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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Did you regret having an epidural?

103 replies

Sleepy27 · 08/10/2011 16:53

Baby is due in a couple of weeks and thinking about pain relief I just wondered if the cons of having an epidural led to Mums wishing they hadn't had one. Apart from it being administered wrongly, if it is done right, what would put you off doing it again?

OP posts:
someonelsejustforamoment · 08/10/2011 16:56

Mine was administered fine, it just didn't work properly. But it did drop DD's heartbeat massively and ended with a crash section under general anaesthetic.

I refused to have an epidural the second time.

trixymalixy · 08/10/2011 16:57

My sister's spinal sac was punctured and she was flat on her back for 2 weeks after the birth.

Even when it's done right you have to have a catheter which would be enough to put me off.

Lizzylou · 08/10/2011 17:00

I had a spinal with DS1 (was going to be em c/s but then was ventouse) and an epidural with DS2, another ventouse. So I had no choice but was fine.
Both times I had no problems afterwards.

louderthanbombs · 08/10/2011 17:00

I had one with my second, no regrets at all, it was really good. No catheter, never heard of having to have one routinely.

thisisyesterday · 08/10/2011 17:01

yes.
but actually i mostly wish I hadn't gone to hospital so early and hadn't had pethidine- which wore off during transition and made me think i was dying and then ask for the epidural

i was a classic cascade of intervention case!
did it very differently the next 2 times

fuckityfuckfuckfuck · 08/10/2011 17:02

No, at the time I needed it and that's all that matters. I regret the series of events leading up to it, mainly agreeing to an induction I don't thinK i really needed, but by the time I got my epidural there was no other option for me tbh. Keep an open mind. Second time round I needed no pain relief and it was a different experience. With my first birth, I needed that epidural, so don't count it out.

thisisyesterday · 08/10/2011 17:02

i had a catheter too, was told it was routine as you cannot control the bladder due to the epidural, but it might depend what kind you have??

Allboxedin · 08/10/2011 17:06

No, don't. I got into about 7 hours,slow progression and exhausted. The epidural was a Godsend and no trouble administering it or afterwards. I think you are beng wise keeping your options open.
She was a ventouse birth and had meconium in waters but not sure if that was due to epi. End of day she was healthy and fine.

Allboxedin · 08/10/2011 17:07

I mean't 'no I don't regret it'. (my keyboard is playing up)

RitaMorgan · 08/10/2011 17:14

I don't regret having an epidural exactly because I needed it at the time (long, long labour and I was exhausted!) but I wish I hadn't had it.

DS was born with forceps and suffered some nerve damage to his face because of it. His birth was stressful and frightening for both of us! I do feel it would have been much less likely to have ended up like that if I hadn't had the epidural.

BeaOnSea · 08/10/2011 17:15

I had an epidural with DS1 and I was very thankful for it as I had a very long labour. He was eventually delivered by forceps and I had to stay in hospital for quite a few days afterwards.

I didn't have an epidural with DS2 because, despite being induced 3 times, I was told I wasn't in "proper" labour until 10 minutes before I delivered him following a mad dash to the delivery room. Under different circumstances - I probably would have opted for an epidural that time as well. Although, to be honest, it was a quicker recovery.

The best advice I can give is to keep your options open.

alana39 · 08/10/2011 17:17

I had one with my first 2 - didn't regret it at all and in both cases it was very welcome when I was in labour all night (having had little sleep the night before in both cases too, due to milder contractions) as I could get a bit of a rest before the baby arrived.

I didn't have one with my 3rd - but it's not like I felt any real sense of achievement that I'd managed without, it was just a different labour and I felt the same relief each time when it was over.

Original poster
Sleepy27 · 08/10/2011 17:21

Thanks for all your replies. I don't really know what to expect so it really helps to read about different experiences.

OP posts:
LillianGish · 08/10/2011 17:22

I've had two and wouldn't hesitate to have one again. Didn't have to have a catheter and have never heard of anyone who did until reading this thread, can't imagine why it would slow down the baby's heartbeat either - not suggesting your baby's heartbeat didn't slow down someonelse, but doubt it was caused by the epidural. I had two relatively speedy labours (7 hours and 5 hours), I was up and about within a few hours of giving birth and had absolutely no ill effects. I would goes so far as to say having an epidural enabled me to really enjoy giving birth and the thought that I might not be able to have one (both my babies were born in France) actually put me off giving birth in the UK.

