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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Birth stories with an Epidural?

44 replies

Canttouchthiss · 23/01/2019 18:48

I’m currently 32 weeks pregnant (first pregnancy) and I’m currently writing out a birth plan.
For some reason I don’t feel nervous at all, maybe because I don’t know what to expect?
I’m definitely considering an Epidural as I don’t want the pains of childbirth to traumatize me!
I understand you cannot get the Epidural straight away so you do of course have to go through some pain!
But I want to hear some stories of women who had the Epidural..

Did it make labour easier?
Was it worth it?
Would you do it again ?

OP posts:

LuluBellaBlue · 23/01/2019 18:52

I had an epidural completely unplanned and was firmly anti them (prior to PFB!)
However I was distressed, baby was distressed, there were concerns, we were spine to spine and I’d been in labour for over 48 hours.

It was the best thing ever after that! I sat chatting away, could feel contractions but no pain and my son was born to me bursting out laughing as my mum told me to wait and stop pushing as my sister had nearly arrived and she didn’t want her to miss it!
So overall a wonderful experience

Nicecupofcoco · 23/01/2019 18:53

Yes, yes and yes!
A thousand times over!
My LO was back to back, I found it very painful! Was such a relief when the epidural kicked in.
Good luck 🍀

cosmicgirl97 · 23/01/2019 18:53

In answer to those 3 questions:
Yes
Yes
Yes
(x2DC)

But everyone's experience is very different.

NataliaOsipova · 23/01/2019 18:56

Agree with cosmicgirl! Yes, yes and yes. Ask for it as soon as you go in and stick to your guns about wishing to have one!

Racecardriver · 23/01/2019 18:58

Ive had two children. One with an epidural one without. The first thing I will say is that the pain of your cervix dilating is far far worse than the pain of child birth.

EPIDURAL
So with the epidural I didn’t feel any pain at all but could just about feel the contractions so I knew when to push.

NO EPIDURAL
Without the epidural I could feel everything down to my son’s shoulders being born. I also didn’t need to push because I could feel that my body was doing it itself I’m not sure whether this was the case during the epidural birth.

blacktree · 23/01/2019 18:59

I had to have the hormone drip, very anti epidural before I went in but got to the point where I literally couldn't cope anymore. I'd do it again and a lot sooner next time. I suffered for hours for no reason really.

Racecardriver · 23/01/2019 19:01

Sorry, to answer your questions:
No, I was less aware of what was going on
Neither here nor there, it didn’t cost me much and I didn’t gain much
I was going to buy didn’t get round to it. If I had another child I would only get one if I could have it at the very beginning of labour so that I didn’t have to endure the dilation pain

ElliePhillips · 23/01/2019 19:03

Only had one baby. Had an unplanned epidural (followed a few hours later by an emergency C section).

Epidural was the most wonderful thing I've ever had. Four years later I'm still a bit in love with the doctor who administered it!

LordPickle · 23/01/2019 19:09

I had an unplanned epidural as I was induced when my waters broke. I would do it again for sure, I could feel enough to push but nothing else. Also I didn't need any intervention and didn't need stitches.

Original poster

Canttouchthiss · 23/01/2019 19:20

Thank you ladies! Your stories sound very positive which puts my mind at ease!
Of course nobody’s birth goes as planned but I really do wish to have the Epidural.
Hopefully fingers crossed I can get one as soon as I can when in labour.

OP posts:

Rosieposie9 · 23/01/2019 19:21

I was very anti epidural before my first baby was born a few weeks ago and was adamant I didn't want one. After 3 days in labour in agony and totally exhausted the midwife recommended I had one and it was a complete game changer! I managed to sleep for the first time in days and was just woken up when it was time to push. Couldn't feel anything including contractions so had to be told when to push and ended up going to theatre for forceps but this was mostly due to impatience of the midwife and doctor that baby didn't come quick enough. Baby was back to back and was coming in her own time, 2 pushes later and she was out and I didn't feel any pain at all. Would totally recommend it to anyone and I was completely against it beforehand.

Alyosha · 23/01/2019 19:24

My epidural was the most blissful moment of my life! I got to 10pm and oushed for 1.5 hrs without one. After having it ds2 descended more than 1.5 hrs of active pushing!

thismeansnothing · 23/01/2019 19:28

Did it make labour easier?
Yes ! I was on a ctg monitor and while they did their best to allow me be mobile they kept losing the trace so wanted me on the bed which was just excruciating. But it allowed me to kind of lie down for a bit and get a bit of rest (had been in labour for 14hr at this point both at home and hospital)

Was it worth it?
Mixed feelings. Yes as it made the pain go away! However it gave me THE WORST HEADACHE i have ever experienced. Also I needed an emergency section and there wasn't the time to top the epidural up so had to have a general anaesthetic so me and DH were robbed of the experience of seeing DD be born.

