Is an epidural always necessary when you’re induced?

[sonyaya]

I’m keen to manage childbirth without an epidural if I can because I’m scared of forceps etc (but to be clear I’m not suggesting there is anything wrong with an epidural and am open minded about the fact I might feel I need one).

However it’s now looking likely I might have to be induced. I know that induced labours are more painful. Has anyone managed an induced labour without an epidural or shall I just cut my losses and ask for one at the earliest possible stage?

I had an induction with dc1 and got an epidural. Basically was back to back and very high up and it was an incredibly long and painful labour.

With dc3 was booked for induction but they were able to break my waters. No pessary or drip necessary and no epidural.

Personally if I knew it was going to be a long labour I'd have one again but your mw should guide you. Mine recommended it with my first

I had 2 induced labours neither with epidural, even though I bloody begged for one both times
Very quick once it got going, but doable 7 hour labours both times, no forceps

I was induced with just gas and air and pethadine. I was adamant I didn't want an epidural beforehand . I didn't feel I needed one anyway

No. I was induced with second baby and just had G&A and pethidine. It was tough going but I was happier not to have an epidural. Tbh I’d have preferred not to have the pethidine either but that was only due to complications with DS when he was born.

I was induced without anything - not even gas and air. I wouldn't recommend it tbh but it's not impossible.

It might depend what sort of induction it is. From my own experience the pessary induction was much less painful than the syntocin drip induction.

I wasn't allowed an epidural for medical reasons, but would have had one for the drip if I could (as they turn the bloody dosage up so high). The induction with pessary was totally manageable levels of discomfort.

It’s possible, it depends a bit on how well the induction goes and how well you cope with the pain. One induction with epidural with dc1, one induction with no epidural for dc2, no forceps or c sections for either.

You’ll know when you get there, and the staff have been through all of the permutations of births that can happen many times.

I was induced and there was no way I couldve done it without the epidural. It was amazing. And the pain from my induction was very different to how normal labour pains are described. There was no break between contractions (that I could feel) and it did not build up but was extremely painful straight away when they put in the pessary.
However all women react differently so you might not find it as painful. the woman having hers done at the same time as me did not go into labour at all from the pessary and so felt nothing. Apparently in some cases it can take a lot of time to kick in and do so gradually so I presume in those cases the pain may be easier to take as it would build up.

Id also add that despite having an epidural which did work and stopped me feeling pain, I could also move both my legs and feel enough to push. Pushed baby out with no forceps or anything. So I would not worry too much as although it does increase the risk of needing forceps or similar, many woman can still deliver 'naturally' with an epidural.

Ive been induced twice. First time all I got was 2 paracetamol. Second time I got an epidural which was great until they switched it off. That one was back to back and no one realised until I begged them to use the vacuum cup or give me a c section. So they used the vacuum and then were surprised when she came out looking up.

I was induced and had to have epidural. I too was adamant I was having gas and air- I tired myself out on just gas and air for two hours and realised that I could not manage without anything else. Tried pethidine- didn't touch the sides. Had an epidural- much better, The top up was ineffective, as was the second. As was the epidural for the cesarean.
I think it depends how fast they put the drip on, I know they turned mine up quite a bit as I was not dilating very fast and this will effect the need for different drugs. I knew I was going to have a c section anyhow and 12 hours later the dr finally agreed.

I would recommend the epidural. I was on the drip for about 10 hours before cracking and begging for an epidural. The pain was continuous and awful and I'd only dilated 3cm in all that time. Ended up with a section the following morning which was actually straightforward and great. Good luck.

I was induced with the drip and was offered an epidural at the same time. Declined it to begin with, but I took the epidural after a couple of hours and didn't regret it! I found the syntocinon contractions very painful and knew they were going to ramp it up many more notches, so didn't feel I would cope without the pain relief. I was still able to push, no forceps or anything. Pretty good birth all things considered.

Induced twice. No epidural as they missed the window for one both times.

Depends what you mean by induced. Pessaries/gels/waters broken to get labour kick-started then yes it's absolutely possible to get through without an epidural, if the labour takes hold and you can bash on. On the drip? A lot less likely. They double the dose every half hour. I managed about 10 hours on the drip and then got an epidural and to be perfectly honest I count that as amongst one of the best decisions I've ever made

I was induced, it was nothing like the horror stories I was told, 7 hours after my first pessary my son was born with just gas and air 😊

When you have been induced the contractions start coming very quickly and painfully, so you might be glad of the epidural.
I had both, but only because twins and I had to be ready for c section just in case.
Be wary of taking the epidural, it can cause back problems for a long time afterwards.
On the other hand, it does make birth delightfully pain-free....

4 inductions, 3 with epidurals 1 without all unassisted deliveries despite 2 of them being 2 day events and needing ARM.

I wasn't allowed one in my second labour as I had HELLP syndrome I was only allowed morphine (which done nothing!!). I was begging for one the full labour which was only about 7 or 8 hours. I had an epidural first labour although I wasn't induced but I was given a drip to speed up my contractions. I found it really difficult second time round without the epidural.

I was induced with DS1 and didn't have an epidural. I really hate needles and didn't really even consider one. I didn't need forceps or ventouse either. It was painful but I managed with gas and air. I didn't need the drip though, just the pessary. Good luck!

I was induced and I no pain medication at all what so ever. (Not through choice btw but when the midwife eventually saw me it was too late) so you won't neccesarily need it. I can't say whether induced births are more painful as I've only had one baby so nothing to compare it to. It did go fast from my waters breaking to having him thoigh!

I had a drip induction (pessary did nothing) with dd, didn’t need epidural but did have diamorphine and gas and air.

Would be very interesting to know whether those that avoided epidural had the drip or the pessary as the pessary was painless in comparison to the drip.

I think the majority who have the drip beg for an epidural in the end, even if they were adamant they were not going to have one.

I developed some kind of resistance to the epidural and top ups didn't work- the pain was horrendous and it took a while to recover psychologically from the whole experience.

No I had 2 inductions and then just gas and air. It was intense but not prolonged.

I had the pessary.

I've had three inductions. I was set against having an epidural, but when it came to it, felt very differently and was begging for one with two of them.

With the third, I just sailed through with a TENs machine and gas&air. Baby born within two hours of being attached to the drip (no sign of labour prior to that).