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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Has any one had an epidural that was NOT followed by interventions?

106 replies

DivaSkyChick · 26/02/2007 14:30

My family keeps telling me that there are no bravery points for tolerating the pain, to just go for the epidural. But from what I've read, it seems like epis lead to cutting and finally forceps or ventouse. Is it really "a = b+c" ?

Anyone have GREAT epidural stories?

OP posts:

valentina · 26/02/2007 17:01

Same for me; lovely, lovely epidural, and no other interventions. Hated gas and air. Went au naturel for the wecond one though.

valentina · 26/02/2007 17:01

Wecond=second of course.

ponylove · 26/02/2007 17:02

I had an epidural with DS1, hne was back to back, and it was fantastic. THey let it wear off for the pushing which did take over 2 hours. By then I was almost begging for intervention but they didn't and I came out of it with a second degree tear which healed fine. No implications afterwards. I'm due with my second on sunday and can't decide which way to play it

pooka · 26/02/2007 17:04

I had epidural with dd. Pushed for 40mins adn she was born with no assistance.

Did tear pretty badly - think I just pushed and pushed and so she shot out. Pushed much more gingerly with ds (as no epidural so could feel it) and while I tore, was easily stitched and could have been at least in part to having had a restitch when dd was 7 months (so had nasty tear first time, restitch 7 months later and now have further tear from ds).

prawnsmum · 26/02/2007 17:08

Yes I had and epidural due to a very very long and painful OP labour and it was great wish I had asked for it sooner!!! Had a normal vaginal delivery - no need for any help and only a small tear

NatalieJane · 26/02/2007 17:14

I had an epidural with DS1, pushed him out in less than 15 minutes with no tearing, but to be fair the epidural didn't actually take effect until I stood up after I'd had him to get a shower, everything suddenly went dead!

TuttiFrutti · 26/02/2007 19:31

I researched this when pregnant with ds1, and most women who have epidurals do not go on to have other intervention (despite what some natural childbirth gurus would have you believe).

Yes, it does make it statistically slightly more likely, but when you consider that epidurals are used in 35% of all births, and forceps/ventouse only in about 5%, it's pretty clear that having an epidural does not automatically mean you will need either one. Also, speaking as someone who was a forceps delivery herself in the days before epidurals, you can forgo the blissful relief of an epidural and still need the intervention. A friend of mine had a VBAC last year and was determined to do without an epidural, and ended up with a forceps delivery without an epi.

You can tell which side of the fence I'm on can't you?

roseylea · 26/02/2007 19:35

I had epi with ds, as I was induced and had the drip so my mobiltiy was restricted. It did give me a bit of a breather in the midst of labour pains and I think it helped me push him out qiucker!

HOwever I must add (TMI alert) that I had awful painful constipation for 3 wks afterwards and my fab fab doc said it was a direct result of the epi. So if I'd known that in advance I would probably not have had it.

Just my experience tho. Doesn't mean it's going to happen to anyone else!

PanicPants · 26/02/2007 19:41

Afraid not.

I had an epidural and followed by episostmy and then ventouse. It didn't even numb the pain, just made 1 leg go pins and needly.

Would never, never have one next time.

Miaou · 26/02/2007 19:45

I had epidurals with my first two births. First one: episiotomy and ventouse. Second one: no intervention (but I did tear and needed stitching).

I'm not convinced the epidural was to blame for the assisted delivery; I had the epidural because I was so exhausted and it "bought" me some recovery time before the pushing stage. But labour was 16 hours and in the end dd1's heartrate started to dip, so they decided to pop her out with ventouse. They said I could probably have managed it unassisted in another ten mins, and it only took one contraction to get her out. I think it was more to do with it being my first tbh.

My third I had in a pool and it was fantastic - didn't need any pain relief at all. But it was all over in 4 hours, a totally different kettle of fish!

amidaiwish · 26/02/2007 19:55

i had an epidural with DD1. i was 8cm dilated and had had enough!
had one top up
had a sleep, woke up fully dilated, told mw i wanted to be able to push so we waited an hour for epidural to wear off, i pushed on and off for about an hour, baby born no problem, no tear, no stitches.

was up and about fairly soon after (showered by myself) and home the same day.

that's a pretty great epidural story in my book.

lulumama · 26/02/2007 20:01

have a look at this website birthchoice , it gives you an idea of the stats on c.s and instrumental delivery in your hospital trust...

also, epidural is the top of the pain relief tree...there is a lot you can try before you go there

TENS

Water

Massage

gas and air

pethidine

diamorphine

epidural

Also, if you do not have any narcotics, then your own endorphins are a natural painkiller

if you do go for an epidural, it is best to have it when labour is established, around 3 - 5 cm as then hopefully it is not too soon and will not slow things down too much...and will have worn off but the time you are ready to push

it is important to feel that pressure to push and to go with the feelings your body gives....IMO

potoroo · 26/02/2007 20:15

Epi saved me from intervention.

I was induced and DS was back to back which they didn't realise until I was about 8 cm.

