Who had an epidural and could you have gone on without it?

[JeuxDEnfants]

On the back of news that epodurals are being rationed... I was in last star labour for 4 hours when contractions stalled and I needed oxytocin. Without an epidural... I think I would have experienced torture. I had to beg for one. What do you think? Aibu?

I couldn't have coped without one, no. DS was back to back and v long labour. He started to get distressed and the final straw came when they had to take blood samples from his head. It was the absolute worst pain I have ever experienced in my life.

They had to put an epidural in so they could get the samples. It was patchy in the end (so still really painful) but not as bad as it had been. I'd have needed one in the end anyway for the (rotational) forceps delivery.

I was amazed when I had DD that it actually wasn't that painful in the end!!!

No it isn't true. A guide written by the RCOG, RCM and NCT for GP's commissioning services was misinterpretted.

When I reas the article, I assumed it meant try and dissuade women like me in my first labour who bimbled along nicely but asked for Ever Single Drug out of fear.

It was a short, sweet, easy labour that really didnt need an epidural. However. Had I been denied it 'because if cost' Id have problem questioned my human rights .

For those births which are genuinely hard, oxytocin, forceps, 24 hours and more, back to back, ALL of the above, then I assume they are the ones they wont try and dissuade.

Conversley, my next birth was just as 'easy' amd I had no drugs. I'd choose that one over my epidural birth any day. Despite the fact I was a swearing, shouting banshy.

Pinkforever

"well of course you could manage without an epidural.many thousands of women the world over do"

Sorry but I think this minimises the pain experienced by many.

A better question might be "Is it barbaric to expect women to experience the pain of childbirth unnecessarily" and the answer to that is unquestionably yes.

Thousands of women experience childbirth without pain relief but that doesn't mean that it is OK.

Many people seem to fall into the trap of thinking that as childbirth is "natural" then it can't be that bad.

Nature is not kind. We are not designed by a benevolent creator. We are designed by millions of years of evolution. Nature often sacrifices the comfort or even lives of some animals in favour of gains for species. For humans, evolution has given us big brains - great for our species of course. However many women have died or experienced extreme pain over the millennia as a result of trying to deliver those babies with big heads.

For some of you the pain is manageable, or negligible even. This is "natural" and I'm delighted for you.

For some of us however the pain is unbearable, like being ripped in half. This is also "natural".

"i think if a woman cant hack labour then of course she should have one."
This comment really annoys me tbh. It may not be your intention but by making the woman the subject of the sentence it implies that she's lesser somehow as it's her that can't "hack" the pain - implying also that others in her position would be able to.

I'd rather say "if the pains of labour are unbearable then of course she should have one".

A subtle difference but important I feel.

No one could "hack" the levels of pain I experienced, it was torture.
(5 epidurals didn't work and it wasn't a quick labour).

I had no choice, in the end, but to go on without one.

I was induced and was offered an epidural at the beginning, but for some bizarre reason I thought 'Nah, I have a high pain threshold' and turned it down. Naturally I did get to the point where I demanded it, the pain being much, much worse than I could've imagined, even though I had given birth before with only gas and air.

Unfortunately, by the time the nurse had brought in the equipment and slowly explained what she was going to do, someone in the room next door had an emergency and everyone left. So no midwife, no epidural, just me, the G & A and a slightly nervous DH.

By the time someone came back the head was crowning and it only took 3 pushes to finish.

Not a great experience, tbh. Fab end result though.

ive given birth 5 times, gas & air with first 3, nothing with the last two.

I have never been induced but if i had to be induced , i would be demanding one!
When else would a person be denied pain relief?

The choice is the mothers, she is the only person experiencing the pain.

aufaniae Sat 01-Sep-12 21:13:12
Can anyone link to a reliable (i.e. non-DM!) source for this?

Yes I can. It comes from a proposed guideline thats was issued by the RCOG, RCM and the NCT. There has been a thread running on this on this subject in the childbirth section for the last week.

The main issues are:

• Reducing epidurals.
• Language that suggests doctors using their influence over patients and to make the correct decision in a very paternalistic and potentially coercive fashion.
• Whether they are advocating giving biased information in order to encourage women to take a particular health care path
• An arbitrary target rate of 20% for CS when targets for C-Sections have been discredited
• What targets mean for both women who potentially may need a EMCS or women who are desperate and request an ELCS and whether this potentially could be risking lives or serious injury or mental health.
• Whether this undermines women's trust in those providing their care.
• Making all low risk women have Midwife Led Care and MLUs the default option
• Advocating forceps and ventose deliveries as preferable to C-Sections

The article published in the DM was almost entirely made up of the press release mentioned in the first post on the thread in the childbirth section. Its a bit of a stretch to say it was actually written by the DM if I'm honest! But that means, that by DM standards it wasn't a dreadful representation of the story.

The lady that organised the press release is predominately a pro-ELCS campaigner but she is also a campaigner for honest, unbiased and transparent information for women so they can make their own choices in childbirth. She has a good relationship with the Birth Trauma Association and works with them to promote the choices of women. I have a lot of time for her.

The original document WAS on the RCOG website. It has been removed following protests this week. However you can still see it here

aufaniae I agree entirely pain relief during labour is an absolute disgrace. I dont know whether its the money issues or the extra time it takes to deliver the baby etc but whatever it it I can definitely say that I was dissuaded, coerced and eventually refused epidurals on 2 seperate occassions. On my 2nd I admit that I probably was too far gone to get one but the other 2 times I wanted one, had time for one and for watever reasons didnt get one.
Could you imagine if it was someone came into A&E with a giant metal pole stuck through part of their body! "oh we know the pain is agonising sir but really you dont need pain relief we'll just pull it out and you'll be fine .." yeah right!

