water birth vs epidural

[angels1]

I've still got a long way to go before I have this baby (not due 'till after christmas) but I'm one of those worriers who thinks about everything far too much.

I'm really not sure about water birth or having an epidural. I want to have a labour that is as pain free as possible and as stress free as is possible (maybe that's a distant dream....).

I had a slipped disc last year and am expecting back problems in this pregnancy and an osteopath suggested to me that because of this a water birth might be good for me. I love the idea of a water birth, but I'm not sure I can cope without strong pain relief, and I don't want to take gas and air as I don't want to feel out of it/light headed during labour from this (and I know that this will make me feel quite ill just from my constitution).

So a 'regular' birth with epidural figures more mamangeable - but how much pain is taken away? could I actually give birth feeling calm and not in agony?

DH is getting funny about me having an epidural, but that's only as his mum had one and had a bad experience where she felt out of control of her body...and then when it wore off I think she found the pain pretty excrutiaing afterwards, so DH is worried it's the same with me (??).

Any thoughts on either of pearls of wisdom would be great and I have no idea where to go from here. There is a birthing pool at the hospital I'm going to, but they can't guarentee it will be free, so whateevr I plan it might not be possible.

As you say, whatever you plan birth will take its own course. FWIW I think water births are fabulous. The only reason I needed gas and air for mine was when they asked me to get out of the pool for an exam, in the water it was fine. And the gas and air was fine too - I was reluctant, like you to feel 'out of it' they said it would feel like I was drunk and I didn't like the idea of it. But when I took it I laughed and said that I'd forgotten how much fun it was to be drunk! And it wears of quickly, so no effects when DS was born. Remember too that you can change your mind, begin in the pool (once you are at the right stage) and then move to epidural if it isn't working out

I had an epidural with both births and found them fabulous. Obviously everyone's experience is different, but for what it's worth both births were pain free although I could feel enough by the end to push (about 3 sets of 3 pushes for each baby) and everything was pretty straightforward. From my own experience I found the epidural helped me relax through the first seven hours and five hours respectively so I still had plenty of strength for the final stage. I was up and about and in the shower withina few hours of both births. Good luck with whatever you choose.

I have had neither a waterbirth or an epidural ....

Loads of people LOVE a waterbirth but I got into the pool and had to immediately get out again - the feeling of the water on my skin, being "covered" in water, made me want to scream. It was a ghastly sensation ... for me! And I love baths, I love swimming, but in labour it was all totally different for me.

Epidural was something I decided I didn't want if I could help it due to ongoing back problems (including a previous slipped disc) and I'm glad I didn't as a lumbar puncture I had once left me with horrible headaches for weeks afterwards.

I actually was less stressed when I was having contractions (with the gas&air - which didn't make me feel out of it at all) because it was all short term stuff and I was in control of it. The pain was something which was almost invigorating (sounds weird I know)!!!

I planned a water birth, but ended up having an epidural, which i really had not wanted. However, I did have a nice hot bath in my labour before the epidural and it was lovely! If the water birth I had wanted had been like that, it would have been fab! The epidural was nowhere near as bad to get as I thought it would have been and the pain relief was immense - I am so glad I had it. However, I was being induced, so don't think I could actually have coped without it. I felt utterly in control of the situation and my body throughout the epidural.

I stressed about my birth plan, too, and whether or not to have forceps etc etc, but in the end my birth plan didn't even see the light of day!

Whateer you decide I would say don't get too hung up on it and go with the flow. don't let what happened to your OH's mother (how many years ago was that?! things have improved immeasurably since then!!) come into it. And remember - you're the one having the baby!

I loved my epidural, but the 2nd time it failed then DS2 came flying out, then the 3rd time it just sort of never happened, I was ready to push before I was feeling I needed the epi. You can start with a water birth, then get an epi if it gets too much. Go with an open mind, explore all options and go with the flow :) I had a TENS all 3 times and they are MAGIC.

I thought I would need to have an epidural with DD1 as I really didn't think I would be able to cope with the pain. However, as I was 9cm by the time I got to the hospital, I had to have just G&A, despite me begging for an epidural! The biggest pain was really the crowning and poor DH had to keep pouring loads of water on me to help.

Fast foward 2.5 years and I chose to have a waterbirth with DD2. Her birth was even quicker than DD1 and I was only in the water for half an hour or so (having been soldered to the G&A machine for half an hour or so beforehand) and the water helped soooo much with the birth. The cord was wrapped around DD2's neck and thinking about it now I think there could have been potential problems if I'd gone for the lying on my back method. On my hands and knees in lovely warm water worked for me!

