For those who opted for epidural - how "painless" is it really??

[purpleneon]

For those who had a VB + epidural, is it actually anywhere near "painless" (think I need to stop watching birthing videos & being horrified by the screams!) or still v painful, but just less so than gas & air

FTEngineer why would I be on the moon? I’m in Devon and was at my local hospital . I don’t know if my part of the country is particularly understaffed but during my ‘debrief’ that I requested I was told that although you can request an epidural it’s by no means guaranteed you’ll be able to get one as it depends on the availability of an anaesthetist. It’s the same as pet hiding can’t be given unless it’s signed off by someone with a certain qualification which is why it isn’t available in midwife led units or guaranteed to be given in a set time.

Unfortunately it only worked down one side for me, and then as I had had an epidural I couldn’t have any further pain relief. No one believed me until I was in theatre for an episiotomy and needed it whacked way up!

I think for most it’s wonderful, but there is a chance it doesn’t get done properly. I did feel good between contraction!

It was heaven. I was having contractions for two days before they gave me it.

@biglittleliar
I don't think you are correct, and researchers would account for that sort of thing in their research. Generally the evidence is that epidural increases likelihood of other interventions because it slows down labour, reduces movement and makes pushing less effective as you can't feel when to push.
I'm not saying not to have one, there are pros and cons to every decision in labour, but that it is sensible to read about both the positives and negatives.

It's interesting to me that those saying it was fantastic because they didn't feel the forceps and episiotomy aren't acknowledging that forceps delivery and episiotomy are far more likely if you've had the epidural than if you opt for alternative pain relief.

I think it's wonderful that the epidural exists as pain relief in Labour but it's important to understand how it can affect the birth. That said I don't think Labour âne child birth is the time to make yourself a martyr because it really hurts!

Also, midwives are horrible gatekeepers for pain relief so there's no guarantee they'd allow you to get the epidural even if you beg for it.

It was fucking MAGICAL. First birth ended in EMCS which would have been under general if I hadn’t had an epidural, second was VBAC and again magical.

I'd be interested to see if it's not the epidural as much as the induction that led to the need for instruments- just thinking out loud.

I'm sure my DD would have needed turning anyway because I was induced rather than waiting til she was in position, and the epidural was a 'side show' of the induction, if you see what I mean?

That vs spontaneous births needing forceps would be interesting, I bet it's already out there somewhere but it's Sunday morning so my brain isn't up to that kind of reading today 😂

Be interesting to see as well how instrumental birth rates change now the guidance seems to be coming that you'd just induce anyone for anything (exaggeration)...

@Patapouf

It's interesting to me that those saying it was fantastic because they didn't feel the forceps and episiotomy aren't acknowledging that forceps delivery and episiotomy are far more likely if you've had the epidural than if you opt for alternative pain relief.

I think it's wonderful that the epidural exists as pain relief in Labour but it's important to understand how it can affect the birth. That said I don't think Labour âne child birth is the time to make yourself a martyr because it really hurts!

Also, midwives are horrible gatekeepers for pain relief so there's no guarantee they'd allow you to get the epidural even if you beg for it.

Actually, I don’t think causality is proven. Yes, interventions are more likely after epidural but it’s not clear whether the epidural drives those interventions, or the fact that a women is requesting an epidural in the first place is indicative of a birth that will require action for the safety of mother and baby. If everything’s going fine in clouds of patchouli oil, no women is going to be begging for an epidural. If you’ve got a back to back baby and have been in Labour for 20 hours the situation is rather different!

Mine didn’t really work. I described my contraction pain as 9/10 and it bought it down to maybe a 7/10. Still needed local anaesthetic for episiotomy, forceps & full spinal block for the resulting stitches. However I also got asked if I’d take part in some upcoming clinical research at the hospital as it’s rather rare not to receive the full benefits of an epidural.

For me the epidural brought pretty much 100% pain relief. With my first labour in particular I remember going from a wild, demented animal (well, that's how I felt the pain made me behave), to completely calm and normal.

