Epidural questions

[Heatherbaby]

Hi ladies

A few questions for ladies who have had epidurals:

• did it hurt?
• could you feel when to push?
• could you still feel pain or discomfort?
• did the birth result in any intervention?
• would you recommend it?

I had a drug free water birth with DD last year. It was ok, but giving birth in an area where the water may not be an option and I'm bricking it for a dry land birth. I used to be scared of the needle bit after the birth last year, I had to have a spinal tap anyway to get a 3rd degree tear repaired and the numbness was bliss and the injection I barely remember so I was thinking wtf did I just do a natural labour for when I could have had this?! But i may have been high on birth hormones so would like to hear your experiences.

Thanks in advance x

I had the type that means you can still walk around. I managed to still actively push out a 10lb+ baby with no intervention. It didn’t stop the ring of fire which made me feel a bit cheated though

I wouldn't recommend it.
It didn't work for me. Half of my body was numb the other half wasn't. I could still feel everything but was immobile. It was horrid.
Nobody warned me that it might not work.

I had one with my first. The Labour pains were so bad I didn't even feel the needle! Lots of intervention, ventouse, episiotomy talk of csection but eventually they got her out with forceps. But I think she was stuck anyway so it made fit have nothing to do with the epidural. Mine only worked on one side but they gave me more and then I felt nothing.

I wouldn't recommend but I know some people have lovely labours with epidural. I had (still occasionally have) pain in my back at the needle site. I was determined not to have one the second time round and DC2 was born on dry land as you say and it was a wonderful experience! Second Labours tend to be easier so if you managed your first drug free you'll probably be totally fine! Plus they tend to come quicker second time round so you might not have the option for an epi. Best of luck regardless OP!

I was induced and the contractions were just too much so asked for an epidural. Didn't hurt going in whatsoever. I could still feel pressure and when was having a contraction but it didn't hurt, I could also still move my legs in a heavy fashion. I'd highly recommend one!!

I had the drip induction and the midwife strongly advised an epidural. I could still feel the contractions but they didn't hurt. I had a load of monitors and a drip so wouldn't have been able to move about anyway.

“Half of my body was numb the other half wasn't.”

That’s what happened with my first one - that’s why I needed the top up.

I couldn't feel anything I just pushed like I was pretending to have a poo,I had to have ventouse

The problem with the gas and air is apparently you breathe it out again, no problem for you but is causing toxic levels for the midwives who have shift after shift of exposure this is leading to fertility problems and miscarriages.

I was adamant I didn’t want one to the point I put off induction by 24 hours after ruptured membranes, a foolish decision on my part as I ended up in sceptic shock half way through labour, but that’s another story. The pain of the Syntocinon drip was like nothing I’ve ever experienced and I was screaming for an epidural after 4 hours of managing with no relief. I would advise anyone getting induced to have the epidural in before they even start. After I had it I was able to relax my body enough and I progressed from 3cm to 10 cm in 2 hours (before I had progressed 1 cm in 4 hours). I could still feel contractions. The epidural didn’t hurt going in at all. My 8lbs 6 6 baby was born vaginaly with no intervention and minimal tearing ( impressive considering I had 2nd degree tear with 1st 6lbs 5 baby). For me it was the most positive thing about my whole birth. I just wish I hadn’t formed such a fear of them before hand. I would have been indicted willingly much sooner and possibly wouldn’t have become infected (although I will never know for sure of course).

*induced

These are really interesting stories, thanks ladies for sharing. I’m not planning an epidural, but staying open minded as it’s my first and I don’t know how I’ll cope with the pain or if I might have a long labour.
I wonder if I could jump in and ask a follow-up question please? I’ve heard they won’t let you eat or drink if you’ve had an epidural. Was that the case for you, and if so, did it bother you? Were you hungry during labour anyway, and how many hours did you go without food or drink?

I couldn't feel my belly, vagina or legs but could still feel the SPD pain in my hips, which became excruciating during pushing. I couldn't feel to push and got told off by the midwife for not doing it properly (I was trying!). Ended up with EMCS because DS wasn't moving down the birth canal - I don't know if that's because I wasn't pushing properly or because he was huge. I opted for ELCS the second time around.

• did it hurt?

Not at all, I was induced with a drip as previous poster stated it makes the contractions a lot stronger so by the time the epidural came I was ready for it!

• could you feel when to push?

No I couldn't and had to be told by mw

• could you still feel pain or discomfort?

None at all, think I fell asleep at one point!

• did the birth result in any intervention?

No just a 2nd degree tear and blood transfusion after birth but can't put that down to epidural I don't think?

• would you recommend it?

Yes I would, especially if you are induced with the drip

you can't eat or drink ?? I honestly can't remember this but don't think it bothered me either way!

• did it hurt? no - but then again I was in labour, I don't think I would have noticed anything past the pain of contractions

• could you feel when to push? no, I had to be told when to push but some hospitals offer mobile epidurals

• could you still feel pain or discomfort? no, it was heavenly.

• did the birth result in any intervention? I had to have light forcep use - didn't get any cuts though just light graze.

• would you recommend it? Yes, my labours are always too quick for one so if I could chose one I would in a heartbeat.

For slight background - I had an epidural because I got to 10cm and the doctor decided her head wasn't going to come down the birth canal, she slipped down once I'd had the epidural and was prepped for a section, the forceps were used because she still needed a bit of help and not because of the epidural.

Not hungry during labour in the slightest, appetite took a few hours to come back afterwards. I have quick labours though - 5 hours was the longest, I can imagine if you've been laboring for 12+ hours you might hungry but you wouldn't have an epidural in for that amount of time.