Absolutely agree with the comment above about not getting too hung up about it. You will not know what's going to happen until it happens, so matter how much you plan, be prepared for it being totally different.

Good luck

It's very difficult because there are no guarantees. So you could go in planning a waterbirth and find the pools taken (and you may not want a home waterbirth) and you sound like you want to be in control. Likewise, you may decide now that you want an epidural and when it comes to it there isn't time or isn't an anaesthetist available. I had to have an epidural (em cs needed and they wouldn't do it without an anaesthetic!) and I had to wait 1.5hrs although I'd been in labour for 2 days and pushing for 6 hours. There just wasn't anybody available at that time. I used gas and air while I waited. I didn't like it at the time but it wears off as soon as you put the mouthpiece down.

Have you thought about other options too? TENS, breathing exercises, perhaps hypnobirthing. Pethidine- I suppose not if you don't want to feel out of it.

Talk to people, get an idea of what might suit you. Find out the pros and cons. An epidural for example means that you have a greater risk of instrumental delivery, you will have to stay in hospital, it sometimes doesn't work, it can have side effects etc.

If you are as clued up as possible and have an idea what you'd like, then you can hope for that but be prepared for using alternatives.

I would echo ASecretLemonadeDrinker and Haggisfish - however much you plan, your little one will arrive in their own sweet way, so go with the flow! It's worth being prepared and having thought through the possibilities and your preferences but the people I know who have found birth most traumatic were the ones absolutely wedded to an idea of what they wanted to happen.

I ended up having an epidural, which I had hoped not to, but at the time it was what I needed (had got very tired pushing for an hour before I was fully dilated, so had syntocin to bring contractions back). Glad I did, it just gave me that bit of rest I needed.

Also, re: gas and air - it is an odd feeling and lots of people don't like it but the effects wear off within a few breaths so again, you could try it and if it isn't for you, just stop.

I'm going for a water birth and will make a decision on the day on G&A. I'm worried about having an epidural because it may well not work (various issues, including a lower back issue) in which case I could be stuck on my back, at high risk of needing interventions, but still in pain!

If you're going for a hospital birth, you'll pretty have to wait and see anyway as although you could try a pool to start with there may not be one free. And although an epidural should be possible, it may not be possible straight away.

If you're thinking of MLU, you could always transfer if you decide you really need an epidural. Same if you have a home birth.

If you decide you'd definitely like to have the option of a pool, then homebirth is the only way to guarantee one will be available.

I have chronic back trouble, had G&A and epidural with ds1, landbirth with G&A but without epidural with dd, and waterbirth with no other pr with ds2.

BAck trouble: in every pregnancy I have had far less back pain than usual, the relief has been tremendous. Probably caused by the relaxin hormone that allows the joints to move more freely. I did Pilates throughout first pgcy - highly recommend doing regular core-strengthning and mobilisation exercises (together with your pelvic floor exercises!). Also be hugely hugely aware of your posture. Don't allow the bump to swing yyour hips forward or shoulders back. Stand square on your legs, not resting on one hip. Sit square, supported in lower back, or leaning forward on the back of a reversed chair or birthing ball. not cross-legged.

I had SPD very lightly (undiagnosed at the time) in first pregnancy, and quite strongly in second. But nnot in third, possibly because of my awareness of SPD and conscious care of my posture from day 1.

Think carefully about birthing positions, and be prepared to try different positions. But at all costs avoid being on your back or semi-reclined. Both very hard on back trouble of all sorts.

Comparing PR effects of epidural and waterbirth: I felt strong pain even with epidural - it only owrked down one side - yet struggled to feel what was going on in my body. I just had to get through each contraction. With the waterbirth, pain was blunter, far more tolerable. I was able to go with the flow of each contraction. I was far more conscious of what was happening inside me. Water was comforting in a way no other pr had been. Also supported me, so my body could take up whatever position helped me. Ds2 was born in the water, with me in an upright position most of the time. Upright, yet relaxed. Something I could not have done on land, and which my back would not have been able to cope with.

Important also to be open-minded. Prepare two birthplans - one what you want to happen, one how to deal with alternatives if things don't go to plan 1.

And using epidural when you planned for wb is not a failure. Going the whole hog on a cascade of pr options and interventions is not a failure. It's coping with situations as they arise. Giving birth - by whatever means or route - is a sweeping success!

HTH

If epidurals work properly, as most do, they take away all the pain but still leave you able to move your legs a bit. Also if it works you should be able to feel the "urge to push" when it comes.

Sometimes they do not work effectively - eg mine didn't reach my right hand side, and so I did have some pain (though it wasn't horrendous).

