Did you regret having an epidural?

[Sleepy27]

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?

No regrets here, it worked brilliantly for me when I'd made it to 7cm on tens & entonox but then had my waters broken and it all very suddenly got to be too much. It was topped up every 30-40 minutes till I got to 10cm, then they stopped it so I could feel to push - it was perfect timing, since I experienced the brilliant, amazing sensation of pushing my son out, but without any pain. I could feel my legs the whole time too so could change position and get comfortable, and I was up & about really soon after the birth.

(Also I just had two "in-out" catheters which are put in to drain your bladder and are immediately removed - didn't feel a thing either time.)

I was very pleased to have one with ds1, after sixteen long hours in labour. It was what I needed, as we then went on for another six hours and ended up with a venteuse delivery.

I untended to have one with ds2 too, but there wasn't time, and ultimately I was glad that I hadn't. I did feel more in control during the birth and I hadn't realised how groggy I felt after ds1, (which might have been the hard work I'd put in, but I also feel that it was a side effect the epidural - I felt so much more alert after ds2 and enjoyed my endorphins much more - had a real physical buzz for 23 - 36 hours afterwards, and felt so healthy.) A friend who had an epidural at the same time for her dd3 also reported feeling much groggier afterwards than she had with a 'natural' birth.

Best of luck whichever way you decide. It is oh-so-worth it all!

Totally! I had one with my second son,it only worked on one side and I couldnt push properly..ended up after an hour of pushing,having a ventouse..Ive since had a daughter and I pushed her out with 2 pushes.

I know a lot of people who swear by epidurals tho so everyone to their own.

My epidural was bloody lovely, like laying on warm sand. I got to 9cm before asking for DRUGS....It really was fine...if you need it ask for it.

I was really anti epidurals, having had deep seated wishes about my ideal birth, but when it came to it I was desperate for it, and it was wonderful. The best bit, and i went from a terrified delirious person to a calm human and a birth that became pleasant, happy, and wonderful. I needed it. :)

I had one with my first and I did need it - was being induced for PROM (because a midwife examined me internally after they went and I wasn't at all dilated - infection risk means they induce 24h later, was quite cross at the time). Anyway, after 2 lots of pethidine and a warm bath and 24h later still I'd made it to the dizzy heights of 3cm, they wanted to start synto and I was adamant I was having an epidural first. Don't regret it for a moment, it worked well with minimal side effects and I was able to sleep for 6h on and off until he was born (ventouse in room).

Because I am a complete sook and was reasonably scared of the whole painful process / being out of control, I asked for one with DS2 as well. Natural onset of labour, had the epidural at 4ish cm / 2.30am and pushed him out at 6.30. I don't exactly regret it ... But ... I probably could have managed without it and I kind of wish I had done. He and I are both fine but there is always a nagging feeling about it somewhere in the back of my mind. He was born so fast (one push and he went from fully dilated to out) that he was stunned and needed a bit of resuscitation. And one of the reasons was that his heart rate went very slow during contractions and wasn't really recovering in between - because I wasn't fogged out with drugs and lack of sleep but fully awake and aware of things I was very scared for him, imagining EMCS etc, which didn't help anyone. Thank heaven for my amazing midwife who looked straight at me, blocked out everyone else in the room (there were quite a few of them!) and calmly told me to fucking push :) love her.

Epidurals do affect the foetal heart rate - it's common enough that it's a possibility I always warn people of before I put them in. And the headache you get if you are unlucky enough to have the dural puncture can be extremely debilitating even with a blood patch. I still think in the right circumstances they have their place in labour but I am not sure I am completely the evangelical epiduralist I used to be.

Definitely not- the only thing I regret was that I didn't have it half an hour sooner.

I regret having one in the sense that it didn't work very well and it was done alongside starting syntocinon (sp?) which was started at the wrong dose. Combined the two things did nothing for my stress and BP and actually sent my daughter into panic. It still took another twelve hours to deliver.

It really is a case by case thing though, and as many have pointed out, they can work beautifully!

As for needing to be catheterised, I was. You have to be if it is not a 'mobile' epidural, which at the time was not offered at my maternity unit.

I didn't want one. Wanted a water birth with lavender candles. Ended up with every drug going.

Had had contractions for 4 days which had meant no sleep and I was knackered. And DS was back to back so it was all very slow then my contractions stopped altogether but since my waters had broken hours earlier they wanted to give me syntocin.

Anyhow, I ended up with an epidural and although it meant moving from the lovely birth centre to the hospital bit down the corridor it was a welcome relief.

DS was nearly born using ventouse though so I may have had a different opinion then.

Two long, long, posterior labours - one with, one without an epidural.

Preferred without, but that's because I was at home with a very good midwife. Really love the feeling of pushing my baby out on my own, in an upright position, plus all the buzzy feelings you get post birth when you haven't had an epidural. Very much appreciated not having a shredded perineum afterwards too, as I'd had with my first, epidural birth.

On a consultant led unit with midwives I didn't know coming and going throughout the labour I'd have gone for another epidural.

If you have a long, difficult labour you need all the help you can get, and if you're in hospital that help is likely to be in the form of an epidural.

Nope.

