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?

Epidurals to be rationed....? Hmmmm. When is the NHS going to sort out associated issues such as induction? My labour came on so fast after pessary induction, cervix bled! The pain of labour was excruciating. When they finally sorted an epi that worked (had something like 4 bodged attempts at epis/spinals and no real pain relief over a period of 8 hours), I could finally relax and get on with it. Sadly had to have EMCS -so the epi was good prep for that.

I would love to know what my labour would have been like had I not been scared into being induced. But I am so happy with my gorgeous little 10 week old baby.

I had an epidural after contacting every 2 minutes for 12 hrs, I was stuck at 3cm and needed syntocinon to help me progress. Ds was in the back to back position and was born 15 hours after having the epidural by emergency cs.

I could not have lasted that long in labour without it, at least I managed to get a bit of sleep during the labour.

I looked like I had been hit by a train for weeks.

Sorry

I felt I was fobbed off too, told no anaesthesists available as it was a Sat morning. Well they shouldn't have induced me on a weekend then!

I was induced and begged for an epidural, they wouldn't let me have one. I ended up with an emergency c-section as my pain was putting the baby in distress. I was screaming it was so painful and was barely dialated. I had used every other pain relief option available. The injection did nothing, but make me VERY tired. So in between contractions my body was trying to sleep. My husband had to keep shaking me as I kept holding my breath and forgetting to breathe. I was on gas and air, but all it did was make me feel out of it and honestly I think the best thing about it was biting down on the plastic bit and it gave me something to do through the pain. I think it was the deep breathing that helped more than the actual gas and air. It has put me off having more children and if I do I would want to request an elective c-section so I wouldn't have to go through that tramatic experience again.

I really wanted an epidural for DC2 but no-one was available at the right time. Like MrsBeaver, I had been induced as scheduled and I was really mad they hadn't scheduled enough anesthetists. I had oxytocin and baby was over 9 lbs. A long eight hours - thank goodness it didn't go on longer. The anesthetist arrived as they were mopping me up, very apologetic.

After that experience I knew I could manage a 9 pounder and wasn't too bothered not to have the epidural the next three times. Not saying it wouldn't have been very nice though.

And it certainly didn't seem to affect likelihood of episiotomy in my case. Nowt wrong with an episiotomy ime. I had one epidural out of five births and five episiotomies. They did a neat job of stitching me up and I recovered really fast. If done well it can be a good thing.

The idea of rationing them is inhumane and childbirth PCness gone completely mad.

Rationing epidurals is mysogynistic and it's paternalistic in the extreme for the NHS to decide nurses or doctors know better than women how much pain they are in or to assume they will feel better about it when they realise they could deliver without it. Being effectively forced to go through pain like that when you can't do anything about it -- and worse, are being asked to forego pain relief for someone else's benefit, when you have really no choice but to go through labour could be a horribly traumatic experience with grave psychological and emotional effects, possibly including PND..

If any pain relief is to be rationed it should be pain relief that is offered to both men and women, not something that disproportionately affects women.

mathanxiety. I think the problem with episiotomies (sometimes) is that they may not heal as easily as tears. I'm glad yours were ok though.

I had two straightforward births, quite quick. The first one was scary because I hadn't known what to expect. I asked for an epidural when I was 1.5 cm and was sent packing. Cue lots of to-ing and fro-ing and two hours in the car. Like others have said, I felt like I was being split in two and I remember wishing for death. By the time I eventually got admitted, I was fully dilated and there was only time for three tokes on the g&a. I planned a home birth for the next one which was a much calmer experience. Still agonisingly painful towards the end, but manageable. I used tens and the pool, no drugs this time. I obviously didn't 'need' an epidural for either of mine and am glad I didn't have them.

However, I can see why women with long or complicated labours want them and they should be allowed access to them.

Watching the American OBEM was a bit of an eye-opener. Women arrived at the hospital, barely in labour and were more or less immediately asked when they wanted their epidural. I thought it was a shame that it was such a blanket approach. Some of those women may have wanted the chance to labour without drugs but were clearly regarded as bonkers if they expressed that wish.

I had to have two early deliveries because of Pre-Eclampsia both times so Epidural was advised as it helps to lower bp. Baby no 1 after failed induction had drip and epidural at same time followed by 8 hours of sleep 10 mins of pushing and a baby fantastic delivery felt everything but the pain. 2nd time around I had to be induced again but no drip this time just gel (much better than pessary they tried first time around). I was prgressing well and had very little pain except when being examined anyway I began to feel a bit of pain which quickly escalated to lots of pain. I tried hot packs and co-codamol for a couple of hours this worked then midwife suggested I have a bath. I knew I wanted epidural and had specifically met with anaethetist during pregnancy who had put early epi on my notes due to my Pre-Eclampsia history. Anyway midwife I was assigned was senior in charge and obviously couldn't spend the time she needed with me for an epidural. In the end I heard the anaethetist was coming to the woman next door and when he arrived I went into the corridor and told him not to go anywhere as he was coming to me next. This meant the midwife had no choice but the allow it. I also told her to call my husband back as it was the middle of the night and he had been sent home to her credit she did and she also assigned me another midwife. I went from being alone in my room in pain to being surrounded in a few minutes and was glad I had epi. I am a lucky one I can feel everthing that goes on i.e the contractions and where the baby is but without any of the pain.