I had one with DS, following PROM, 7 hours on the drop with no pain relief apart from paracetamol and no sleep for 2 days. DS turned sideways at some point so I was always going to need intervention to get him out safely. Came close to needing CS apparently but it ended with forceps birth, episiotomy and second degree tear. All totally painless including being stitched and I was mentally ‘present’ for the moment DS arrived which was important to me.
It wasn’t without drawbacks - it took days to completely wear off so I struggled to get around for a while, and I’ve had some back pain on and off since too. But if I was in pain I wouldn’t hesitate to have another.

*on the drip, obviously!

Interesting and depressing to hear many women not believed when they told staff epidural hadn’t worked. Made me feel totally helpless and afterwards quite angry - found it hard to get over. Due in 3 weeks with my second and mentally preparing myself to be more forceful this time!

I've had two. Both were a godsend although I hated having them put in.
I did itch REALLY badly though. Not heard any one suffer that....

First birth home in the water pool.
Second birth epidural pain free.
Still remain confused as to why I chose pain for the first…

I have to be induced and have an epidural - both times the epidural only worked on one side (same both times).

@Patapouf

It's interesting to me that those saying it was fantastic because they didn't feel the forceps and episiotomy aren't acknowledging that forceps delivery and episiotomy are far more likely if you've had the epidural than if you opt for alternative pain relief.

I think it's wonderful that the epidural exists as pain relief in Labour but it's important to understand how it can affect the birth. That said I don't think Labour âne child birth is the time to make yourself a martyr because it really hurts!

Also, midwives are horrible gatekeepers for pain relief so there's no guarantee they'd allow you to get the epidural even if you beg for it.

I don’t think there’s any evidence for this, because births where people get an epidural are already different on average for births where mums don’t. I had one 4 hours after having my waters broken having been miserable and futilely contracting for 4 hours. It was amazing and I dozed between contractions before being a bit more dilated and then after pushing for a while needed the drip. I didn’t with my second as gentle contractions I could easily breathe through, followed by waters breaking and going into hospital as quickly as I could but still arriving 9cm dilated, and baby there 45 mins later. They were completely different births and THAT’S both why I had the epidural for the first and very likely why I had a bad tear. People with quick ‘easy’ births aren’t asking the midwife every 20 mins if they can have an epidural yet.

ionlydomassiveones that’s a lovely idea but when you demand one you’ll quite often just be told “no” or “let’s see how you feel in 20 minutes”. Then if/ when they do finally decide that they might let you have one there will be no anaesthetist free to do it. It is not straight forward and trying to put forward a case for needing pain relief while in huge amounts of pain is horrific.

@HeAteItWithASpoon then I’d go and find an anaesthetist myself… I’m sure they don’t want a woman mooing like a cow roaming the corridors. The midwife isn’t the gatekeeper they’re there.. for you.

It's so good!

I went from (literally) going crazy with pain and exhaustion like a mad woman, to gently falling asleep as I watched the monitor I was hooked up to record my massive contractions!

I had one and couldn't feel a thing, I was in labour for 73 hours and I had the epidural in the last 10 hours and I believe it's the only reason I managed to gather together enough energy to actually push DD out. They can sometimes fail though

Totally painless for me, and I had no complications except a bit of lingering numbness that went away quickly.

I’d definitely have one again if I had another kid.

Literally painless for me. I didn’t even have to use my top up button which meant I could still feel the pressure and had the ability to change position but it didn’t hurt at all. I’d been contracting for like 36 hours at this point with an OP (back to back) baby and I have never been so grateful as I was to the anaesthetist. (I’m a midwife, I work with her and literally tell people what a hero she is all the time!) I needed a cesarean in the end and did have some morphine in theatre as had a little bit of breakthrough pain but it was no big issue.

I didn’t have one with baby 2. She was the right way round, everything happened much quicker, and it was manageable.

I had an epidural but was basically forced into it as my contractions were back to back. Unfortunately it was far too late for one I was 9cm by then but they still insisted it would help. I was so out of it I said yes. Didn't hurt at all getting it put in but it didnt work. Ended up with episiotomy but they injectioned numbing stuff down below for that so I didnt feel it.
Ive heard really good things about them but wouldn't opt for it after my experience with it.