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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Syntocin without epidural?

45 replies

cathyearnshaw · 22/06/2012 22:14

Anyone done this? How bad was it? My waters went yesterday at 38 weeks and waiting to be induced but bloody terrified of the drip ! How bad is it and should I insist on an epidural?

OP posts:

splashymcsplash · 22/06/2012 22:25

Having been in your position I would say take the epidural!

I don't know how much you want to know but happy to answer any questions.

surfmama · 22/06/2012 22:34

aaarr yes just done this with back to back. Begged for one in the end....still cant feel my legs ! It was only todaythough!

Original poster

cathyearnshaw · 22/06/2012 22:36

Don't want to know too much as its hopefully going to happen tonight - but sounds like I should push for the epidural then...

OP posts:

Heavensmells · 22/06/2012 22:36

Congratulations surfmama!

OlympicFlame · 22/06/2012 22:37

I took the epidural. Good luck you will soon have your baby. xxx

Original poster

cathyearnshaw · 22/06/2012 22:37

What about post epidural headache ? I had dd with gas and air and post labour was so lovely don't want it ruined

OP posts:

hadagutsfull · 22/06/2012 22:41

I was advised by the midwives to have the epidural and had one. Didn't have any headache or ill-effects afterwards. Good luck and enjoy your baby

Tangointhenight · 22/06/2012 22:42

Epidural all the way, I had a great induction experience, no headache and it wore off within about an hour post birth so I was able to get up and walk about. How exciting, all the best!

MaryQueenOfSpots · 22/06/2012 22:43

I was induced with a drip for 18.5 hours and couldn't have an epidural. If you can have one - do it - there are no medals for pain endurance

strawberrypenguin · 22/06/2012 22:44

I didn't have an epidural (until they needed to use forceps) I had gas and air and pethadin and managed fine (although I don't have anything to compare it with) good luck!

crochetcircle · 22/06/2012 22:50

I had about 15-20 mins when the drip started working, but without the epi, maybe longer and the cxns I found overpowering. I had g+a which helped but I really would not have got through 10 hours without it, and then had energy to push. There are no prizes for endurance, just the healthy baby at the end which was so worth it.

I would get the epi before the drip started next time!

fishybits · 22/06/2012 22:51

Everyone I spoke to about about Syntocin said get an epidural before they come near you with the bag. So I had an epidural and let it wear off when I needed to push. It hurt a lot but I was so caught up in trying to get her out that the pains sort of smooshed into a blur if that makes sense. DD was huge so ended up needing a ventouse anyway. What I would say though is that if you let the epidural wear off so that you can feel when to push, make sure that if you tear, they numb you again before starting to stitch. They forgot with me until I squeaked threw up from the whole pain thing

However, I'm someone who considers a good birthing experience to be a successful one and I didn't/don't get hung up on the whole medical intervention thing and certainly don't consider DD's medically managed birth process a failure but if you are likely to regret not doing things as naturally as possible then you might want to forgo the epidural to minimise possible intervention.

Original poster

cathyearnshaw · 22/06/2012 22:52

Yeah not sure why I think I don't want one. Have done a vaginal birth on gas and air and it wasn't much fun so not sure why I want to put myself thru pain again. I guess I thought second baby would pop out with a couple of pushes.
Also have had 2 inductions (ie termination's for medical reasons) at 5 months on syntocin and managed on paracetamol. But only dilated to 5 cms.
Am very scared right now!!

OP posts:

OlympicFlame · 22/06/2012 22:52

I didn't have a headache? My induction didn't quite go as planned and I ended up having a c section and I got the shakes. But I don't feel my birth experience was ruined in any way.

I definitely didn't get a headache.