My son would have been an only child if I thought I could not have had a second epi but I am now done and will not be going through that again. I would give birth a million times the way I did but pregnancy not a chance!

It makes shudder to think of what women had to go through before they were invented and what women all over the world have to go through because they haven't got access to them.
I had one with ds1 and remember being so bloody grateful that the pain had stopped, ended up with an emcs anyway.
With ds2 had a elective cs
with the next 2 I had natural births without anything and they were great
with the last 2 I used G&A and had 'easy' births
But I was lucky they were quick and uncomplicated labours. Being in hideous pain with no obvious hope of it ending is simply unacceptable. Yes there is the valid argument that a relaxed labouring woman stands a better chance of not needing pain relief but so much depends on the position of the baby and the mother's physiology.
It would be far cheaper in the long run to offer all women the chance of complete pain relief rather than paying christ knows how much on dealing with aftermath of a woman scarred by a hideous birth experience.

I am pretty appalled at some of the stories on here about being made to wait so long or being told anaesthetists aren't available or whatever other excuses for witholding adequate pain relief. It's barbaric.

Yet again I am sat here relieved that I didn't have to give birth in the UK. I was given the induction pessary at my consultant's office and went home to pick up belongings and wait until I was sure it was working. I arrived at the hospital at about 7pm and within half an hour the aneasthetist was in the labour suite asking if I wanted an epidural.

He offered to let me think on it and pop back in an hour or so, or earlier if I called him. I decided to have it then and there. There was not a moment from my arrival at the hospital until DD arived the next morning (by EMCS, not linked to the epidural) that I felt alone, or unsupported, or in any way concerned about the care I was receiving (though granted I slept through a fair bit of the labour).

Every time a childbirth thread such as this pops up I am shocked at some of the stories I hear of shoddiness in the UK labour wards. Withholding pain relief to cut costs, and reducing c sections to reduce costs is a recipe for disaster and shows a shocking lack of respect for the women giving birth.

Can't believe the people here more-or-less saying oh, it's not so bad, most could have managed. If you mean I wouldn't have died, probably right. If you mean it was manageable, fuck the fuck off.

Two years ago I broke every bone in my lower leg - tibia, fibula and ankle - in a single disaster, and the pain was NOTHING in comparison with ONE contraction. With the leg-break I was put on a morphine drip for five days after 3 hours of surgery. Even when I didn't top it up, the pain was quite manageable. But my 2.5-hour second stage with ds1 was FAR WORSE.

How are they going to "ration" epidurals anyway? Who gets to decide if a woman is "worthy" of one?

Yes, women have laboured for thousands of years without epidurals. But you know what? People used to have their arms or legs amputated with just a glug of whiskey and a stick to bite down onto. Nowadays we consider that to be barbaric, so how is the excrutiating pain from childbirth any different?

And I speak as someone who couldn't medically have an epidural anyway (scoliosis, disk degeneration, bony spurs etc).

They can start rationing epidurals when they start rationing anaesthetic for vasectomies and removing testicular cancers.

I had an epidural and asked for it as soon as got to the hospital. I figured if I was in that much pain at 3cm it was only going to get worse and there were many hours to go.

In the end it was a good job I had. Because of the epidural, I had monitoring wires put on and they realised the baby was in distress.

I watched quite alot of the US version of Born Every Minute when it was screened and they practically all had epidurals there.

I don't think epidurals should be rationed. I have no idea why there is this weirdo attitude in this country that you should give birth with no pain relief and also that you are made to feel like some sort of failure if you ask for any. No one would have a tooth out without pain relief, so why give birth?

If you want an epidural, ask for one, insist on it and don't beat yourself up about it.

Actually the epidural didn't work properly so I ended up have a spinal and crash c-section.

I wanted one after 30 hours and desperate for some rest, in tears and beside myself in pain. I'd got to a point of no return I thought.

Could I have got through without it? I probably would have if in the situation of not having access to an epidural, but looking back, it enabled me to have some positive memories of my labour.

I could have in the sense that I'm sure I would have survived it. However, if I hadn't had the epi with DC1, with DC2, I would have just lied my arse off to get an ELCS as would never have even considered a natural labour again.

With DC2 I had the epidural at 5cm , before it got unbearable. Far better birth experience all round.

I begged for an epidural, but was told "the anesthetist is busy in surgery" - and by the time he got down to me I was already 9cms so it was too late! Although I would have killed for it at the time, I'm so glad I didn't get one - as soon as the pain kicks in you feel like you can't cope, but you can, and after the birth I felt great, minimum recovery time, and felt of proud of myseLf!

