at the end of my tether, I had no support and I was exhausted. I did my best for myself and my baby, as I know you did in your labour.

My third labour was just as long as my first and I was just as frightened, because I'd had a shoulder dystocia with my second and knew I was carrying a large baby. I also had gestational diabetes which had complicated the pregnancy and the labour. What made it possible for me to get through without an epidural, even though I was desperate at times and being sick with the pain of contractions? It wasn't mental strength or determination - it was having a midwife with me who I had a longstanding relationship with, who knew me and knew my feelings. She understood how to get me through that labour without an epidural - she worked so hard with me. I also had a friend with me who had had 4 children who gave me amazing support and confidence. In addition I was at home for the first 30 hours of the labour, which made things easier for me.

I know intensive support and the right environment doesn't cut it for everyone, but I'm convinced it makes a huge difference to some of us - our feelings of being able to cope with pain in labour.

"and this is something I heard in RL at an NCT class - those women say thigns like "I had a natural pain free birth because I wanted to put my baby first, and after all its only a little bit of pain"

If it was at an NCT class I'm assuming the women hadn't had their babies yet?

Personally I have NEVER heard anyone say anything along the lines of 'it's only a little bit of pain' (I note your words were 'say things like - ie, not say 'it's only a little bit of pain').

well said lenin

"I was asked by the teacher to tone my story down (emcs under ga due to foetal distress). I thought that was patronising and unhelpful, especially as the evidence was there that all was well."

Oh dear.

Stories like yours are very important. I don't think the teacher should have said that to you.

"On a general point, it does concern me a little bit to hear tales of women 'sacrificing' their own health for that of their babies. Or more, that others think that is the 'right' and noble thing to do."

It's true that a mother who desperately wants and requests an epidural in labour may suffer emotional trauma from being denied one, and having to go through the rest of her labour in a state of uncontrolled, intolerable pain, but that's not what you're talking about here is it? You're talking about women choosing not to have drugs in labour.

How is opting not to have an epidural 'sacrificing your own health'? What are the health benefits of epidurals? I wasn't aware of any. (other than enabling a mother to have a cs without a GA, or lowering her blood pressure - a good thing if she is hypertensive). Women who give birth without pain relief are more likely to come through birth in good health and with less perineal damage, not less likely!

LeninGrad - expected or not, we seem to do it all the time. It's why we idolise our mothers. They're the closest thing to god we've got - pure self-sacrificing love! (not advocating that all mums be martyrs by the way - but I'm awed by what mothers do for their children)

have been dipping in and out of the thread, and am still waiting to see the evidence/links/articles that support the OP saying that epidurals are to be restricted

"I don't sacrifice much in my life for my kids and my parents didn't for me. That's just a recipe for misery and obligation imo. I'm here to love and support my kids, whilst meeting my own needs in life too (having them being one of those!) and I hope they want to do the same for me."

My parents made sacrifices for us - gladly, happily.

I've made sacrifices for my children in the same way, because sometimes it's simply not possible to meet everyone's needs, whatever the women's magazines say about 'having it all'.

Probably in a few years, or maybe even sooner I'm going to have to make a lot of sacrifices in terms of my time and energy to help my parents who are quite elderly and beginning to suffer from the health problems that come with old age.

But we are a family who count our blessings and feel very lucky, so bitterness and obligation don't really come into it.

yes, i made that point.. so was wondering why this was 'news' unless there was something that i had not heard about , despite my involvmenet in the NHS maternity services and the NCT.

also, for women waiting for an epidural, there are pain relief options that can be used in the meantime.

agree totally that women should not be left in pain for hours without any help or pain relief

This is a genuine question
"there are pain relief options that can be used in the meantime. "

What are these, apart from G&A or pethidine, that are routinely available? I didn't think there was anything else like an epi that would actually stop the pain (or at least the women feeling the pain)

sorry, i meant drugs such as diamorphine/meptid/pethidine,and G&A that can be used.

obviously there is nothing else that will block the pain like an epidural, but using opiates and /or G&A will help to relieve some of the pain, alter the perception of teh pain and hopefully mean the labouring woman is not left in unrelieved, unremitting pain for hours whislt waiting for an epidural.

the fact is that an epidural has to be administered by an anesthatist. there is likely to be a waiting time involved

telling women that before they go into labour would be helpful so that other coping mechanisms and pain relief options can be considered.

I don't get the thing about a woman 'nobly sacrificing her health' blah blah blah for the sake of her baby? Eh?

I didn't want an epidural or pethidine because I personally didn't want the side effects or increased risk of intervention for my baby (disclaimer: my baby,my labour, not making any judgement on anyone else's). But I fail to see how this was 'sacrificing my health'! Exactly how would these drugs have been beneficial to me healthwise? I can see that pethidine would mask some of the pain and epidural would block it, but I think it's stretching the point to claim that women are 'sacrificing themselves'!

crosseyed to respond to your post this morning about halia's NCT women saying "it's only a bit of pain" etc.

