Epidural - why wouldn't you?

[lbsjob87]

I started a thread on AIBU about pain relief in childbirth yesterday that led me to wonder something. Lots of women said they didn't have an epidural because the idea scared them so much, and I just wondered why?
I am 35 weeks with No 2 and am starting to think about a birth plan (although last time has taught me they are not worth it half the time, but anyway.....)
I'm aiming for a VBAC but may yet be advised to have an ELCS. If I do have a VBAC, I will take it as it comes, if it gets too much, I'll probably have an epidural. Last time, my DD was back to back and had shoulder dystosia and an epidural couldn't come quickly enough.
I know it's personal choice/circumstances but I wondered what frightened people about it? Is it the initial needles in the back, the loss of feeling in the legs or a fear of not being "in control" of the pushing?
Last time was a blur, tbh and I really don't remember much about it.
I'm not trying to scare myself, just wondering what others experiences are.

[livingzuid]

Thank you pacific I am of course horribly biased but she is a beautiful baby

You are very right on the risk. No matter what there is a risk. Au naturele can be just as risky if something goes wrong and you lose precious minutes getting from MLU to emergency maternity ward. Assisted delivery vs c section - my doctors felt it safer to go the first route. It doesn't really matter, it's about what the mother is comfortable doing. No way ie right or wrong. I'm glad I gave the epidural a chance personally but can see it is not for everyone. I was out of control in a natural labour and had far more control with my epidural. Not everyone gets that though but I can only hope they do because it was fab :)

[PacificDogwood]

I am sure she is gorgeous
Hope you get some sleep - you must be tired.

[lornemalvo]

I wanted to be able to push effectively, to have a better chance of giving birth without foreceps or a section.

I wouldn't be keen to have a needle near my spine but I would prefer that than the agonies of childbirth any day.

[lornemalvo]

Oh should have said I would get an epidural if it was necessary. I am not against them. I just would prefer not to have one.

[Tranquilitybaby]

Dinosnores that isn't my opinion, that is information that is freely available on many websites.

Failure to progress canlead to any of the interventions I mentioned. Plus as you stated, the risk doubles for certain interventions.

[DinoSnores]

"that is information that is freely available on many websites. "

Would you mind sharing your sources ("up to 50%" is rather vague), tranquility, as it contradicts evidence from obstetric anaesthetists based on the results of many, many women who have had epidurals?

[lbsjob87]

OK, I see I've opened a right can of worms here.....
Thanks everyone for your views - and experience in some cases.
Another issue I had after my CS was I had a catheter wrongly inserted - long story short, it blocked my bladder instead of emptying it, I was told to drink far too much water and ended up with a distended bladder and having an MRI for suspected renal failure. Five years later, I only know I need the loo when it's absolutely desperate or when I remember I haven't been for a while.
So that element scares me a bit. But I saw my consultant yesterday - he said that I can go for a VBAC but if it gets to the stage where either I need induction or an epidural, he might bail out and go for ELCS to limit further problems as it gives him more idea of how I stand. So I'll just have to wait and see, I guess!

[JaneParker]

I was delighted to avoid one for 4 births but would have had one had I needed it. I certainly needed gas and air. I also needed the oxytocin drip with baby 1 to speed it up (and baby 5 where I did have an epidural).

Everyone should go into an individual labour with an open mind as you can never tell how easy or hard it will be. I am really pleased i did not need an epidural for 4 of the births and the pain was manageable without one and I didn't want one for all the reasons on this thread but birth 5 was no worse a memory for having one - it was just that I happened to need one for that birth. I still felt in control and we still got home the same day.

[cosmicdancer89]

Came across this and wanted to give my 2 cents. My epidural experience was amazing. I got it at 5cm and all the fears I had were unfounded.

I could move my legs and walked 1 hr after delivery.
I still felt my contractions although they were much milder, they were still a bit painful (like a very very bad period pain)
I felt the urge to push
I did not have an assisted delivery and pushed my baby out in 10 minutes.

Just putting it out there. Epidural isn't all horror stories. I guess mine was a bit on the low dose side, but it was amazing and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! It just about took the edge off (gas and air wasn't doing jack shit past 4cm).

[Mummymidwife87]

I had an epidural at 5cm and an emergency Caesarean section at fully dilated. I really didn't want one and won't plan on having one again. It worked well, I needed it. TENs for the best part of 24hours of early labour following an induction was great, pethidine I hated and I hated gas and air.

I didn't want to not be able to feel my legs, have a catheter, struggle to mobilise, increase my risk of instrumental birth/Caesarean section, fetal malposition, prolong labour and pushing....

I cried a lot when I asked for one, and cried the whole time it was sited. But I needed it, I would never have continued for another 12hours.

[barmybunting]

I was very against the idea of having an epidural but ended up having one after 40 odd hours of contractions with DD1 and only getting to 5cm. I was already attached to a drip as I was dehydrated, and everything seemed to go downhill from there. I ended up with the induction drip and couldn't cope, so had an epidural. That resulted in an episiotomy and forceps delivery. The whole experience was awful, especially the recovery, and I think the epidural had more to do with that than anything else.

I am petrified of labouring without an epidural now because I worry I couldn't cope, but I hate the idea of them so much it is enough to be a serious consideration in whether or not to have any more children.

So I wouldn't want one again because I hated not being able to move, and the back pain 8 months on is still awful.

[qumquat]

I hated the idea of not being in control and having things done to me. I was lucky my labour was straightforward and I felt in control the whole time. (Apart from when they wouldn't let me into the MLU ). I would have had an ep if I felt I needed one but I am glad I didn't.

[jellyspoons]

I was really scared of having an epidural but ended up having one and for me I think I had less intervention because of it!