When I was 10 cm and ready to push (had I had any sensation), midwife said that there was no way I could push DS out in that position without intervention. So instead, because I couldn't feel anything, they let me rest for an hour or so and the contractions turned him around properly. Then he came out with no problem.

Then again, if I hadn't been induced, maybe he would have descended properly in the first place and I wouldn't have needed and epi? Who knows.

blissieblue · 26/02/2007 21:50

I had an epidural when fully dilated (after having had no pain relief apart from tens and birth pool) because I had no urge to push at all and they decided to put me on a drip to get things going again. I totally regret it and am sure this is why I ended up with a ventouse delivery and an episiotimy. DS's wee head was so bruised and sore looking and he cried a lot for the first few weeks of life. DC2 is due in 4 weeks and I'm determined to avoid an epidural this time.

EllieKwithaHUGEbump · 26/02/2007 21:56

i had an epidural and no forceps, ventouse or episiotomy, only 4 stitches too. and he was 9lb 3

hoxtonchick · 26/02/2007 21:59

i had epidurals with both my births. the first was episiotomy, failed ventouse & forceps.... but the second, i pushed her out myself in about 5 minutes (it helped that she was a pound lighter than her brother!). a small tear but nothing dreadful.

colditz · 26/02/2007 22:01

My story, as such, isn't great, but I had an induction leading to an epidural with my first baby and hideous labour - but the actual delivery was fine. 1/2 cm tear, barely noticable, no forceps or mucking about... and an 8lb7oz baby!

ebenezer · 26/02/2007 23:12

Didn't have epidurals with mine, but with dc1, I ALMOST had to have forceps. This was in a small midwife led unit where epidurals weren't available, but if a forceps delivery looked likely, the doctor was called in. He got scrubbed up, held up the forceps and said 'you can have one last push before I use them' (I'd been at pushing stage for nearly 3 hours!) I remember looking at thes enormous metal salad servers and thinking 'no way - that's gonna hurt' and with one enormous push out popped dc. I'm sure NOT having an epi meant I avoided the forceps, as if i'd been numbed up, i wouldn't have been able to do that final push. Also from friends who choose an epi, it does seem that they tend to have longer labours which then lead to more intervention.
The important thing is not feel pushed into something you don't want. This shouldn't be anything to do with your family. Lulumamas post is excellent - it gets across the idea of a heirarchy of pain relief - as she says, there are so many less invasive methods and you may surprise yourself with how well you cope. One thing I would say is that an epi will definitely make for a more medicalised birth, as it's in a different league from other forms of pain relief, needing an anaesthetist and careful monitoring etc.Ultimately, as everyone knows, there are no medals for coping with the pain, HOWEVER I don't think I've ever felt such a sense of achievement as I did after giving birth to my dcs on just G and A. Good luck!

MrsTittleMouse · 26/02/2007 23:33

I had the opposite; intervention and therefore an epi. I'd laboured very actively without pain relief, but when my large OP DD got stuck, I was happy to have an epi, as the "natural" way wasn't working anyway. There was no way I wanted induction without more pain relief! But the MW told me that if I hadn't laboured so actively, and pushed so hard, then I'd have had a C-section.
BTW, the epi was complete bliss, I went from raving loony to laughing and joking with the MWs.

NadineBaggott · 26/02/2007 23:40

I had one with gas and air, episiotomy and forceps
one with epidural, episiotomy and Keillands rotation
one with epidural and episiotomy

twinsetandpearls · 26/02/2007 23:45

had gas and air and then epidural, giving birth was a complete bliss until the epidural stopped working but only hurt for about 14mins when dd was born. Did tear but was sewn up and felt no pain.

Very bad pain the next day though, but would do epidural again. I was determined not to ahve an epidural but was glad I did.

hana · 26/02/2007 23:46

yup - me
dd1 had epidural and didn't need forceps/ventouse/episiotomy. I had to push for a while, but didn't even need stitches.
dd2 didn't have one
dd3 had eipdural fairly soon before she was born, didn't really feel effects, but again, no intervention, she practially popped out!

you don't have to feel the pain to have a good birth experience and there are no prizes for it. see how it goes, the epidural is always a choice you can make when you get there. it isn't all bad

BrummieOnTheRun · 27/02/2007 08:38

yep, I had trouble free epidural with my first birth.

however, I took a couple of 'precautions'. I insisted on being propped with pillows onto my left side to sleep - refused to spend any time on my back except for quick examinations - and also insisted they hoist me over the bed headboard to push so gravity could help. (that was a bit of a fight but worth it).

personally, I think an epidural can be a great way of regaining your energy before the 2nd stage if you've been in labour hours/days. I managed without anything 2nd time around, but it was a MUCH shorter labour (6hrs vs 32hrs).

theprecious · 27/02/2007 09:30

stupid question - what's a ventouse? And are they bad?

hana · 27/02/2007 09:34

Ventouse is a vacuum device used to assist the delivery of a baby when labour has not progressed adequately. It is an alternative to a forceps delivery. It is not usually used when the baby is in the breech position or for premature births. This technique is also called vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery.

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