I had one after 26 hours of labour, at which stage I had continuous agonising contractions and couldn't walk/speak despite only being 2cm. Thankfully the midwife and consultant both recommended it, both because I was getting no break from contractions and my blood pressure had spiked and they thought the epidural might bring it down. It was another 26 hours before DS was born via ventouse and episiotomy - they discovered a few hours beforehand that he was back to back. No way could I have managed without it, I was practically delirious with pain before I had it and G&A just made me throw up. Beforehand I'd been determined to have a natural waterbirth but that all went right out the window.

I coped well with my induced labour until the Dr did an internal. Horrific pain, I lost control emotionally then. Epidural was only half effective (part of right side had no relief) but was excellent in the end because I had no fear of tearing/being cut/being stitched while I was giving birth. I could push well because I had some sensation, and knew when I was contracting. I would get one at the outset next time tbh.

Also all those stats about making pushing ineffective etc...my theory is that women who are suffering the worst pain are more likely to demand epi...and they might be experiencing bad pain because of babys position etc...so of course they will tear more/struggle to push. Correlation doesn't mean causation.

In 1965, the size of my pelvis was measurerd to see if it was necessary to have a hospital birth at all, and because I was and still am very tiny, I was allowed to give birth in hospital. My grandmother died in childbirth during a home delivery as she bled to death. It is better now than then, which is to be expected. All my torturous pain was during the first stage of my cervix opening as baby was lying on her back and the largest part of the head was pushing on it and shoulders at full width had to follow. But once I felt the urge to push, after 36 hours of screaming in agony, I felt no more pain, and being only 20 and a trained ballet dancer with strong stomach muscles, I had no trouble pushing - oh, no panting for me, I couldn't wait to get it over with and get some sleep- and even though I split and needed stitches, I felt no pain at all.

'Rationing' suggests that only a certain number will be allowed per whatever budget period etc, which would be outrageous of course.

I think it is good to have guidelines for prioritising who needs this extra intervention the most, and of course there will always be wrong decisions made both by mothers and medical/nursing staff as well as factors beyond control such as non-availability of anaesthetist when they are really needed, failed attempts at inserting the needle, all sorts of things can happen to make it not possible where it should have been.

I am (was - all done now!) very wary of epidurals having been completely convinced by my NCT teacher that they lead to further interventions, including cs, more stitches and you could be stuck in bed for hours with a catheter after the birth in some cases.

I certainly think anyone being induced should automatically be offered an epidural, and also people should be fully informed about research, side effects etc. I don't know enough about the statistics but if they do increase the likelihood of cs with no other factors then the cost to the NHS is a lot more than £200.

I too am dismayed when I see programmes about birth where women are not moving around in labour. Even though I had to be on a monitor quite a lot with my first one I asked to get up as often as possible and spent a lot of time on the loo being intermittently checked with a handheld monitor.

I am in favour of men being encouraged to have hernia ops and vasectomies under local anaesthetic - they are offered this choice - perhaps they could be offered vouchers or something as it must save a lot of money if they take the local anaesthetic option!

So are patients going in for other procedures going to be cut open with no anaesthetic then? It is bad enough that we don't have enough midwives and now this. Giving birth in the UK is barbaric.

Sorry, I can't see where in that document the recommendation to ration epidurals is? ATM they are already 'rationed' in a sense because it depends whether there's an anaesthetist available - labour wards tend not to have a dedicated anaesthetist.

I was in latent labour for 3 days and when I was finally admitted at 3cm dilated they found out that my baby had died sometime between arriving at the hospital at 2cm (baby allegedly fine then) and 3 hours later when they finally sent me up to the labour ward. Funnily enough, they said I could have all the pain relief going. I had an epidural - g&a and morphine were doing absolutely nothing except spacing me out. I was worried about forceps/tearing etc, although the male doctor looked at me like I was mad when I said so. I think he was judging me for being concerned about that in my situation. When the night MWs went off shift, one of them said to me 'A is going to be looking after you. If you don't want stitches, she's your girl.' When I was fully dilated A topped up my epidural and then coached me to push. I could feel enough of the pressure building to be able to push with the contractions. Sure enough, DD1 was born within 30 mins with no tearing or interventions.

I take it from that experience that what the NHS should be doing is focusing on MW training. Also, it's a fallacious argument to say that women can cope without an epidural. Women have no choice - once labour has started, the baby is going to be born one way or another. For some, the baby will only be born with a lot of medical aid. For others, it's not that clear-cut. But to say that women can cope without epidurals, based on someone else's judgement, is ridiculous. Yes, the baby will be born and I suppose in that sense the woman would cope. But that doesn't mean that the woman wasn't petrified, in agony, in a situation totally out of her control and feeling completely abandoned by the medical professionals who were patronising her and refusing to help her in extremis.