Epidural??? Opinions

[Babymumma01]

Hi mums,
Would like your opinions on epidural. Is it as bad and scary as people make out? Or is it complete heaven once given the shot? Being induced & midwife told me the contractions usually hit harder So I’m considering this as pain meds as I’m not good with pain.

Thank you

Loved mine, it was truly heavenly
With DD I didn’t have one and it was horrendous for a variety of reasons but she’s 15 now and I can still remember the pain. I had to go for removal of the placenta afterwards and had a spinal block for that. I thought “ I could have had one of these hours ago” I decided right then that if I was ever having another baby I was having an epidural. 3 years later when go again I mentioned it at every AN appointment I had, I was induced and as soon as possible I reminded them I was having an epidural. The MW tried to do the”you’re doing so well Im sure you dint need one” but I was having none of it. As soon as the needle was in I felt much calmer and just chilled and had a nap until it was time to push (twice) and there he was!
Bear in mind though that my circumstances allowed me to have one and it a good decision for me but of course everyone is different. I would say if you can have one and want one go for it, I had no ill effects and a positive experience

I'm being induced tomorrow at 39 weeks and deffo having the epidural and will be saying on arrival as my pain threshold is total shit 😂 so i'll let you know if thats any help?! Xx

I had an epidural both times and it was great, it's not bad or scary at all.

With my first baby, I ummed and ahhed but decided to have it and it was fine. With my second baby I was starting to lose control from the pain and it was magical.

I was induced after my waters broke and nothing happened for 24 hours. I had the drip and went from nothing to 4cm dilated in 12 hours. I went through all stages of pain relief and used hypnobirthing/breathing techniques but after 12 hours of labouring being stood up I couldn’t have anymore (they had to monitor baby’s heartbeat but because of her position, I could only stand up or lie down, otherwise the monitor couldn’t pick her up. Lying down was so painful that my only option was to stand up hanging onto DH!)

The epidural was the best thing ever. It wasn’t scary or painful, I didn’t feel it being put in and the pain relief was instantaneous. I was able to sleep during the night which was such a relief. It also helped because unfortunately I needed an emergency c section (not related to be induced) and it was much quicker getting me to surgery because I already had it in.

Good luck!

I had one with and one without. I preferred the labour without as I felt more in control but the epidural didn't hurt at all and wasn't scary. They put a local anaesthetic in first so you can't feel the actual epidural. I've had to have a spinal too and that was also fine.

Sorry, should read ‘I couldn’t take any more’

I gave birth 3 times and only had an epidural on the 3rd (years ago and frowned on) and it was so much better, less painful, and less traumatic. Why anyone who can have one but wouldn't is a puzzle to me tbh.

The best thing ever. My labour was not progressing, l was stuck on 6cm for hours, gas and air was making me feel sick, the moment they gave me epidural it was a bliss. It did not feel any different to a normal injection and tbf but that point l was in so much pain already l didn’t even notice when it was all done. I could still walk and push, and required no further intervention. I wish l had it the moment mw offered rather than aiming for all natural birth badge .

I was induced - inserted at 10pm. Almost immediately painful Contractions but basically shushed by the midwives on the ward as others were sleeping and “it can’t be that bad straight away”, and they insisted DH had to go home, so spent the night alone and in silence with increasingly strong period-like pains.

My waters broke at 6am (“I doubt it. What makes you think that?” Um... the popping sensation and the great flood of liquid over the bed and floor, perhaps you patronising woman?) and at 6.30 i got wheeled to a delivery room And put on the drip and IMMEDIATELY asked for an epidural because i’d been awake for 24 hours at that point and knew i couldn’t stand the pain. Couldn’t have one for 3.5 hours because they we waiting on some blood test results, i have no idea what. At 10am they finally said i could have one and the lovely anaesthetist woman came and made my world 200% better

Dd1 was born 12 hours later, and i definitely couldn’t have done it without one - my contractions were so painful everything went grey and i couldn’t hear DH talking to me. No amount of breathing and positive visualisations would have touched the sides. Epidural was amazing.

I was adamant that I didn’t want one, I was terrified at the thought of having a needle in my spine. Then I ended up in hospital being induced for reduced foetal movements and high blood pressure. Everything was ok pain wise until they started the oxytocin drip, it went from 0-100 in an hour. The gas and air didn’t touch the pain and I felt so out of it they asked me if I would consider having an epidural and I agreed straight away. The actual procedure didn’t hurt it’s just strange. It makes your legs very cold but I couldn’t feel any contractions. About 6 hours later and an hour of pushing my daughter was born. If I had to be induced in the future I would have the epidural before the drip is started, they aren’t joking about the pain.