I cant produce any online source just my own experiences which prove that epidurals are being rationed and have been for some time. My second labour was 4 yeasr ago and the midwives were doing it then actively pushing for me not to have it

Thanks for that HmmThinkingAboutIt I'll have a look at it.

Didnt want to have to post this,but nobody else has,so I think I should.
I was going to have an epidural for one of my births,but then heard of soemone,who I dont know that well,who had an epidural and had quite bad health problems afterwards,as the epidural went wrong in some way.Dont know the details,but it has put me off epidurals.
My guess is it doesnt happen that often,purely because noone else on here as mentioned it,and I dont know anyone else in RL who had a problem.

Online GP Magazine Pulse ran this article about subject

Wanted an epidural with my first labour despite the fact I am terrified of needles & my worst fear was that I would be in so much pain that I would ask for one-anyway it was too late (quick labour) so I did it on G&A-2nd time around I knew that I had done one labour on just G&A so could do another. Both my labours were very quick though & I think you should be given whatever pain relief you require.

My DD was back to back, within minutes of starting syntocin drip I asked for and got my epidural... It was brilliant! DD got stuck so ended up with EMCS but on the way to theatre I experienced HORRENDOUS back labour as my last top up of epi had just worn off! No way in hell I would go through that again without epi. Will be having ELCS next time - would not risk normal delivery in case for any reason I ended up with another back to back and I couldn't have epi. I think we're incredibly lucky to live in an era where the science has evolved to provide this type of pain relief. The 'women did it without pain relief for thousands of years' argument doesn't wash with me. I have many friends who have had wonderful birth experiences with and without pain relief - bottom line is that every woman should have the choice!

I was desperate for an epidural, DD was back to back and the pain was excruciating. They told me to have paracetamol and bath and took away gas and air. My consultant then arrived (I hadn't seen a MW at this point for 4 hours, despite DD being on a monitor) and demanded pain relief and offered epidural. He left - MW refused it! So I ended up without one. I'm still bitter...

with dd1, I asked for one and was told it was too late. I had an episiotomy and forceps

But in answer to your OP, of course a person could go without an epidural. You don't die of pain. Many many countries, epidural isn't even an option

was labouring for 48 hours after induction

You could do without one. You could also have a filling without anaesthetic. But why should you if you wanted it? This is supposed to be a first world country.

Had to have epidural when I had my twins..they insisted as twin2 was breech and they were worried that he could go transverse after twin1 was delivered. Wanted epidural for next pregnancy (having had 1 natural and then epidural for the twins I knew how much easier it was) but she came too quickly and there wasn't time, got gas and air for 15 mins though. Didn't need the epidural but having experienced both I know how much calmer I felt without the pain. I could have given birth to the twins without one, though, after twin 1 came had a scan to make see how twin 2 was lying and he came out easily, albeit feet first

burlington i dont feel strongly one way or the other, so im not up for a fight about it. if people want pain relief then meh;

but my personal feeling is that it is childbirth....I did have gas and air with dd2....but OPs q's was could you have gone on without [an epidural]

The answer to that is unequivocally yes, of course you could. Women have and do the world over

I do feel a woose and that i missed out a bit. Both births were induced ( this has left a deep negative impression on me). Both were back to back (whether this is just me or the effects of being induced both times with syntocyn - i will never know) . had epidural and emcs first time. Tried VBac second time - but was still induced in the end with syntocin - again back to back, epidural, forceps and eventual ventuese delivery. All the woman in my family coped naturally with nothing more than gas and air and no stitches. I realise i'm probably viewed as a woosy failure.

I live in a country where an epidural is basically the only method of pain relief during labour. I don't want one so I've had to mentally prepare myself for using tens and hypnobirthing methods and not much else. My first I had in the UK, a syntocin drip throughout and I went 5 hours with no pain relief, then had a shot of peth and a bit of G&A when that wore off. I didn't want an epidural then either!

I don't think they should be rationed, I think women should be entitled to whichever pain relief they choose.

I had one.

If I hadn't I would have been unconcious when DS was born

As it was he was forceps and huge episiotomy. I got to 6 cm at home (1st baby) so I am not a wimp I don't think. He was 9lb 1 and had the cord round his neck

I was rushed in to theatre after about 8 hours of labour as he was not moving down the birth canal and was getting distressed

I was prepped for an EMCS but they did manage to get him out with forceps.

I was told had I not had the epidural (which they topped up for the forceps) given the time constraints, they would have knocked me out and done the EMCS.

Its a joke. If you are in pain in a hospital for any other reason, you get pain relief.

Having posted on this thread and reading the responses I just wanted to add that it should 100% be about a woman's choice. I appreciate that there are circumstances where it might not happen etc but these should be properly explained to the mother and alternatives offered - women should not have to put up with being "talked out of" having pain relief (or made to feel guilty about it) I think it is an absolute disgrace.

My midwife told me to have an epidural. I was doing okay on my own but my bp was a concern so I had to be monitored, meaning I had to stay laying down on the bed. I found that torture because when I moved around it hurt less. However, I wasnt dilating so needed help and my dd kept getting into distress and the midwife just said have an epidural because if we need to do an emergency csection it will be quicker. So I did.