Epidural in Induction - Was I a big wuss?

[Sassles]

I'm wondering what the ratio is of how many women have an epidural during the synotycin drip contractions to those who went on to give birth without one?

I was on the drip for 5 hours when I then took the epidural. I was v painful and contractions were every minute from the get go. I think I could have lasted a bit longer, but they said it would take a while to put epidural in and I knew it would be too late and I knew I couldn't last much longer.

Just wondering what the contractions compare to normal contractions (if anyone has experience of both) and if you had the drip, did you have an epidural?

I had the drip, and I had an epidural.

The lovely, lovely MW asked if I wanted it. She said that in 'normal' labour I would have been fine on G&A but that she thought I'd be another 12 hours or so at that level of contractions (pretty much constant, very little gap in between, on full blast). I could have kissed her.

And she was right, it was 7pm when she asked me, DD was born 6.39am the following morning!

No you're not a wuss. I had an epidural as soon as I had the drip on the midwife's recommendation. It was all a waste of time anyway as I ended up with an emcs. But I've had 2 vbacs since and I can tell you that the contractions I had with the drip, less than 5cm dilated were not far off the ones I had late in stage 1 of normal labour and approaching transition.

For my first birth I managed fine on G&A and a half-dose of pethidine - also used the birth pool. Never felt the need for an epidural.

I was induced with DS2 and contractions were weird - they came in pairs and were v v painful. I had the drip and the epidural, and am very glad I did as it enabled me to have a fab calm happy birth experience.

I'm going to bike the bullet and say that it doesn't really matter what the ratio is for sunotycin/epidural; each birth is different, there's really not much to be gained from comparing.

I've NEVER heard anyone say "do you think I was a wuss for having a LA when I had a filling/root canal etc". It's odd how women criticise their own common sense regarding pain relief in childbirth, but no-one gives a shit who has one or two shots of LA for a filling (I have maximum available ).

Of course you weren't a wuss - you just made an informed choice about pain relief. Simples.

You're not a wuss. I have been induced with syntocin twice and the epidural was offered early on both times. The MW said contractions would be more painful than normal.

I declined the epidural the second time as my labour was only 7 hours the first time but I tore quite a bit. I thought G&A only would help avoid tearing (it didn't but not as bad as the first time). The contractions went from nothing to agony in less than an hour. If I hadn't fully dilated so quickly I would have requested an epidural. Luckily the whole thing was over in under 5 hours from drip going in.

I apologised to the MW afterwards for 'making a fuss'. She said for someone on syntocin with no epidural I didn't over react to the pain at all, bless her.

I'm not beating myself up about it or anything . I needed that epidural, but like franke I ended up with an emcs due to cord complications and the induction not progressing.

I have not ever had any pain threshold test in my life (never a broken bone or anything worse than tonscilitis), so had no idea what I would be like during birth.

It's good to hear what other people experienced. DS is 9 months now and now revisiting the birth story to make sense of it all !

I was induced with the drip and only had gas and air, it was only months after giving birth I read that an epidural is recommended with the drip as most people find it much more painful than giving birth naturally. I wasn't told this or offered it by the doctor/midwives (don't think I would have taken it but that's not the point).
I've spoken to other people who have given birth both ways and they all said the drip was the worst.

I don't think you are a wuss at all. I have had 3 inductions, each time gel followed by syntocin - the first time I had an epidural after 2 hours on the drip , the second time I wouldn't let them put the drip in until I had an epidural and this last time (2 and a half hours on the drip) I used gas and air and had had a shot of pethidene - I was asking for an epidural as I was convinced it was going to last ages, but my baby had other ideas and was on his way out. In between ds2 and ds4 I had a non- induced delivery with a bit of gas and air for the stitches - was 10cms when we got to hospital and hadn't expected it to go so quickly.

hmmm, well I was induced with first two with drip, First time tried to hang on using TENS machine and stuff but then had epidural, 2nd time didn't bother with TENS machine, tried to last a bit longer but went for epidural after few hours, 3rd time went into labour naturally, Hurrah...but this time requested epidural as soon as poss. - it still bloody hurts! The midwife smiled and said she had expected me to feel that way having looked at notes from previous births! Anyway since my 1st "natural" labour also ended up with me on syn. drip and eventually emergency C-section it was probably just as well!

I must say though, although it sounds trite, in every case I was just glad baby and I were fine. I have no regrets whatsoever, and felt no need to "prove" my pain threshold - just as well really!

I am still so angry that I was refused an epidural during induction and synto drip etc...dd is nine months and I can't let go

you are not a wuss - I had the epidural before they started the drip! Labour 2 was more intense but had a noticeable gap between contractions.