I was induced with the syntocin drip. I managed for about 3 hours without an epidural (midwife did encourage me to have one but in my new mum naivety I wanted to see how it went). I could have probably coped for another hour but she wasn’t born for 12 hours so I’m glad I had it-I was doing a crossword after 5 mins. Second birth I asked for one straight away which helped when I was rushed in for a crash section. (Mother Nature singled me out for shit births it seems).

Had on with my second. It didn't work! I was telling them I could still feel everything but by the time they could get someone back to check it, it was time to push. If you do get one, don't be afraid to let them know if it's not working properly! Sometimes it needs adjusting. I was told that it doesn't always work totally for some women. Some get full pain relief, others varying amounts.

I had an epidural 20 hours in, and it was brilliant. I had sensation in my legs but couldn't feel any pain, i felt powerful and in control and absolutely jubilant. I had the epidural because the gas and air stopped making a dent in the pain, I felt scared and stressed and that wasnt how i wanted to meet my baby. The epidural was brilliant.

I've had a labour with an epidural and a labour without.

With my first I was in early labour for days, and then needed an induction drip to help things progress - the epidural was bliss. I knew I needed it.

With my second it hurt like hell but everything progressed naturally and fairly quickly. I didnt need it, so didnt have it.

I think epidurals are wonderful if you need them. And I would also say if you're having an induction drip, it is much more likely you will need it. There are downsides / risks, which you seem to be aware of, but the positive is it can help you cope if you have a long and painful labour.

I had one with my second after not wanting one and having gas and air and pethedine first time.

I was also induced both times so can't say if contractions are more intense but I generally found my 2nd labour harder and hit a wall around 15 hours in. Once I had the epidural it was much easier on me, actually getting it was tough as you have to stay still even when contracting but when it was done I loved it! I think had the labour been shorter I would have been ok with g&a and hypnobirthing, it was just the tiredness pushed me over the edge.

You can always see how you go and ask for one if you want it. G&a is fab and I'd recommend hypnobirthing too but it's good to accept and acknowledge your birth plan can change.

I’m expecting my first and wondering the same OP. It definitely seems hard to get good information on the link between epidurals and interventions/long term birth injuries. Depending on what you read the epidural either starts the ‘cascade of interventions’ or it has no impact on your labour. Very confusing.
Anecdotally, everyone I know who has been induced on the drip has found the pain of labour impossible to manage without the epidural because the contractions are more intense. Can I ask why you are being induced and whether you’re 100% confident that this is the best option?

I think I'm one of the unlucky ones , as I had a failed epidural before birth and a failed spinal after the birth as I had to have placenta removed - they ended up putting me to sleep ... they punctured my spinal cord though, which resulted in a spinal headache and it absolutely ruined the first week of my babies life. I couldn't lift my head off the pillow!! I couldn't do anything for the baby.
One midwife noticed the signs and insisted an anesthesiologist come back to examine me but they sent me home thinking it would go away.. it did not go away.
I had to go back into hospital and have a blood patch which thankfully worked. I'll never have an epidural or spinal again though .
Although I think what happened to me is very rare, no procedure is without risk. Knowledge is power, do all your research and make your decision based on facts as best as you can. I wish I did more research , I was quite naive. Congratulations and all the best. It really is the most wonderful time

Im also being induced tomorrow !!! X

@FirstTM2020 im also being induced tomorrow! I feel to jus say yes give me the epidural! Why suffer through pain when they have great meds like the epidural to help is through. Just terrified of the needle x

As long as you get it in time for it to work and it does indeed work then absolute heaven

@Babymumma01 aw amazing !! How far on are you and what time are you going in at? X

In my case my waters had broken and I was contracting for over 32 hours before I arrived at the hospital for the induction.

I asked them not to induce me until I had an epidural in place, which is just aswell because it took around 3 hours for an anaesthetist to be available.

Just something to consider as it is easier to sit totally still for the needle before you are having painful contractions.

Also i seen another person post saying scared of having a needle in my back... the needle dosen't stay there its a tiny little plastic tube that stays there, the needle is just to put it in place (sorry if that sounded patronizing and if the other poster and you already knew this) - its the nurse in me sorry!! 🤣 xx

I personally found getting the epidural the worst thing about my labour. Then it didn't work and only froze my legs which meant I still felt everything. I would rather avoid it next time but wouldn't rule it out because you never know what happens in labour

1st one- after 18 hours in labour- felt nothing after- no pain... but one leg didn't 'wake up' for about 12-24 hours afterwards. (Still brilliant)
2nd one- only numbed one side- no matter what they tried, but only 1 side had pain relief. (Brilliantish)
3rd one (insisted before induction) was amazing. Felt no pain, but could feel baby being born. Still find that amazing.

I hate needles. Always said I'd never have an epidural. Then I tried having babies. I'm not good with pain.

By the third, I basically directed them to my spine & said 'no induction till epidural is in'

(If you have sensitive skin or allergies to plasters - Tell the anaesthetist- I had awful rash after the first from the stiff they stuck it all on with)