epidural- would you recommend?

[Whatwillbexo]

Just as it says in the title really..
I'm being induced in 3 weeks and not sure what to expect as this is first bubba! I'm hoping that I'll be able to deal with labour with as minimal pain relief as possible, however I'm not ruling out an epidural, what are people's past experiences of having one and what has the outcome been? You hear the risks and scare stories but I'd just like some real people's experiences Thankyou!

I've had two. With DC one he was back to back and it got too painful. Relief was instant and very welcome. Resulted in foreceps but this was unrelated to the epidural and all to do with his position.
DC 2 was an induction. Again, epidural was such welcome relief from very strong contractions. Resulted in emergency c section for failure to progress and the same positioning as DC1.
Needle going in the no problem, would do it again if I hadn't been told any further births must be c section but that's another story.

I've done one labour with an epidural and one without any pain relief. Both induced, both ended with ventouse and episiotomies. The non epidural birth was much quicker and I felt better afterwards but I'd still go with an epidural given the choice.

I was induced with Syntocin and the contractions came so hard and fast with no breaks in between each one that I had an epidural. I really didn't want one beforehand but was so desperate for some relief. I loved it - it made the pushing stage much more pleasant and I felt calm and ready to meet my daughter.

Same as cosy, I've had two inductions - one with epidural and one without (not entirely by choice, I mistimed my request). Both outcomes the same - baby delivered with minimal pushing and a small tear. The epidural birth was much less traumatic. It was calmer and I felt more in control. I could feel to push and actually pushed "better" because I wasn't scared of the pain. I didn't need a catheter and I could walk and shower pretty much immediately.

Hiya!
No experience of induction but had an epidural. I'm one of the horror stories I'm afraid. I was seriously injured by forceps.

It's difficult for me to recommend an epidural because I got injured in the end. I know there's a school of thought that says that if you're in that much pain, something's not right to begin with and that instruments or c-section are likely anyway. But there's evidence that epidurals prolong labour. Difficult.

I had zero sensation from the waist down. My left leg was so sleepy that I had a midwife dedicated to it making sure it staid in stirrups.
So brilliant for pain relief, not so much for mobility. Unless you get a mobile epidural, you'll most probably be stuck on your back with feet in stirrups. The main problem with this is that being on your back closes the pelvis outlet leaving less space for baby to come through.

Friends who were induced had varied experiences. Some lasted 30 min after drip was put on then got an epidural as was unbearable. Others managed on g&a. Of course I don't know enough about their labours (baby size or position for example) to draw conclusions. Just that some needed an epidural whilst others could use g&a.

A few stats on inductions - from NHS Choices
"One in every five births in the UK in 2004-05 were induced, according to NICE. Among these induced births, when labour was started using drugs:
less than two-thirds of these women gave birth without further intervention
about 15% had instrumental (assisted) births (such as forceps or ventouse)
22% had emergency caesarean sections"

You can't know what's going to happen but like another poster said, chances of hypnobirthing and calm water birth are probably vastly decreased if you're induced.
All the best.

I've done an induced labour with epidural and two natural without.

I was adamant after my first birth that I wasn't having another epidural. If they got to the point that they wanted me on the drip, I planned to refuse and ask for a section.

I am another of the unlucky ones. My epidural was technically fine, but the pain relief was incomplete (not down one side. It just came back deep inside even though I was otherwise dead from the waist down); the catheter was vile, vile, vile; I ended up with forceps (see causation/correlation debate. But she was back to back and I think being stranded on my back did for the pushing. DD2 was b2b and turned late in labour); my leg was numb for so long after I started to worry (think still dead 6 hours later).

So in summary IT DIDN'T FUCKING WORK (not that I'm bitter about it 7 years later you understand )

I was induced with the propess and synto drip. My birth plan said no epidural. Midwife turned to me and said "well you might want to rethink that one"....it was fine. Yes the synto made the contractions horribly intense, with barely any break in between, but it sped up the whole process so much, I didn't see the point in the epidural! By the time they got it in, I would have been at the pushing stage anyway.
Just see how you go! Don't have an epidural just because the MW says you need one. You tell her if and when you think you need it!

I've just had an induced epidural 9 days ago (second birth, second ibis toon, second epidural).
It was amazing and for my first I was knitting during labour.. This time there wasn't enough time to get my sticks out but I think I napped a bit.

But they don't actually leave a needle in your back. Not sure if that helps but I was quite freaked out about that, and the lines you have in your hand.. The hands just have a small (1 or 2cm plastic tube) left in and the epidural is a bendy plastic tube. I only know this because when they took it out the Mw showed me the end of the tube so reassure me it was out successfully. I considered throwing up!

Good luck kxx

Yes. with DC1 I also had an epidural, but it didn't work. I was in so much pain that I was quite traumatised by this experience, and it affected my bonding.

With DC2 I had a properly working epidural, and a mobile one. It was AMAZING. It did not affect my legs at all, I didn't need a catheter. I was happily walking around, reading a book, chatting to the MW - without any pain. I could still feel when I needed to push though, no problems. Really, it was the best thing ever. DC2 was born in 3 hours without any assistance or further intervention and I felt like I could still go and run a marathon.