I was offered an epidural as I was going to the delivery room to have the drip put in. The MW said that it was normal procedure to offer epidural for induction as the contractions are so much more intense from the get-go. I thought I'd wait and see how it went but then they said that the anaesthetist was available now but might not be later. I got to the delivery room, heard the woman in the next room screaming, and decided to have the epidural straight away! Best decision I ever made. I could feel the contractions but no pain at all. It all ended in an emc anyway. I don't care if it's considered 'wussy'. I'd do the same again next time round.

My only real stipulation for labour this (2nd) time round is that if I end up needing syntocin again, I'm asking for an epidural first.

I wasn't induced but was put on a drip for augmentation (waters long since broken, contractions steady but not increasing in frequency/intensity and dilating very slowly).

I can't actually remember how long it was after putting the drip in that I opted for an epidural, but I think about 1 hour, fairly sure less than 2 hours. I do remember feeling the gas & air wasn't really taking the edge off the pain and discussing options with the midwife - she told me that she was about to double to dose of the drip, and I wouldn't be examined for another 4 hours. I felt there was no way I could get through at least 4 hours of those intense contractions, so epidural it was.

The midwife did then say to me that most women on synto elect to have an epidural, which I think is backed up by the fact that some units offer epidurals prior to beginning synto.

With dd1 I laboured for about 3 days, nearly 6 hours of pushing, ending in episiotomy and ventouse, and only had G&A the whole time.

With dd2 I was put on a drip (meconium in my waters), and asked for an epidural after about....um.....20 minutes!

It was utterly different, the contractions with dd1 came in waves, with dd2 each contraction was like being shot.

Sassles, just wanted to say that an epidural does not increase your risk of needing a CS. It is just one of those myths that get bandied around by some midwives. In other words, it is just a coincidence that you ended up having a CS. (Apologies if you already know that!)

Not a wuss at all! There are no medals for bravery in this game. Everyone copes differently and I think it's fantastic that we have all these options for pain relief if required.

I was induced with DS1. After I went on the drip, I tried so hard to do it naturally, but lasted 4 hours before I asked for the epidural (the moody & unhelpful midwife told me I was still only 3cm and could be hours yet - she was right, but could have been a bit more encouraging!).

Induced again with DS2. Went on the drip and asked for epidural after 3 hours. Don't think I needed it as much the 2nd time though as I was 10cm only 30 mins after they put it in.

I'm expecting the same induction/drip/epidural this time round, but hoping in my heart of hearts that I might just might go naturally this time.

I had epdural with induction with DS- only an hour or two after it started as the pain of the contractions took me by surprise.

For DD I beat DP at Scrabble with cx every 4 minutes-got to the hospital and then had an epi at the last possible moment- was about 7 or 8 cm dilated.

Induction cx were much, much worse.

Not a wuss.

Hospital advised me to have an epidural before going on the drip, as it can make for intense and fast-progressing contractions.

"Oh no, not me", I said.

A couple of hours later I was begging requesting an epidural. Wish I'd listened to them from the outset in some ways - although at least I gave it a shot.

Definitely not a wuss - I have a pretty high pain threshold in other situations, but once the syntocin got up to full whack I gratefully accepted an epidural.

I was so relieved I was giggling (or that could be the morphine - the effects of which I didn't feel at all pre-epidural)

I had my epidural put in before they even started off the drip! I feel it should be offered as standard when going on it, obviously people free to refuse if don't want but if I was having that drip again I would probably get it again. Its more difficult because the contractions gonna be more intense than normal and also if you are stuck on the bed with monitoring and attached to the drip thing you cant be upright, active etc and that makes such a huge difference. I think that is why it can be much easier to cope with just gas & air if you dont have the drip or any of that because you can actually move around and stay upright not flat on the bed.
You're not a wuss at all for that, whatever you need to do at the time to make easier to cope you should do it, no need to suffer more than necessary just to prove yourself

It's great to hear everyones experiences.

Primafacie Didn't know that about epi's and cs, but in my case the epidural was only in for 30 mins when they whisked me to theatre, so I know it wasn't related.

I did get a shot of pethadine (or I think it was diamorphine, not sure if they are the same thing) as the midwives suggested it first. It did nothing!! She had just given me the shot and I was asking for the epidural . They were like (quite rightly) "you need to wait for it to work", but 30 mins later and I was saying def need epidural. It didn't seem to do anything for me.

They monitored me for almost 3 hours as DS's heartbeat was all over the place (due to cord) and that was torture, it was sooo uncomfy lying on my back and I kept being sick, so they would need to keep me on for longer.

In the end, they attached the monitor to DS's head to get a more accurate reading and that actually let me sit on a birthing ball and rock with the gas and air. Def felt much better than lying on bed.

I know I shouldn't need to prove that I'm not a wuss, but it is good to hear other stories that are the same. Does make me feel better about the whole thing, especially as so many say that the epi is sometimes recommended before the drip.