I had been contracting for 48 hours and got stuck at 8cm. DD was back to back but also had her head thrown fully back on her shoulders (which is a really really crappy position). I had severe pain all of the time, not just during contractions, because of her position. Got shifted from MLU to labour ward because of failure to progress and when I got there the consultant strongly advised epidural and drip. She said I was quite likely to need EmCS cos of DD position which would make it really tricky to deliver vaginally. DD kept having a slow heart rate /some distress too (one time they pulled the emergency bell and a million people rushed in, but luckily every time she recovered back to a normal heart rate). One reason they suggested epidural is it would have then been quicker to do an emergency section if I needed one (they wouldn't be able to do ventouse or forceps cos of Dd's position). Didn't end up having the synto drip, cos my own contractions were strong and cos of her distress, but the epidural was amazing. I managed to get an hours sleep which made such a difference. When I woke up I was 10cm and managed to push her out. I could move my legs and feel the contractions and felt so much more in control without the completely unrelenting constant pain.

I would agree with PP saying epidurals aren't for everyone but if they work they can be amazing.

Oh and I didn't have a catheter, was discharged within 6 hours of birth and just had a few minor stitches.

I think I would have had a emergency section if I hadn't had an epidural!

Good luck to all those facing labour, I hope you all sneeze them out!

[Nannynome]

I had epidurals with both my births and both times went like a dream. I had low dose epidurals with top ups offered, both times I didn't need any top ups, was able to move both my legs around, with the first I didn't need a catheter until the very end as I still had bladder control.

Both times I was able to feel the head and knew exactly what I was doing during the pushing stage. DC1 was out within 15 mins of dilation and the suggestion of pushing, DC2 was out in 4 pushes. I had a single stitch with DC1 and none with DC2. No interventions, no after effects and a very relaxed birthing process. For us it was an incredibly positive experience.

[Roseybee10]

I didn't want an epidural for many reasons.

• I was concerned that intervention leads to more intervention and that I'd be more likely to need an assisted delivery if I had an epidural due to less effective pushing etc.
  
• I felt it would make recovery longer and didn't want a catheter etc.
  
• I wanted to be able to move around during labour and birth in an upright position
  
• I'm not keen on needles.
  

Having said that, dd1 was back to back and I had a very long latent labour with her. If my active labour hadn't gone so fast I think I would have considered an epidural as I was so exhausted.
I'm very lucky I didn't need one.

[PosterEh]

I've had one labour with and one without and much preferred my labour with.
I found my non-epidural labour/birth to be quite traumatic. By contrast with the epidural I was calm and actually enjoyed the experience.
With the epidural:
I wasn't catherterised.
It was patient controlled.
I could feel pressure to push but no pain.
I delivered painlessly with just a few pushes.
I was able to shower almost immediately afterwards (once I'd had my tea and toast).

I should add that due to medical circumstances I didn't really have the option to be mobile in either birth. Maybe if I was comparing an active non-epidural birth to my prone epidural birth i would feel differently.

[LillianGish]

Two epidurals here (gave birth in France so it was that or nothing). Lovely relaxed (short) labours so had lots of energy when moment came to push, babies delivered after about seven pushes with no intervention - had sensation, but no pain. Got up and had a shower shortly afterwards. As the OP says - why wouldn't you? I think the difference between here and France is that in France you are almost expected to have an epidural so there's always an anaesthetist around, you can not have one (I have a couple of English friends with NCT leanings who did that) but there is no suggestion that it is somehow more "natural" not have one or that you should see if you can struggle along valiantly without one (and then be told - "Oh it's too late now" when you finally ask for one).

[museumum]

I really really wanted free movement and to use the pool so I didn't want an epidural.

However, if I'd had a cannula or drip for any other reason (antibiotics or induction) that would have prevented me birthing in the pool so in that case is have been open to the idea of the epidural.

As it was I am relieved that i was very lucky that I didn't require any drips, cannulae or catheter or other medical interventions. I think that helped my recovery a lot.

[tellmemore1982]

To me the only real and universal reason not to is if you want to use the pool or bath.

Everything else depends on circumstance. I had two epidurals with no problems and wonderful calm births. No intervention, no catheter, no back pain, no headaches, no worries about pushing (you can still feel the pressure and also the muscular contraction if you get the dosage right), no paralysis...

There will be plenty of people who had different experiences to me, but like I said, it all depends on circumstance.

[HazleNutt]

I had a bad experience with epidural the first time, like Acroyoga - worked only partially, numbed my legs so was stuck on my back but didn't do anything for the pain. So wasn't planning to have one with DC2, but the pain was bad, so thought would give it a try.
Had a mobile epidural and it was bloody amazing. It only took the pain away and didn't affect anything else - I was able to walk, was active the whole time, did not sit or lay down once, gave birth standing as well. No catheter. No interventions and gave birth in 3,5 hours from getting to hospital. I'm done with babies, but if I wasn't, would absolutely definitely have one next time.

[thatsn0tmyname]

I strongly believe that an epidural slowed the birth of my first baby so I needed an emcs under GA as he got distressed. With my second birth I was encouraged to forego an epidural and had a vbac. I stayed upright and mobile and gravity helped me.

[waitaminutenow]

Not an option at my hospital (UK) to have an epidural so it never crossed my mind.

[Newlywed56]

I would have loved an epidural lol, I found the pain really unbearable. (Had some sort of dissolvable painkillers can't remember) gas and air and remyphentol (prob not spelt correctly) they said I was either too early for it at 3cm but then the anathesist wasn't available at 6cm, Dd born 30 mins after 6cm check :s. If I had to do it all again I'd ask for one again as found end of labour, manual removing of placenta and an hour of stitching afterwards unbelievably painful :(

[HazleNutt]

there are hospitals in the UK where you can't have an epidural? What about spinals then, or are C-sections also not available?