Are ALL midwives against epidurals?!

[jessicaandbumpsmummy]

Silyl question i know, but my mw had a hissy fit today when i said that i wanted gas and air and then the epidural if necessary!

Its written in my notes already because I WROTE IT but my MW just doesnt seem keen and is adament i wont need it.

Just wondered if anyone else had come accross this with their mw's?!

When i had Jess last year at a different hospital I had the epidural within 20 minutes of asking for it!

what were her reasons for being so against it, JABM? Is she going to have the pain for you?

Silly moo

She won't be the actual MW delivering you though will she JABM? I have never once had the midwife I saw through the pg deliver me in the hospital. I am sure you will get an epidural if you ask for one and you get there in time!

The midwife who took me down to the labour suite advised me to ask for an epidural the minute I walked in through the door! I wish I had, because once I asked it took 4 hours before I got it.

It's nothing to do with the midwife - if you want one, ask for one. She doesn't know what you'll need, and she's a fool if she thinks she can guess.

my mw was anti them because it takes your birth away from being solely midwife led.

shouldn't worry she probably won't be with you while you're in labour will she?

mine were more than happy to let me have one... not least because i was a shrieking banshee

No, never had any problem with both births. Asked for one with ds1 and got it pretty much straight away. With ds2 had gas and air first and then asked for an epidural and was given as soon as was possible (didnt work anyhow!).

The mw should obviously respect what YOU want! It is your labour afterall!

No, never had any problem with both births. Asked for one with ds1 and got it pretty much straight away. With ds2 had gas and air first and then asked for an epidural and was given as soon as was possible (didnt work anyhow!).

The mw should obviously respect what YOU want! It is your labour afterall!

What a strange midwife.

Thats 4 births i've had by the looks of it!

Dunno but when I askef ro one in the throws of labour with dd2 I was shirtily told they were for first time mothers. I said its my body and my pain. I want an epidural.
Then went onto tell the bloke who did it he was like god to pain fearing folks like me

She could well be one of the MW's that delivers me depending on shifts - there are a team of 5 (ive met them all) and it will be one of the 5 that get called in to deliver me.

I was a bit taken aback to be honest.... surely my comfort is paramount?!

Maybe she is just concerned that you will labour really quickly and there won't be time for the epidural to take effect? How quick was Jess's labour?

as i was induced with Jess i was 16 hours from ARM to delivery, 15 minutes pushing.

She does think ill be quick, but she was very "epidurals are the devil" which was a bit scary!!!

Oh 16 hours isn't exactly quick is it?

Maybe it is as katzguk says and she doesn't want the delivery taken away from her sole care..

I have to say I asked for an epidural for dd and it took ages to put in and didn't work at all! Mind you, waiting for it to work kept me off other drugs!

not necessarily(sp?) katzguk, i suppose it may depend on your hospital spolicy, but at the one i work at, you will still be midwifery care as long as everything else is starightforward.

soem midwives beleive and some research shows that having an epidural too early can slow your labour down and increase your chances of having an instrumental delivery! which i assume jessabm wants to avoid.

Most delivery suites are ok abotu giving them as long as anaethetist not in theatre, as they obviously need to give it and then check that it ok, and then after the inital dose the midwife can usually give top ups as and when needed.

I'm sure that once you get to delivery suite you will be able to have one if you need one. did you have one last time?

Yes, i had one with Jess and it was FANTASTIC!

Obviously, if i can cope on gas and air i will, but if things are dragging and im in pain, i want it!

Fingers crossed when it comes to it, ill give as good as i get!

come to my hospital! i'm on delivery suite from saturday night. i'll let you have one if you need one!

excellent.... where are you? will you break my waters for me too?! need to drop this baby pretty quick - im getting too uncomfortable! (due next friday!)

Message withdrawn

I'm in Reading! has your midwife offered you a stretch and sweep? if you are on the verge of going into labour it can start things off.

sweep is booked for the 23rd.... thats like another 11 days away!!!

have you tried all the usual things to start you off? sex, pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, and apparently getting really fed up and cross with being pregnant works too! or so i've been told by a few midwives that i work with, although not sure about that myself as i was really peed off and still went 3 weeks over.

dont even go there on what ive tried - even tried the old castor oil trick today, and nothing!

Oh well.... stubborn baby it is. Im a bit more chilled out now!

apparently accupuncture and reflexology, or shiatsu points can start labout off too, are there any midwives in your practice who do these?