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

AMAZING. Had two vaginal births without. One agonising induction and one very straightforward spontaneous. The third I needed to be induced for. Having had a hideous prior induction I was petrified so they have me an epidural pre induction. Oh my word it was fantastic. I could still stand up and move around but all I could feel was tightening and pressure. It meant I really enjoyed and took in the moment she came into my arms.

You're right, RobinPenguins, mine was fairly easy and didn't take long. I had no drip or any drugs. I do realise I was lucky, I wince when I read some of the birth stories on here and also what other women I know have been through.

I had one during my first birth. It didn't work. Felt like a bit of a sick joke to me.

First labour I was induced two weeks overdue, was managing ok until I got to hospital when I had to lie flat so they could monitor. That was agony, when the anaesthetist finally arrived it was like he was bathed in a white light. The relief was incredible, I
still remember this feeling of cool joy spreading round my body, and being able to speak to people in the room for the first time. Second time though, no drugs, felt everything, enjoyed it much more. Much, much easier though! You just need to go with what your body needs. Mine definitely needed that epidural first time round 😂

Right up there as one of the best scientific discoveries ever.

I've had 3. I went from the worst pain I've ever been in, almost in another world to completely comfortable and able to sleep. I told each anaesthetist that I loved them - and I really did. It honestly was the best thing ever!

Had one with first born while living abroad. It was a relaxed and stress free birth experience. The midwife had to tell me to put down my book as it was time to push. Youngest ds was born back in UK where there seemed to be more reluctance to give epidural (I had it on my birth plan but was encouraged to ‘see how it goes’). Second birth was without pain relief and relatively straightforward but exhausting. The recovery time was not as fast as the first.

There was a vibe from midwife and hv that suggested I’d somehow done better 2nd time round by having a ‘natural’ birth. However, comparing the two experiences I’d say that there’s nothing particularly natural about severe pain - you don’t ask someone if they’d like their appendix out the natural way. Having the epidural meant that I was better equipped to physically cope with adjusting to demands of the the early days of having a new baby and the emotional side of giving birth was the same for both.

Mine obviously didn’t work as I was in agony, I didn’t get a minutes break from contractions. I really thought I was going to die just before delivery (not dramatic I know!!). Needed gas and air for stitching and could feel that too.

@BertieBotts

Time goes differently when you're in labour, but as someone who has long labours (19 hrs / 16 hrs / 15 hrs) a couple of hours does sort of pass even though it's intense, whereas when you hit somewhere around hour 6-10 you (or I anyway) do tend to start losing it a bit because it's been going on for so long without a break and starts to feel like you might well be in labour for ever with no end. The first and last one felt even longer as well because for both of them I was up contracting all night the night before so I'd had no sleep!

I agree, it isn't very long. I went into hospital when my waters broke and my baby was born two hours later.

Nobody can anticipate how long or painful their labour is going to be.

My neighbour's daughter had two terrible and long labours and both ended in an emergency Caesarian. She certainly didn't expect that, her mother pushed two babies out easily.

Painless for me too! 24 hours of non stop contractions and no dilation and I really needed it! Had a lovely long sleep until a new midwife messed with the epidural machine! She turned it off and couldn't get it working again.....ohhh the pain! Eventually got it back on and didn't feel a thing when pushing or when being stitched up after.

Second time round was very straight forward birth so didn't have an epidural and definitely felt the pain that time but afterwards I felt better because I didn't need to have a catheter and could move around straight away.

Oh blimey, do you have to be catheterised if you have an epidural? Thinking about it, if you're so numb down below, you might wet yourself and not know.

Catheterisation is something I fear. I suppose you wouldn't feel it going in if you had an epidural.

@Plumtree391

Oh blimey, do you have to be catheterised if you have an epidural? Thinking about it, if you're so numb down below, you might wet yourself and not know.

Catheterisation is something I fear. I suppose you wouldn't feel it going in if you had an epidural.

I wasn't! But I can see why it may be needed if you don't unfreeze down below after and aren't weeing.

Yes they give you a catheter (can't feel it) and take it out when the pushing starts. I didnt have mine put back in as I started to get the feeling back in my legs. I think I was up walking with a wobble to the toilet within an hour.

I do think they put the catheter back in after the birth most of the time.
It really wouldn't put me off getting an epidural! Also wetting yourself... the amount of fluid that leaks out of you in labour and after birth ... no one would know youd had a wee! When I stood up for the first time after birth a hell of a lot of fluid and blood gushed out.
The midwives see this multiple times a day I really wouldn't worry about being horrified by any bodily functions/fluids. They even try to catch the fluids on a regular basis to have a good look at the colour/consistency 🤮

@FuckYouCorona

I had one during my first birth. It didn't work. Felt like a bit of a sick joke to me.

I am not glad that happened to you too, but I am relieved to hear I'm not alone! I always feel a bit of a freak when people are going on about how magical it was and most of the "epidural didn't work" stories seem to be about it partially working, not it doing nothing at all.

I had a catheter in with mine and it didn't come out til the morning after. I was really poorly though and I think they let it in to keep an eye on the colour of my urine, and to give me one less thing to think about maybe 😂. It was fine. Just had to let the HCA know when I'd had my first two wees so she could scan my bladder each time to make sure it was emptying and working properly.

I had a temporary catheter during the epi which worked. Literally put it in, then took it out after my bladder emptied. Much better.

I wasn't progressing and had been in 'mild' labour for 48 hours before I got an epidural and was induced. It was heaven. Until it wore off in time for the pushing bit!

Highly recommend! 5 stars from me

@BertieBotts @FuckYouCorona same, mine didn't work I was so
Confused and absolutely gutted I thought it was the 'gods' of pain relief , has put me off having one this time

Absolutely wonderful for me, I wasn’t coping on gas and air as labour was progressing quickly and I got an epidural in the nick of time! It was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t feel a thing. Would do it again 100%

I had an epidural, got to 10cm and then an emcs.

My epidural was wonderful. My daughter was transverse so I was having extreme, back to back contractions from 2cm. It didn't stop the pain in my back contractions from her being back to back but it certainly was wonderful to have one.

Had another one last Thursday 🙌🏽
Still fantastic.

Laboured to 8cm before going in this time (not by choice it all happened so fast, 3 hours) and it was becoming totally unbearable and like hell with a contraction lasting 1 minute every 2 minutes. I was only getting alternating 60 bloody seconds break.

Much calmer and actually becomes and enjoyable experience when epidural placed. I was in the room and not whaling around like some banshee.