So - those of you who DIDN'T have an epidural

[Cleofartra]

.... and are OK about not having had one, and don't feel cheated or traumatised, what do you think made it possible for you to cope without one?

Given the comments on the other thread about giving birth being similar to the pain of a catastrophic injury or having surgery without anaesthesia, women who haven't given birth might be surprised that ANYONE manages without an epidural and comes out the other side with their mental health intact.

So - what made it possible for you to do without an epidural and feel ok about it afterwards?

Short, uncomplicated labour?

High pain thresh-hold?

Good care?

Other pain relief worked well for you?

I couldn't cope with the idea of that needle.

I had no pain relief and no gas and air.

I had no episiotomy and no stitches.

Labour 1 was 10 hours.

Labour 2 was 25 minutes. (DC2 still does everything at 100 miles an hour).

I can honestly say that I have had worse headaches. I don't think labour is particularly painful.

Both were early - DC1 at 37 weeks and DC2 at 39 weeks.

I am not a troll - this is really my experience.

I know it's easy to hate me for this - I was very, very lucky.

On the flip-side I did have PND quite badly (was in hospital) and found the early years quite tough.

I had home births- so I fall into the "good care" category, having a midwife with me all the time.

Oh - I should have added that Labour 1 was not uncomplicated. DS was stuck - his back was wedged into my back and I had quite a tough job pushing.

I didn't fancy the needle either, and, tbh, did not find giving birth that painful.

Intense, yes. Knackering, absolutely. But nowhere near painful enough to need anaesthesia.

I had a what seemed like quite a long labour (contractions started thurs pm, ds born sat am) and ds turned out to be OP, so not short and uncomplicated. I had gas and air at first, which I thought was fantastic, and then after they broke my waters as a wasn't dilating further I had diamorphine. Neither of these pain relief methods really took the pain away, but they th made me feel sort of drunk and disconnected from the pain, so I felt I was able to cope with it.

I also spent the whole labour either pacing the floor or sitting on the birthing ball, and I felt an epi may have restricted my movement which I didn't want, and I think it may have slowed things down further.

But if it had got to the stage where I thought I couldn't cope, I would have asked for an epi.

I had an epidural with my first. it caused everything to last much longer and i ended up tired and baby was distressed. it ended up being a very traumatic birth.

With my second I had nothing. Not even G&A.

I was terrified and at one point i did call out for an epidural but thankfully i was too far gone.
It was painfull yes, but to feel my body pushing the baby out, allowing nature to totally take control, was the most amazing empowering feeling.
I am so far from a lentil weaving hippie you could imagine but i do get quite a tingly feeling when i talk about her birth.

I can honestly say that if i were to have another i would not have pain releif at all again. to be able to experience just whatmy body was designed for is almost euphoric.

Not that it felt like it at the time mind.

first baby got stuck but had epidural and i had thought it was partly to blame as couldn't get into the pushing thang...

when had second baby, knew what to expect pain-wise and thought i'd see if i could cope with just gas and air to give me better chance of natural delivery. she got stuck too and nearly died.

turns out my 'outlet is too narrow' ahem, so it made not a blind bit of difference. i'm one of those would-have-died-in-the-old-days folk.

i felt fine after the epidural with DD1 by the way and the anesthetist got the needle in easily.

Ok well I have had one birth with one without

Ds first child totally petrified 27 hour labour had the epidural slowed everything down but he was born back to back he ended up being a ventouse delivery do i regret the epidural at the time no as i was so scared.

Dd second child got induced as had pre eclampsia had the pessery at 8 in the morning she was born at 5 that afternoon just had gas and air.

I dont want anymore children but I wouldnt never say no o a epidural again I guess its how you feel you are coping and if its going to be a really long labour it can help.

Well I had a totally failed epidural with dc1 and I only tried it because the midwife helpfully told me I really should because I was being induced. The pain was fine, sore but ok.

