How effective is an epidural for pain relief?

[BelliniButterfly]

Hi everyone,

I am 25 weeks pregnant with my first child and absolutely terrified of child birth as I realise alot of people are. However, seriously if I could opt for a a cesarean section just now I absolutely would. I do not say this lightly. I have been reading as much as I can about labour and I have just started birthing classses with the Daisy Foundation. What I really want to know however, is just how good is an epidural for pain relief? What will I feel with an epidural and will it make the whole experience manageable?

Thanks!

It's bliss... if it works.

Mine worked partially (off and on, on the right side of my body). I believe this was due to DD being back to back and her head pressing on various places in my lower back.

To put it in figures, I could feel maybe 25% of the pain in some spots on my right side, and zero everywhere else. I could still pee and push. It meant I was actually able to focus on giving birth rather than on riding the almost constant contractions.

6 years later I find myself yearning for that sensation of instant, complete, miraculous physical and mental relief

I was back to back too x

What I will say (and I know you're very anxious, I've no desire to make that worse but I have to be honest) is that an epidural does seem to increase likelihood of a tear, PPH or an assisted birth.

It's about weighing up the risks and benefits of each course of action for you.

I had both with DD - I also had a PPH when I had DS (no epidural)!

For severe phobias you can request a CS - again, it's for you to weigh up the risks and benefits vs a vaginal birth.

DC3 was breech so I had to have an epidural in case c section was needed. First time it didn't work so they resited it, and it hurt. Eventually I was pain free but then couldn't move my legs so couldn't pick baby up myself. Had to stay in for 24 hours too.

Just to say that I did Daisy classes too and found them to be really helpful. I managed with absolutely no pain relief in the end. Not trying to boast but I think positive stories need to be told. A positive mind set can really help.

I had an epidural that didn't work. I wasn't in agony, but there was still pain. I ended up having a section (not because of the epidural) and the spinal block was absolute bliss!

I was hesitant about having an epidural, but in the end was very glad I had. My contractions weren't that painful when they put it in, but I was quite dilated, so it was then or never. I could move around, and the midwife encouraged me to try different positions. (I thought this was standard, but judging by other posts, apparently not!) I did have a couple of little naps during the first few hours too though!

The midwife asked me every so often to rate my pain on a scale of 1-10, and topped it up if necessary. However, I then had to be put on oxytocin and then I could definitely feel them, although the pain was very manageable. I ended up having an instrumental delivery (nothing to do with the epidural as far as I know) and that's why I'm glad I had it - there's no way I would have coped without!

While I couldn't really feel the position of the baby as I was pushing, I could feel the effort I was making, so I didn't feel distanced from what was happening. I was also very compos mentis and I like the fact that I was in a fit state to talk to the medical staff, understand what was going on and make my own decisions. I was also glad not to have any pain when I was being stitched up afterwards.

For me the only downside was that the epidural made me sick - I felt really dizzy and threw up when they put it in and also a couple of times when they topped it up, but that was a small price to pay!

You can't rely on it. I was induced and lasted 4 hours on the drip (24 hours into induction) before asking for an epidural. I then had to wait 2 hours for the anaesthetist who was in theatre. Once the epidural was done it became apparent that it was only giving relief down my left side by which point the anaesthetist was back in theatre. Lots of agony lying on my back immobile and lots of messing about with the needle over a period of several hours ensued. They eventually removed it and put in a second epidural but that didn't take either. The midwife finally turned down the drip because I was struggling so much (to the consultant's disgust) and I ended up with a c section and spinal block.

I'm not saying all this to scare you (I'm currently pregnant again and contemplating a vbac), but more so you are prepared. In all likelihood your body will do what it's designed to do and you will be absolutely fine. In hindsight I should have asked for the epidural/spinal to be sorted before I consented to the drip.

I've had two epidurals. Both times I was numb down my left side but not completely numb on my right.

That said, it took the pain levels down massively for me to a place where I could manage it. I still needed g&a but it was soooo much better.

I'm about to have DC#3 and I will still go for the same as my other two. I try to manage without, but if it gets too much I'll have the epidural again

I had a natural water birth with DC1. Expected similar with DC2 labour and thought it'd be faster but it was stop-start and drawn out, another 24hrs from first contraction, and I think this exhaustion coupled with feeling very anxious meant that I didn't cope with the pain so I had a low dose epidural this time (think it's what you call mobile epidural in the uk) at about 8cm dilated, about 2hrs before she was born. I specifically requested that I only have it if I could continue to feel my legs and be up & about. I really believe that anything stronger than that does increase the likelihood of interventions, especially with a first birth, because you become bed-bound and unable to feel enough to help push the baby out.

After the epidural, which took 2 attempts to get in, I had this wonderful period of relaxation while I lay down as it kicked in. I was only feeling downward pressure with each contraction - the pain in my back and tummy disappeared - and I was able to calm myself which I so needed. I just needed that short break. They gave me syntocin to speed things up, as it was still going slowly and a 2nd dose of epidural was out of the question for me as it would lead to me not feeling my legs, they said. I felt tremendous pressure when I needed to push, nobody told me when/what to do it was automatic, unavoidable. And I felt close to everything pain-wise during this final stage. It was a short pushing stage on a birthing stool, 2nd degree tear which I didn't feel, same as with DC1. For me it was the right decision to have an epidural. I was lucky to have the right dose at the right time and it worked