I had a top up to try and reach the parts that it didn't reach originally, meaning that I really cou;dnt feel a thing from waist down. I didn't feel an urge to push.

I had forceps and episiotomy and gave birth on my back - whether I would have needed these if had had more feeling and been able to kneel upright, I am not sure.

That said I didn't feel a thing, and the only after effects were the usual post-birth soreness which you would have whatever birth you end up with (my episiotomy wound was very straightforward, healed quickly).

The whole experience was fine for me, though it is true that with an epi you are likely to end up with more intervention as you can't move around which helps things.

Actually having the epi put in is not the most pleasant of experiences, particularly if you are contracting strongly at that point, because you have to try and sit still while they do it. But it is fine and manageable and as soon as it is in you feel great! Often you have to wait a while from the point where you request an epi, which was the hardest point for me - I waited two hours contracting strongly on syntocin drip (I was induced)because the anaesthetist had to deal with a neonatal emergency.

The other thing is I did have sporadic back pain at the site of epi for a couple of months afterwards. Not unbearable but not pleasant - a neuralgic pain which came on whenever I sat in a certain way.

I had planned a waterbirth at home myself but was induced on DDs due date as her amniotic fluid was very scanty.

FWIW next time round, though I love the idea of waterbirth, I think I will opt for hospital as I felt it reassuring to be in a hospital setting when it came to it. Ideally it would be a waterbirth in hospital with the delivery suite (and epidurals) just on the floor above if needed!

Thanks so much for your comments. There's just so much to think about but your experiences really help. I can't say it's slanted me either way other than maybe I'm thinking I could cope with a water birth without pain relief. I still think I wouldn't like gas and air though - to be told it feels like you're drunk doesn't help me want it as I hate the odd feeling of being drunk so purposefully avoid ever getting drunk....I wonder if there's a way I can try out a bit of gas and air before hand to see what it's like and if I could manage it.

I guess my worst nightmare would be for the birthing pool to be busy so I couldn't use it and then the anaethatist to be busy for so long that I end out with nothing I planned. I'm going to a hoispital where I could have both there, which I guess is lucky.

"the anaethatist to be busy for so long that I end out with nothing I planned" - this is what happened to me, and honestly, it was okay. I had the epidural, but it was too late into my labour, and ended up not being connected for delivery.

Only thing I would say is that if you decide you want an epidural, try and ask for it when you've got a reasonable gap between contractions. It gets more difficult for them to do if you're contracting more often, and I was in absolute agony for hours afterwards because of the epidural pain - it was actually worse than labour!

sirboobalot - what's epidural pain? Haven't heard of this....and sounds quite worrying...

Had epidural with DS at 4cm dialated pain free labour and birth...lovely.Had waterbirth with DD no pain relief other that G&A..also surprisingly lovely water really took the edge of the pain and bonded way more quickly with DD after the waterbirth. Good luck whatever you decide

angels you can 'try it' while you're in labour as the effect wears off as soon as you stop breathing it in. So you can try a few breaths and if you dont like it - stop.

Oh God, I loved the G&A!

Angels - I had a lot of pain in my back where the epidural had been put in. Think its something like one in ten women get it after having one. It eased off after a few weeks.

I gave birth ten days ago - waterbirth and gas and air and loved both. Highly recommend a waterbirth.

Water v epidural?

Depends on how much a non-medicalised birth matters to you. I'd say go for water; I'm not a hippy earth mother type, but just didn't want heavy duty intervention unless there was a medical reason for it.

There are also plenty of other things to try - aromatherapy, hypnobirthing, just keeping mobile - they will all help a lot

I had a water birth bloody fantastic. When my waters broke i phoned the maternity ward and asked them to save the pool for me. Dont know if all hospitals would do that but mine was happy to. Did try gas and air and i didnt like it made me feel very sick so just did breathing. When it did get to the stage where i was contemplating extra pain relief baby was almost out so no time but by then i couldnt feel much anyway. i found the last 1/2 hour of contractions very painful but being in the water really helped me relax between them and i could thrash around which made things a little better.
I didnt have a birth plan so i wouldnt be disappointed best just go with the flow dont be a hero! Just do what u want to do.
Good Luck!!

I've been referred to see an anaesthetist at the hospital because of the concerns that epidurals and locals won't work on me. While I'm hoping for a home water birth, I'm glad that if I did need to go into hospital, I will have already discussed options - and will have them on my notes.

If you're concerned a back or other issue might make an epidural more difficult or less likely to work, it might be a good idea for ask for such a referral. As the consultant who suggested it to me said, it's better to discuss it now calmly rather than when I'm in labour and needing interventions!