I'd have one again in a heartbeat this time as well. I think if I had not had one last time, I would have been too tired to push once I got to that stage and would've needed intervention of some kind. As it was, I had the epi at about 11pm having being induced at 9am, slept for a bit then had babies at 2.45 and 3.11 am respectively. There were no complications with it other than the first time he put it in he got it in the wrong place! Now THAT hurt!

Absolutely not.

Yes, but I hadn't an option as it was a c-section. The anaethetist pushed it in too far and punctured my dura. This results a few hours after birth in an excruciating headache everytime you sit up but goes when you lie down. They fix it by taking some blood from you and inserting another epidural and injecting the blood into it to patch up the hole. This works 1st time in 75% of cases. I was the 25% where it didn't work. I couldn't take any more of the hospital so went home. Looking after new baby while flat on your back is not fun. It ruined our first week together. Went back in 2 days later for repeat blood patch and thankfully worked. My advice would be to carefully listen to the risks before you sign the informed consent form. I don't know when you do this if you're having a natural delivery but probably best to do before you are in labour.

I had epidurals with both DCs and no regrets, am glad I did. With DC1, it was an absolute necessity - I had to be augmented as labour wasn't progressing and waters had gone, so had to have the synto drip and wasn't going to do that without an epidural. With DC2, labour was so quick that I might even have managed without - by the time they got it in my back and it kicked in, I was about 9cm dilated. No intervention either time, DCs came out in 3 pushes both times, no catheter (never heard of that with an epidural before either), and very pleasant and relaxed experience with both.

I thought my epidural with DS was brilliant - I actually had a nice little nap for a few hours..

The only downside for me is that pushing without an epidural kind of feels good and its the bit of labour I enjoy the most!

An unexpected bonus was that epidurals in my local hospital also ensure you one to one mw to patient care.

No regrets here, I have had one waterbirth and one epidural, the latter was definitely the better experience of the two. It was heavenly.

4 epidurals, planning a fifth, love them. No catheter, ever.

No, I don't regret it. Labour lasts longer but you don't feel any pain and I was able to sleep through contractions. In the end I had an EMCS but this was nothing to do with me having an epidural.

They are offered as a matter of course over here (France and Lxuembourg).

For me it was a godsend. I have a ridiculously low pain threshold and was dreading labour. Instead it was a pleasure, I even had a little sleep.

It has led me to believe that epidurals should be offered to all economy class passengers at the boarding gate.

My god no. I was induced and I couldn't take the pain of the drip induced contractions any longer it also had to be re done as the first one didn't work.

After being awake for over 48 hours ( they started the induction on Friday morning, DD was born sunday morning) I couldn't push her out on my own so she was delivered with forceps.

Don't be a hero, wait until you are experiencing your labour pains to judge if you need anything is the best advice i would recommend. Good luck

I did regret it at first as I felt like a failure for needing it BUT now more time has passed I look back and can say I did the right thing. In fact I wish I'd gone straight for it rather than try and soldier on and use diamorphine (I do regret that bit). As for the catheter that was genius, I delivered at 8pm and had that in til around 8am the next morning. As far as I'm concerned it meant having to get up a wee was one less thing to worry about!

No regret at all.

None at all - had ELCS and then a majoosive PPH and was very pleased I could still be topped up to total numbness as they reached in and manually squeeeeezed my newly stitched up uterus.
Catheters are fine too - save you thinking about weeing!

My one regret is the bloody nonsensey bollocks peddled my NCT teacher who thought the best way to prepare us for the possibility of epidural was to pass around an envelope with a fuck-off sized needle and tube inside. She couldn't have been more negative if she had passed round a bag of kitten parts. Talk about pushing her own agenda. Disgrace.

Nope, I won't go into the long story, but I couldn't have done it without it in the end. Wait and see how things pan out and make you mind up accordingly. I've had no side effects.

Yep, wish I'd never had it After 7 hours stuck on a bed with a full induction I'd had enough and asked for pain relief, thinking pethidine or something (didn't give gas and air ) Was told I had 'ages to go' and the only thing available to me would be an epidural. My mindset was that nobody was sticking a great big needle in my spine, the thought really scared me, but I caved and had it, second attempt they got it in but the darn thing didn't work. All it did was make me scratch myself stupid until I bled. I went into childbirth with the mindset that ignorance is bliss and didn't do any classes or read any books, or read MN (didn't know it existed, REALLY wish I had) With hindsight I realise it was transition (hadn't heard of it at the time) and had I known, I'd have not bothered with pain relief. Was left for the next few hours, not realising that the pain I was feeling was the urge to push .... I'd been told I had hours to go yet and I believed them so grined and beared it. Eventually they bothered to come and check and told me I was 10 cms (@ 10 hours) I could feel everything and completely able to push on my own, an hour later LO was born with a HUGE squidgy egg shaped bump on her head as she'd been sat in the birth canal for so many hours I think I'm more angry with myself for not getting clued up beforehand as IMO the whole thing would have been unavoidable had I known about transition and wanting to push etc I could have saved myself an epidural and 2 hours less labour!! With LO2 I was adamant I was going to do things differently and had no pain relief and it was by far the better experience. I am however aware that for most people an epidural is the miracle drug but I just don't see it from my experience, it was crap and I would never have one again.