With dc2 I didn't want one. The pain WAS horrendous because it was a back to back induced labour but I knew it wouldn't last forever, I knew I would (hopefully) get a baby at the end of it all.

No shame in having one, no medals for not.

I didn't have an epidural, two dc born naturally, with a bit of g&a, which I found to be pretty useless with my first. I did have acupuncture before both births, and I had fairly easy straight forward labours. Labour started about 6 a.m but contractions were mild so I didn't go to hospital until late afternoon. Dd was born in hospital after being there for six hours, 4hours in the pool, playing chess and listening to music. The painful last two hours left me in shock, but I had a healthy baby.

Ds was born at home, very relaxed, lovely experience, it was painful, but the g&a really helped and knowing I had done it before. I had two lovely mw's to help out and it just all went smoothly and quite quickly. I went upstairs to my bedroom when I had my first strong contraction, 20 minutes later ds was born.

I feel lucky it was so uncomplicated, but do not think my birth experiences are that unusual, I think dramatic painful births tend to be the ones you hear about.

Because I suffered with primary dsmenorrhea every month I found my periods were similar to labor pains that really helped me cope.

I had a 24 hour back to back birth but no epidural. I also found waiting till I absoulutly could not cope before asking for any pain relief helped, because then the gas and air took the edge of and I could go back to coping, in a lot of pain but coping. I also kept the epidural as a get out clause, if I cant cope I can have the epidural and all the pain will be gone (dont know if that id true asI have never had one).

I also kept telling myself that as the epidural increases risk of forceps I could be in agony for one day or have forceps and be in pain for weeks(again I am aware that yu still need luck not to have forceps even without epi) it worked for me though no tears and I was walking minutes after baby was born I may not have been if I had a epi.

Lastly everytime I had a cc I remembered that it was one less I had to have and I treated every cc as a achievement.

Sorry alot may be rubbish but it got me through

No epidurals for me as I don't like feeling I am not in control.
DS was born with just gas and air, was a quick labour at 3 hrs
DD was born with no pain relief as there wasn't time as I didn't go to hospital till I was fully dilated
I have a high pain threshold and a positive attitude

Hating needles, bp crashed and 3 tears with first induced delivery after having an epidural.

Second time around I was induced again so had limited movement but first delivery was 7 hours so I was expecting it to be fairly quick. It was very painful indeed and I'm not at all brave but it was over in under 5 hours. My DH is an ex nurse and coached me with the G&A really well. Knowing it was my last baby and actually wanting to feel myself giving birth got me through it.

Recovery without epidural was far quicker. But if the labour had been much longer I would have wanted an epidural as the contractions were unbearable towards the end.

theunmentioned that is a really good point that I think alot of people in labour should listen too there is no medals given out at the end for a natural birth. I couldnt have coped a 27 hour labour with no pain relief and on the other side I was very proud when I had my dd naturally.

Lots of reasons:

I had good care (2 midwives throughout as one was a student & I was being induced). This was essential during transition when I started to feel overwhelmed by the pain.

I was induced, had G&A and one shot of pethidine. 10 hours or so in labour.

I have a high tolerance of pain - this is a genetic thing, not something that makes me 'better' than anyone else. That's just genetic luck!

I wasn't scared - I really do think that helps. I had all sorts of problems the week before DS was born, which actually helped as it made me face up to the worst case scenarios. I freaked out, had a massive tantrum and then was able to accept being induced and what the possible outcomes of that might mean. Hence, my fear of childbirth was actually lessened and I think this helped me cope with the pain.

A relatively quick, straightforward labour and delivery. If it had gone on for hours and hours I'm sure I would have needed more pain relief.

I can't stand the thought of the needle in my back.

I hate hospitals and interventions and the thought of being incapacitated by an epidural is a strong motivation for me not to have one.

I was able to remain active and upright throughout labour and delivery. I'm pretty sure being flat on my back would have made the pain intolerable - I was very vocal and clear about NOT being confined to bed and luckily, despite being on a drip, my midwives supported me. Though, tbh, they didn't really have a choice...