Would you do it again ?
Absolutely. There's no point being in a martyr, if your in pain and there's something there for you to take it then take it. There's no awards for doing without!

MaryH90 · 23/01/2019 19:33

I had an epidural and thought it made the labour itself much easier. However I got a spinal headache following the labour (spinal fluid leaked out of my back due to the epidural being administered incorrectly). That was a terrible experience but fixed within a week and I will still be having another for my next baby. Be aware that if you have persistent and severe pain in your neck/head following the procedure that it may be a spinal headache. We had to push for diagnosis because the staff were adamant that I had just pulled a muscle in my neck. Risk is fairly low though, most common figure I’ve seen is 1 in 500

Spam88 · 23/01/2019 19:46

I came out of my antenatal classes more convinced than ever that I wasn't going to have an epidural. More than 24 hours after my contractions started, having been transferred to the ward, I was really struggling to cope with the pain and I was completely exhausted, so the doctor recommended I have one. My only regret is not having it sooner - why on earth did I pointlessly suffer for all those hours before?? Took about 10 minutes to kick in and then contractions were totally painless (could still feel them though). Natural delivery (albeit a very long pushing phase). Would definitely ask for one next time if the contractions start off as painful as they did this time.

Spam88 · 23/01/2019 19:47

Oh and like a PP, I had a good nap as well.

YoureAMeanOneMrGrinch · 23/01/2019 19:53

I didn't plan on having an epidural but after they broke my waters the pain was too much, it was like having cramp in my entire body. I'd been awake all night so went for it.

I had the epidural at about 7:30, I managed to snooze for about an hour and a half in and out and then my son was born at 11:05.

I could still feel some contractions but it helped me be more "in the room" during labour.

gentlyscented · 23/01/2019 20:00

I had an epidural with my first 17 years ago. My back was fucked from day one. I've had 4 other births since then and opted out of having it again. Worse decision I ever made. Wish I could turn the clock back

Original poster

Canttouchthiss · 23/01/2019 21:57

@gentlyscented
Oh no that sounds awful! That’s the one thing that scares me the most because I hear it can leave back pain for life.
I’m guessing that’s why some women want to do it without an Epidural?

OP posts:

needsleepzzz · 23/01/2019 22:03

Never wanted one but had to, after 2hrs pushing baby was getting nowhere and was very distressed, they did epidural more in case i needed a c section, in the end episiotomy and forceps,
If i have another i'll still try without an epidural. Wasn't a fan of not knowing what was going on, being told when to push and not knowing if i was pushing.

fedupandlookingforchange · 23/01/2019 22:06

I was keen to avoid an epidural as DM had had one and did give her a lot of back ache just after birth and still does if she does a lot of gardening (she just avoids gardening). By the time I got to needing the drip in a very long labour I was prepared to take the risk. I had no problems ( my back is fine ) at all and when it came to the emcs they just topped it up.

LashesZ · 23/01/2019 22:14

I had an epidural as part of my forceps delivery. I have quite a curved spine (lordosis?) so it took two anaesthetists to have a go but once that sucker was in it was a gamechanger.

gentlyscented · 24/01/2019 10:03

@Canttouchthiss
I was young (17) and wasn't fully aware of the complications, they offered it to me and I took it. Everyday I wake up and the pains there and it never goes away, some days are worse than others , but when it's bad I have to lay flat and take pain killings it's awful.

I know loads of women that have had an epidural and been fine though so I guess it's 50/50.

Spam88 · 24/01/2019 10:28

The risk of that is certainly far less than 50/50.

ecuse · 24/01/2019 10:42

I had them with both labour, both times because I was induced and not dilating and needed syntocinon drip.

On balance, positive experience both times in the sense that the pain just....stopped and I got to sleep and rest after hours of pointless painful contractions.

It didn't affect my ability to push either time: in fact my first was born in 3 pushes and my second in 5!

Second one I had one of those self-dosing buttons to use to top myself up and in my slightly delerious state I misunderstood their instructions that I could top up up to every 10 minutes (if needed) as I should press the button every 10 minutes to keep it topped up. So I gave myself an enormous dose and it made me all shivery and jittery and immobilised me to the extent I needed help to roll over. With my first I had been pain free and mobile - able to walk to the toilet etc which was fabulous. So - brief your birth partner to listen to, and make sure you have correctly understood, instructions when you have one .

Good luck!

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