Epidural

[kensington09]

Hi,

I am pregnant with my second and am thinking about the birth.

With my first I didn't have any pain relief and it hurt!

So this time I'm thinking about different pain reliefs available.

I was wondering about an epidural. Pros / Cons, and what exactly do you still feel once you have had one?

If anyone could advise and put my mind at ease I'd be very grateful

If you look at labourpains.com you’ll find the obstetric anaesthetics association’s information card for epidurals. This is what’s given to all our patients requesting an epidural and lists the pros/cons. HTH a bit.

That's a great link @greybeardy !

Anecdotally, I was terrified of having one but after several days of failed induction and the drip going in I asked for epidural at the same time. It was a great decision for me, absolutely no problem having it put in (as was barely in labour so was able to sit still), I had a top-up button to use as required, so I let it drop down to the base level for pushing, at which I could feel the pressure but not the pain. I had been really ill during labour and the epidural allowed me to rest and let that treatment work whilst my body got on with dilating but I'd hope that was quite unusual and wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Recovery wise, I think my legs came back to me about 6 hours later all in all. I did end up with forceps and episiotomy which is likely due to the epidural but it may have been needed anyway, and the epidural meant I didn't really bother about it at that point anyway (they only turned DD slightly and gave her a bit of hand, did it in the delivery room).

I certainly wouldn't be adverse to having another one if need be but as you know every birth is different.

@Greybeardy thanks - I'll take a look at that now

Thanks @Heyha, that's another thing I'm worried about if it will increase the chances of needing forceps or anything else, which may not happen if I didn't do that. But as you say it could happen anyway. I'm just so undecided at the moment!

Last time was really straight forward, just painful!

Any other experiences - good / bad, would you do it again? Or was their different pain relief methods you preferred?

I had one and it was great. Complete pain relief which was just what I wanted.

They wouldn’t give me one with my first. And it was agony and really traumatic.

The second time as soon as they mentioned the drip, I demanded an epidural! It was great, no pain, could just feel pressure.

I’d 1000% get one if I was ever having another baby.

I had one and I would never again. I had to have ventouse which I think is likely down to the epidural. I couldn’t feel my legs for literally 12 hours afterwards. I had an awful headache and still get that headache now years later (it’s very distinctive and I never had it before so I’m sure it’s due to the epidural) . My births without epidural were, for me, much better.

Hiya,
I was induced and later asked for the epidural. If you want an epidural they have to take bloods and see if the bloods are all okay to do it, so I had to wait two hours for that result. I had it done first time but after half hr I said I could still feel a lot so it clearly didn't work, so I had to have it done again, so from asking to getting it done properly it was 4/5 hrs later.

It stings when they put it in and if you're contracting like I was it was so hard to keep still, but they are there to help. Once it's done (properly) you'll feel the sensation and then they spray you with a very cold spray in certain areas to see if you can feel it! I couldn't feel the spray at all second time around I could only feel it from my chest up.

I'm glad I did it as I was able to relax and get some sleep whilst they were waiting for me to dilate enough to push. Unfortunately for me, I had to have assistance and forceps/episiotomy was needed as baby wouldn't come out after pushing for 2 1/2 hrs. With epidural of course you can't feel your contractions, so I was relying on the midwife to tell me when I was, so that's when I needed to push but it was so weird as I didn't have the feeling to push so I was getting frustrated and exhausted!

Recovery wise I can't remember how long it took for me to get feeling back but I do remember my lower back felt very bruised for a week not sure if that was due to epidural or not 🤔

Hope this helps x

I had an epidural and no cons for me. It's a gift of science.

I had two completely medication free births and one epidural.

I would do the epidural again a thousand times over. I had a very positive experience. Aside from having to stay bent over and very still at an exact angle while having contractions, there was no bad bit. I didn't feel crazy pain when the needle was inserted. I pressed a button every now and then and I was entirely pain free.

At push time, I felt a pressure like I needed to poo and pushed as normal (this is obviously helped by having pushed before so I knew how to push like you).

Removal was super easy. Worst part was the catheter which was 2 seconds of stinging on removal.

I had an epidural and it was amazing. My daughter was back to back and then half turned, and the pain was indescribable. It took about 18 hours from the start of contractions to get to 1cm, and about 9 of those hours I was beyond agony and screaming the place down. The midwife on antenatal tried to fob me off with paracetamol, then codeine, and finally pethidine which made me feel completely out of it and out of control, but still in pain. I was finally moved to the labour ward and given an epidural - I had real trouble holding still for it because I was in such agony- and everything changed. I relaxed, was chatting and eating Haribo, and I went up to 10cm and pushing within 4-5 hours. I think my body relaxed and finally did what it needed to do. The only side effect I had was a shaky leg. I could feel my legs and walk again within a few hours. I could also feel pressure when it came to pushing.
I did need ventouse and forceps, but that’s because of DD’s position - there was no way she was coming out on her own. She also started to get distressed and I started to bleed, and they think I was having a placental abruption - so time was of the essence. That was nothing to do with the epidural though. I think it’s the most amazing thing since sliced bread.