So, in summary it comes down to good care, whether you are able to tolerate pain, remaining active & feeling informed/in control of what's happening to you. The latter point in particular is partly down to you but also partly down to luck - and so for this reason I feel vert strongly that ALL women should have access to whatever pain relief they want or need. It bloody hurts and it does sometimes feel like HCP forget that every birth is different and every woman is different - and just because one woman can cope with a straightforward labour, doesn't mean that another can or should.

DC1 they were understaffed so had no choice but to manage without
Care was inadequate, labour long, baby back to back etc
Not much choice but to cope
I made a formal complaint and felt much better after that

I had an epidural with DC1 as had to have syntocinin to progress labour and it was hospital policy to 'strongly encourage' an epidural in those circumstances. It was a long labour and fairly traumatic at the time but I honestly don't know if I'd have asked for one if circumstances had been different.

With DC2 my labour progressed fairly quickly and I was using a TENS machine - it was a saviour as even though I was in a hell of a lot of pain during contractions, it was manageable pain. I had 5 hours of active labour - at about 4 hours I did consider asking for an epidural but they said it was too late anyway. Transition and actual dlivery was indescribably painful but in a very different way to any other pain (really difficult to describe). I suppose a combination of a brilliant midwife, incredibly supportive DH and sheer determination got me through it. Not to say that if I ever had another I wouldn't go for an epidural again - in my view each labour is very individual.

Had two very long labours with posterior babies myself - one with and one without an epidural.

The one 'without' was more complicated in some ways - again a posterior labour, but by this pregnancy I'd developed GD, was nearly 40 and was absolutely bloody exhausted (plus shortish gaps between pregnancies 2 and 3).

Got stuck at 8cm for over 16 hours and ended up needing 4 hours of syntocinon. What made it 'do-able' for me was spending most of the labour at home with my midwife, who was also a friend and colleague and who'd delivered my second baby. I trusted her completely.

She kept me upright and mobile when I was having my synto, massaged my back, reassured me that ds was ok.

Can't say it was significantly less painful than first labour - at one point I was vomiting with each contraction because they hurt so much and trembling afterwards.

Didn't want an epidural because of first forceps delivery and 11lb baby second time around. Suspected third baby was over 10lbs (he wasn't in the end - only 9lbs 3oz) and didn't want to do anything that might make an instrumental birth or a shoulder dystocia more likely.

With dc1 the birth was painful but not as overwhelmingly painful as I had expected. I was on a high with relief and excitement after he was born.

With dc2 the birth was overwhelmingly painful but only lasted about 15 min so I managed. I didn't have that same high afterwards, though, as I think I was so shocked by the pain and speed of the birth.

"I made a formal complaint and felt much better after that"

Better out than in!

I have never had any pain relief. No gas and air.

My first was born when I was 20, My mum never had pain relief and it just wasn't something I'd thought about.

Once labour got started (I was induced) I just got into a breathing rythem in the pool and it was enough for me.

My next 2 were born at home (2nd in the pool - 3rd on the couch)

Am due my 3rd baby in 11 weeks and keep saying to DH that I'm going to have G&A this time just for the hell of it

but I know I won't becasue it just feels like it puts me off my stride, Once I'm in labour I'm zoned out and the thought of pain relief just doesn't occour to me.

I realise I'm very lucky in having births like this.

Just to add it's not absolutely necessary to be active and upright in labour to be able to deal with an intervention free birth. I was confined to the bed with DS as his heart rate was falling with every contraction so I was being continually monitored. I had been determined not to labour on my back the second time so lay on my side, alternating about every 20 mins or so with help from midwife and DH - this was the best I could do but I think if you are being monitored does help.

sorry am due my 4th baby...

But its swings and round abouts as I've never been able to sucessfully breastfeed and everyone else seems to be able to,

I think people create their own issues around labour, birth and childrearing.

If it works for you then go with it, what ever it is!

shhh with the no medals stuff!

I demanded a LOT of admiration for DD's birth