At our NCt class we weren't allowed to mention "the p word", we had to say discomfort. And one whole session was a sales pitch for hypnobirthing DVDs. And tearing/episiotomy weren't mentioned... I could go on.

Earlier one conclusion seemed to be that better ante-natal preparation was key, and I would agree with that. Certainly our course was so ridiculously hippy-dippy natural or bust that I got quite angry. Mainly as they were pushing the whole pain free natural birth being the be-all and end -all and that anything else was failure. That was the whole tone of the course. And as many of my friends have children, I knew that while pain free natural birth is a great thing, it's simply not achievable for many women. I felt we were being set up to fail. One woman had a breech baby and was looking to be headed for CS and she spent every session almost in tears about what she would be missing out on...

Yes I do get worked up on these threads, as I think that things (at least in our area) have gone far too far in one direction, and the pros and cons of all birthing methods and pain relief are not actually being presented objectively at all.

I feel my NCT course prepared me very badly for the real circumstances of labour.

In my case my waters broke and two days later my labour had barely started. No one told me that when your waters go they don't just go once and thats it, the water keeps getting reproduced and therefore kept leaking out..it was impossible to sleep for two nights as it was so uncomfortable. I also assumed that if my waters had gone labour would have started properly but it didn't.
By the time I was actually admitted to hospital on the third day I was already exhausted and in considerable discomfort. I tried to remain standing rather than lying but it was so uncomfortable as I had SPD and was over a week overdue with a big baby.

In the end I was given the epidural and induced. 18 hours later I had only dilated to 4cm and was eventually told I needed an emergency c-section. Before it got this far I had to go through things I didn't want such as a fetal scalp monitor etc.

In my case I think an epidural was unavoidable..I did not have the chance of wondering whether to be brave and have a tens machine only as my labour didn't progress. Had I tried for a home birth I would have ended up in hospital anyway.

So I really think one is given the impression there is a lot of choice and one should make a birth plan, choose pain relief etc but in my case it was a complete waste of time.

The first birth experience was horrendous and I was in no state to look after my newborn after 3 nights with no sleep at all. So the one choice I did have was elective c-section second time round and it was a wonderful experience.

maggie ,you made me lol;good on you!How about no pain relief for dying people:BUT ITs NATURAl!Please,are we living in the dark ages.From a mum who had a ten pounder first time and begged for an epidural after 12 hours without one.

At our local hospital it hasn't been possible to choose to have an epidural for at least 3 years - I wouldn't have had the choice when I had my little boy then and still couldn't choose it with my current pregnancy. I ended up with a c-section under general anaesthetic under emergency conditions last time - pain relief wasn't a choice but this time.....have no idea yet what I could choose and I'm due in 7 weeks. I don't believe in restricting pain relief choices unless there's a really good medical reason for doing so.

Castiel, did people actually tell you that???

"The comments I have received about 'easy routes', 'too posh to push' (I pushed for 6 hours I'll have you know) and 'bet the epidural felt like cheating' have left me thoroughly demoralised."

I hope you socked them!!

I asked for an epidural after 20h of labour. God bless epidurals! And I could dose it myself so that I could feel DS come through.

I never got any rude comments like Castiel did, but I am curious, did anybody else get any?

I had to have a hospital birth because I have epilepsy, which also ruled out basically any form of pain relief apart from an epidural.

I hadn't initially wanted one because I had been told the potential risks by ante natal classes and the information leaflets given to every pregnant woman in Britain. But I was offered one, and probably because it was a difficult birth, with DS in distress and eventually requiring a Ventouse delivery after 36 hours of stop-start contractions.

The epidural didn't work properly - only down one side, and if muy second delivery is easier, knowing what to expect I would attempt to have a 'natural birth' simply because I have a joint problem that was made worse by not being able to walk, something I hadn't considered, and which left me in real agony despite having that medical intervention.

Over all, I had a miserable delivery (not helped by my mum turning up uninvited and not being summarily ejected before she started offering me 'magic water') but when it came to the crunch, the epidural did mean that I wasn't in too much pain to control my pushing, which isn't something I'm sure I could have done had I been in pain after 36 hours awake.

I rather think this whole story is a bit like the faux EU regulations to straighten bananas. It gets everyone irate, and generates publicity for the newspaper or website that came up with the idea.

"I think that things (at least in our area) have gone far too far in one direction, and the pros and cons of all birthing methods and pain relief are not actually being presented objectively at all"

I totally agree with this statement but for the other end of the scale. Where I live the general feeling is that your mad to have a baby without an epidural. I was given very little information by both professionals and friends on any other types of pain relief and when I said I didnt want an epidural (mostly cause of my SPD and was worried of permanent damage) people actually had arguements with me as to why I was 'nuts'
Information on pain relief should be unbiased and factual, I think most women are smart enough to know when they need pain relief and when they can cope and the decisions they make should be respected.
I was very lucky with my DD as my labour was only 6hrs and I had the G&A that I wanted but even though I am now 'experienced' in childbirth women still argue that I should definately have the epidural with DC2 on the way.
Are we no longer allowed to make a decision for ourselves based on our own feelings, beliefs and levels of pain?!