Two things to add- gas and air did nothing for me- in that I felt no different at all - to the point where I wonder if the canister was actually working. And the labour ward I was on has a policy that all women should be given an epidural within 25 minutes of asking for one. I wish I’d been moved from ante natal a lot sooner frankly.

I absolutely loved my epidurals! I've given birth 5 times and had epidurals with 1, 2 and 4.

3 and 5 I didnt because they were only 2hr long labours. With #5 I absolutely wanted pain relief as there was no break between contractions, but no Time and thankfully it was over quickly.

Dd1 was induced, back to back, ventouse but babies 2 & 4, my deliveries were straightforward and unassisted. I was able to go home the same day with both of them.

I couldn't feel pain but I could feel them moving down and I felt the pressure to push.

I was set against having one but after nearly 2 days of labour and dilation not progressing (so the pain didn't feel productive which made it psychologically harder I think) the pain was too much - couldn't drink/wee/eat and I asked for an epidural....was amazing and because they knew I wanted to push but wasn't progressing I also had a drip to help dilate me further and they turned the epidural down towards the end so I could feel my pushing urges and do it on my own. I honestly had a great birth at the hospital with the epidural. I thought I'd be scared as well of the idea of a needle in the back but wasn't by that point as it was definitely 10x less painful than labour

I had one and had no issues afterwards. Took all the pain away which was great.

I also had morphine before I went to epidural but morphine didn’t take all pain away

Gas and air didn't touch the sides for me.
Epidural any day, absolute magic!!!
A sting when it goes in but I was puffing on gas and air and two lovely midwives infront of me making sure I was ok!
I did need an episiotomy and forceps but that was due to cord around his neck. So I'm actually really pleased I had.
No issues afterwards, I would have it again 100%

The only thing I would say is, try get it earlier than later.

Gas and air didn't touch me. I held off until I was in agony over contracting as I was on the drip. I was 8cm.

Because I was contracting so much, I couldn't keep still and ended up with a Dural tap 🤦🏼‍♀️

Oh, I also didn't need ant assistance with delivery other than an episiotomy. First baby too :)

Thanks everyone, it's really helpful reading all these different experiences.

I think because I know what is coming this time I'm more worried than with baby number 1 & I didn't think I would be!

I'm going to speak to my midwife at the next appointment, and see what she says too. It seems like more of you have had positive experiences than negative which is great.

Thanks for helping

I sometimes describe my epidural as the best decision I've ever made! I was induced and it turned my birth experience into one that was very positive... Even enjoyable! I didn't need an instrumental delivery, had a few stitches but obviously couldn't feel them - and recovered really well. I wouldn't hesitate to have the same again.

@SamuelWhiskey that sounds ideal! And would be what I'd hope for but am worried incase anything goes wrong. But then if I do it with no pain relief again, and I get to the point of it really hurting & it then being too late to have anything I'll be kicking myself!

I had one with every birth. They were the best thing ever. They made my labours progress faster because I was no longer fighting the pain. I was still able to push effectively because the sensation was still there but not the pain.

I didn't have one but still want to share my story sort of as a counter balance. I requested one at 8cm - my birth plan ideally wanted to avoid one unless I needed a non-emergency instrumental delivery - but by 8cm with no pain relief at all I was in agony. They refused, saying I wouldn't be able to sit for it. They offered G&A instead - didn't do anything and made me vomit instantly every time I breathed it in. Then I had diamorphine which was very helpful and effective.

Eventually I pushed for over 2 hours after a 30hr labour and my baby was suspected small for gestational age (she ultimately wasn't but they didn't know that). So I ultimately had a ventouse delivery and episiotomy as I was exhausted and they were worried about compromising my daughter. This was hideously painful because I had no functioning pain relief - I think I had a pudendal block but it didn't work, and the diamorphine had worn off many hours ago. Then I had my episiotomy stitched up with local anesthetic which also didn't work. So I had an instrumental delivery and stitching with no pain relief. It was awful and gave me PTSD. If I'd had an epidural I would have avoided all of that, regardless of whether I'd have had the instrumental or not. And also as my story shows, plenty of women have instrumentals without an epidural anyway especially first time mothers. I'd imagine your risk of this is much much lower as a second time mother too.

Had an epidural for my first and second. With my first, I didn't have it until I'd been in labour 12+ hours and I was just so exhausted from the pain I became desperate. I did need forceps for that birth but I was honestly so exhausted, I wonder if the outcome would have been any different if I I hadn't, I think maybe not? With my second, I decided to have the epidural before I became exhausted and it was so much better. No pain but I could feel contractions so was able to push fine and after 29 minutes of pushing dc 2 arrived! My advice is if you think you want it, don't wait too long to get it!