Epidural for my second

[lananzack]

With my first my labour was 7hrs with pethadine in the last hour and it was just excruciating and I remember attempting to run at the wall to knock myself out to stop the pain.
Anywho, naturally this time I'm thinking about an epidural but I think I'm even more bloody petrified of being numb, prolonging the labour and it resulting in a c-section!!
What I'm asking here does the benefit of the epidural outweigh the risks? What was your epi experience? (I'm not scared of needles, or the pain of the needle, purely the experience of the drug)
And also - any mums who happen to have the anxiety of being numb (out of physical control) how could I overcome that?

I HAd pethidene with my first and hated it. Had epidural with second and was so much better. I could still feel my legs and was able to stand up and go to toilet after labour.

I am currently in labour with dc2 & have just had an epidural put in. I won't have anything that crosses the placenta, for personal reasons.

Genuinely the best thing ever. I've gone from seriously freaking out to calm & relaxed. Best decision I could have made.

Yes, my back feels a little numb, but I can feel everything & stifle wiggle my toes etc. Plus midwife has just told me that it only adds about 30mins to your discharge time, as it needs to wear off.

@ThinkOfAWittyNameLater
Good luck!! I hope everything goes smoothly for you!
When you have a chance to reply, aren't you freaking out about not being able to walk around? Or do you not care as you're just really relieved the pains being controlled?

Exactly that - not having the pain is way more important to me. I can still move my legs around & really, it's just like I've chosen to sit up on the bed.

I wanted but didn't get one with dc1 & it was frankly hideous- this is serenity itself in comparison. I can still feel contractions, but they don't hurt. It's amazing

I was adamant that I didn't want an epidural. But I needed a forceps delivery and had to have one. It was lovely. The relief when the pain of the contractions just stopped. It was like getting into a warm bath. And it wore off again in the recovery ward more quickly than I was expecting. If I have another baby I'd seriously consider having an epidural again.

I didn't want one but also ended up with one after DS got stuck, I was exhausted and he was eventually delivered by forceps. It was fine and honestly I wondered why I'd struggled on for so long without it - I was like a crazed wild animal in labour on just gas and air for 12 hours and once the epidural was in it was exactly like another poster said, I came back into the room and was calm and relaxed. I don't think I'd been capable of holding any kind of conversation with the midwives before and suddenly I was able to speak and take in and retain what people were saying to me!

Like others I could still feel my legs and move them, they just felt super heavy rather than numb I think? It wore off quite quickly but I had a catheter in for quite a while and was very weak after a PPH so I didn't get up off my bed until about 5pm the next day (DS born at 9.30pm).

If I have another one, I think I'll definitely go for another epidural and much earlier than this time!

My first I had both and felt totally out of it with the pethadine couldn't make sense of what they were telling me and as a result made uninformed decisions which I regret, second time round I only had the epidural skipped everything else I was induced and opted to get it when they startd the drip and though I couldn't get up I was in total control of everything. Incidentally my second was back to back and stuck same as the first this time I felt I could make decisions based on the information and it was a much better experience I had a c section which was scary but at least I was with it enough to know what was going on.

The epidural is the single greatest invention in the history of the universe.

As for not being able to walk, where do you want to go?! Have a nap, wait til it's time to push and then relax in the bed for a few hours with your newborn til you want a shower!

I had an epidural with DS1 (10lb, back to back etc) but not with DS2. Epidural was better, end of...

A bit of a side step here, but I had an awful first birth experience and ended up with ptsd. Second birth experience was wonderful, easy only in pain for the last 15 mins but manageable, a bit of gas and air (had everything for the first including epidural and several top ups).

Just remember every birth is different, I would suggest a hypo birthing book. I got one by Sophie fletcher, I believe it made all the difference.

Good luck !

DC1- induced. epidural after 8 hours established labour, baby arrived 3 hours later. The midwife advised me to take it so I could have a nap before pushing as I was exhausted. It was amazing. I wasn't bothered at all about not being able to walk for a few hours.
DC2, planned an epidural but things went wrong for me, established labour was only 3 hours and I didn't have time for one. It was absolute hell, I wanted to die. But looking back, it was only 3 hours!

I had dc1 with gas and air and diamorphine.
I had the next 3 dc with an epidural. For me it was so so much better, I even had a sleep for an hour at 10cms dilated! I had no problem pushing and could feel/move my legs and was walking 20 mins after the birth, I was a it wobbly but fine.
I think if you pushed your first baby out and everything is straight forward with dc2 you shouldn't have a problem. You can still feel your contractions, epidurals are so much better now I certainly wasn't numb from the waist down.
Two of my epidural babies were back to back and one was 10lb 8. I've never had any intervention or stitches.

Have a chat with your midwife as I was told hospitals do mobile epidurals these days, which are basically just not as strong so you still have sensation (to push etc) and it reduces the likelihood of a EMCS but you still don't feel any pain.

I have had two spinals, which completely numb you and they were the best thing ever. Honestly, the contractions hurt (although admittedly I was 10cm at the time of both spinals and hadn't had any other pain relief) and I was just so glad to know that the pain was going to stop that I really didn't care I was immobile - and my arms still worked, so it just felt like I was lying down waiting for my baby to be passed to me (which in a way, I was).

I had pethidine with my second was abit sick with and got some anti sickness the key to that pain relief is to ensure it is regularly topped up when it starts to wear off. Which is what happened when I had my first baby. My second labour was by far the easiest and I monitored when I had my injection and asked for the second lot.

My third labour which was 6months ago I had the epidural simply because DS was back to back and I was struggling with the back pain. It slowed the labour down I was all induced from Saturday and had DS on the Monday morning. At one point they were considering a c section. I would of done the same though if I had my time again simply for the babies position.

Diamorphine with my first, which was the most awful and horrendous thing ever. I was hallucinating, and it felt like a nightmare.

Epidural with my second, which was wonderful. I laughed him out.

I had pethidine with my first and hated it.
I had an epidural with my second - it was the best thing ever.

Had an epidural with my first ( back to back long labour )
Was the best thing for me at the time ( was badly sick though )
Second baby I did it with gas and air and shouting
much better