Tangointhenight · 22/06/2012 22:55

I actually enjoyed the second stage, I.pushed when I was told, I did have to have a ventouse delivery but didn't feel it, me, DH and the.midwives had a right laugh, not how I envisioned childbirth but I honestly could've kissed the anethsetist!!

superfrenchie1 · 22/06/2012 22:58

it was years ago but i was induced at 2 weeks overdue, had my waters broken, syntocin + epidural... was very very relieved when the epidural kicked in, it was absolute bliss... i even dozed off while i was having contractions!

however it meant that i couldnt really push very well as i couldnt feel anything.

baby was back to back, they tried ventouse etc but no joy and ended up being an emcs.

not a scare story - ds is fine of course - but i do advise people to resist any attempts to induce until absolutely necessary and to ask the doctors about the pushing...

good luck xx

Bimbledorf · 22/06/2012 22:59

From my experience it depends on how much Syntocinon that they will be using as in will they just be using it to get you started off, or will it be on continuously and cranked up to the max.

My DS1 was induced and the Syn drip was cranked up to the max the entire time I was in labour. I literally went from 0 - 100mph with contractions on it and they didn't let up and the consultant wouldn't let the midwife turn the drip down despite her saying it was obvioulsy no longer needed. I had only gas and air with DS1 as they didn't get the epidural to me in time. Apparently with the drip your own endorphins don't get chance to kick in to help with the pain relief so I would say in that situation definitely ask for the epidural.

My DD2 was induced with the drip after me labouring all day and not getting very far on my own, i was refusing the induction but eventually agreed (I needed antibiotics in labour within a certain time period) and they turned it up to 2, which set me off then they turned it off entirely. That experience was amazing, I never reached the same heights of pain that I had felt with son, I kept waiting for it to happen.

Sorry for the essay, don't mean to scaremonger! But if I could go back in time I would have demanded an epidural from the moment the induction began with DS1.

LadyofWinterfell · 22/06/2012 23:05

I had two syntocin labours with just gas and air, it is possible! I just made sure that i kept as mobile as i could whilst still being monitored/attatched to the drip. I refused to get on the bed basically, and they worked around me!

DD2 5h
DS 4h
Syntocin on the 3rd day of induction, and tbh the contractions from the pessary were more painful and did bugger all for dilation!

BellaOfTheBalls · 23/06/2012 06:42

Not that bad! I did it! They will probably use gel to start with anyway. If your waters have gone you might find it doesn't take too much to kick things off!

HotGiggity · 23/06/2012 07:14

I did 8 hours of syntocin without an epidural before have one put in.

Get it put it and get yourself some rest, there's no reason why you can't still have a vaginal birth with an epidural.

pommedechocolat · 23/06/2012 07:17

I did it second time round. It was okay. Hold off gas and air for as long as possible. Good luck

FaceCrack · 23/06/2012 07:19

I'd been contracting every 2-5 min for 48 hours before they put the drip in and was doing OK. I refused an epidural initially but te MW put doubts in my mind that I'd be able to manage the pain. I had an epidural about 1hr 30min later. It was just as well as it was another 7 hours before I had dilated. I would have been exhausted without it.

Dolallytats · 23/06/2012 07:24

I had the drip and one second I felt nothing, the next I had full on painful contractions. There was no build up and I wanted an epidural but it was too late. Luckily I was only in labour for 45mins. I didn't know the drip could make it more painful, if I had I would have asked for an epidural before.

That's exactly how it felt, Bimbledorf, 0-100mph in a couple of seconds!!

woollyjo · 23/06/2012 07:25

I had the drip with no epidural (didn't know people thought it was necessarry) it was ok, but it was my 3rd delivery so when the contractions did finally start it was quick. Remember at some point explaining to dh that the gas doesn't stop the pain, just stops you caring so much.

Twunk · 23/06/2012 07:27

DS1 was born without any pain relief at all and I was actually induced with the syntocin (Dutch hospital - they don't fuck about). 4 hour labour from standing start! I'm glad it didn't go on longer, put it that way,,,but I coped. I'd take the epidural tbh.

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