FreckledLeopard · 08/10/2011 17:23

I am still, nearly 11 years on, extremely thankful for my epidural. The pain beforehand was indescribable and the epidural took all the pain away. I had no problems pushing, DD was absolutely fine. I'd definitely have one again.

RickGhastley · 08/10/2011 17:27

I had one for DS because the Dr had estimated his birthweight was going to be over 10lb and I was scared! It was also in loads of pain. So I'm glad I had it, it took most of the pain away (it didn't take on a tiny bit of my side so I could still feel a bit to push).

I'm not sure if it was the epi but once I'd had it labour slowed right down and DS was a ventouse delivery. But then he had an enormous head so may have got stuck no matter what!!

But I'd have one again no probs.

Enoughreally · 08/10/2011 17:36

I had booked a provisional epidural for DS1 and when even my hair felt as if it hurt,I asked for it to be administered. Bliss! With DS2,I knew that it was essential for me. No catheter,or side-effects here. Good luck.

effingwotnots · 08/10/2011 17:50

I have no regrets about my epidural with dd1. I was induced at 42 weeks with the drip and the agony was breathtaking straight away, I was totally out of control until I had it. I think I knew right there and then I was going down the epi route!

DD2 was not induced and though I was begging for an epi about 2 minutes before she came out I'm glad I didn't need one

DS also induced, went a lot more gradually but went from 6cm to pushing him out in 52 seconds which chafed a bit, again was begging for n epi, but of course suits you.

The catheter was the least of my worries, wouldn't have known she had done it if she hadn't told me.

TheWicketKeeperIsDown · 08/10/2011 17:50

Not In The Slightest.

It rendered me into a human being once more.

Wormshuffler · 08/10/2011 17:57

Definately not! You wouldn't have a tooth out without pain relief why suffer in necessarily! Even though it was scary when my blood pressure dropped to 70/30 I don't regret it at all. Still ended in a emcs though..... Twice

ManicMother7777 · 08/10/2011 17:58

Never regretted it for one moment, it was fantastic!

ScrambledSmegs · 08/10/2011 18:04

Yes. It resulted in an intervention filled birth-nightmare. I had it on medical advice, as the birth was progressing very slowly and I was throwing up constantly and very weak (frikking syntocinon). DD was ventouse as I couldn't feel a bloody thing and didn't know if I was pushing or not. Oh, and then there was the retained placenta and frantic rush to surgery as something ruptured with all the non-pushing. Unbelievably horrific.

I still maintain that if they'd have let me actually walk around instead of being stuck on a drip that they lied claimed wasn't movable, then there wouldn't have been any need for an epidural and the resulting histrionics. And it's left me with a bit of a hospital phobia too. Nice.

TheRealMBJ · 08/10/2011 18:06

Yes and No. Much like TheWicketKeeper I felt rational again after having it, but it only took partially (so I still had pain down the one side), and it meant that I couldn't feel to push properly AND I feel like I didn't really experience labour.

I'm also not entirely convinced I really needed one as I had a VE at 5am that showed that I was 3cm dilated, then at 8am the consultant came in ad decided that I should be augmented (had had ROM for >24hrs), this is when I decided I wanted an epi as I know that augmented labour is more painful and less easy to 'control' and I was already struggling. So I asked for one and it was put in around 9H30 but at 11H30 I was fully dilated.

I wonder if I was not in transition when I asked for the epidural, and whether if I had some guidance and support from my mw rather than being left on my own (ok, DH and my mum where there but they were largely useless) I would have managed without it?

mosschops30 · 08/10/2011 18:06

It was amazing, makes me wish id had one with the first two i delivered normally without epidural.
IMHO take whatever you can get is the best way forward!

Beamur · 08/10/2011 18:08

I was in a lot of pain and was offered it and did accept and it took away the pain which was a huge relief, I could still feel and move my legs, although not walk around. I did have an emergency c-section, but my labour just was not progressing and my waters had been broken for more than 48 hrs and the hospital policy was to deliver, however was required at that time. I recovered quickly and was on my feet again within a couple of hours - they made me get up and have a shower pretty soon afterwards. DD was fit and well.