I had an epidural.

I didn't feel a thing apart from the first little needle they used to numb me and that was nothing at all. I have a low pain threshold and didn't feel anything else after that first.

You don't feel pain but feel pressure.

I had an emergency cesarean.

I should say that the emergency cesarean was in no way related to the epidural.

As far as I remember they didn't tell me not to eat and drink after the epidural (maybe it's different if you're further along when you have it?) I definitely had a drink, not sure I was interested in food by then.

I had a drip induction which was 2 hours of continual pain where I just retreated into myself and couldn't speak. I've a pretty high pain threshold - I can manage fillings without anaesthetic but this was something else- the pain was all in my back. I was strongly advised by mw to get an epidural as their monitors told them nothing was happening and my contractions were crap and I'd be hours. They didn't check me- just assumed I was at 4cm probably because the chief anaesthetist was clocking off and did it as a favour so they didn't want to hold him back.

So I got one- I don't remember it hurting at all, compared to the pain I was in they could've chopped my arms off and I wouldn't have noticed. They had to re-site it because it only worked down one side- btf I would've happy with that.
Then 10 minutes later DS heartrate disappeared. They topped me up to take me to theatre for emergency CS - but then checked and I was fully dilated. So I'd gone 2-10 in 2 hours. They got forceps and by that stage DS was making his own way down and they could see the head was there, so I pushed- fine even after 3 top ups, they pulled and DS was out.
I thank the gods to this day that they gave me that epidural before they checked me. They wouldn't have if they'd known I was fully dilated and then the horror of episiotomy and forceps without any pain relief as it was a 'get him out now job'. The forceps were due to DS having the cord round his neck a few times so for me the epidural helped rather than caused problems.

Gosh so many interesting and varied experiences. Childbirth is such that its almost impossible to plan for any type of birth as you just don't knoe what hand you will be dealt when the time comes! I.e. cord around the neck or awkward positioned baby!

You guys are champions though. I wanted to minimise risks but because I had the 3rd degree tear as previously mentioned, I was going down the "there's no prizes for doing it without drugs" mentality this time!

I hope, as a kind poster mentioned, the second one for me is so quick i don't have to make these decisions here's hoping!

Ps. @Yorkshirebee I'm not sure about the food and drink rule with an epidural, I would hazard a guess that it's because you're not allowed food or drink before surgery and there's a risk of c sec after the epi?

Either way, with my first birth, I didn't have an appetite at all anyway in between contractions. I think I barely managed a few squirts of Lucozade sport in my mouth by DH (when he managed to wrestle the G&A from my vice like grip).

Had 3. No they didn't hurt - taking the sticky tape off afterwards OMG!
Total lifesaver 1st with dd as she was stuck and intervention was a must so the epidural was to facilitate that. Felt pressure but no pain despite a forceps delivery and a theatre that looked like a psycho shower scene.
2nd was with my twins, had a normal delivery for twin 1, twin 2 turned awkwardly and they needed to do a emcs - simply topped up the drugs, no faffing about and last with dinky dd was emcs as they couldn't induce (complicated history). It wore off quickly, I was up and pottering within hours, basic sensation and movement returned quite quickly.

I was induced and started off with a TENS machine and rocking chair. 12 hours later I was getting contractions every 90 seconds and was 1cm dilated, at this point most with regular contractions would be close to birth. I tried pethadine which was great, I could still feel what was happening but couldn't care less.

Fast forward another 10 hours, tried gas and air, which didn't suit me so I had an Epidural.

In answer to your questions:

I don't remember it hurting at all

I had long protracted birth and had anesthetist wouldn't top up the epidural any more, and I could feel a sort of bruising sensation so I pushed then. Midwife was really good at supporting me as well with pushing.

I didn't feel any pain, only when it started to wear off, luckily they can top it up so many times.

At 36 hours the surgical team were called in as baby was distressed (which was probably down to length of labour and being induced 3 weeks early rather than epidural), but I had two teams in with me and they saw me through giving birth. I was very tired at the end and kept falling asleep (despite the fact I could feel bruising) but my team and baby team stayed and got me through to the end. I gave birth naturally.

In my circumstances I'd have it again. The nursing staff that saw me through labour were brilliant by the way and so supportive.

I had one with my first birth. I'd been induced, baby was back to back and I had preeclampsia and couldn't really move. I'd been on the drip for 6 hours and got to4cm. Epidural went in and I was 10cm less than an hour later.

I don't remember it hurting going in but it was hard to sit still during contractions.

It took away the pain for me but I could feel a vague pressure and the midwife helped with when to push. I did have an episiotomy but that was probably the back to back baby as it happened again with dc2.

I'd planned to have one second time too especially when I was put on the drip and baby was back to back again! But it all happened so quickly there wasn't time for one! So you might not need one after all!

To me an epidural is proof miracles do exist, like the miracle of pain free childbirth (once administered).

I was having my worst contractions when they put it in so the pain of the needle if there was any I didn't notice. Just something cold.

I wouldn't give birth again without one unless I had no choice even then I might just try holding my legs shut.

I pushed when they could see her head was quite far down and they verbally guided it. I could feel the pressure of the pushing and her coming out but no pain.

I had 1 second degree tear of the perineum, 2 first degree tears elsewhere. Unfortunately being numb doesnt seem to prevent tearing but it did mean I was still numb when they stitched me up and she gave me an additional suppository for pain that lasted another 16 hours.

I didn't feel doped up like I did with the gas and air which didn't help with pain at all just made me act and talk in a stupid way.