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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Does it hurt when you have epidural/spinal??

32 replies

fifisworld · 06/12/2007 10:43

I had epidutral with ds but was 'high as a kite' from gas and air so cant remember feeling anything.
Im booked in for elective c/s next thursday and im not sure what to expect when i have my spinal, or are you numbed first, given g&a etc??

OP posts:
amidaiwish · 06/12/2007 10:51

no it didn't hurt when i had an epidural with DD1.
the hardest thing was staying still mid contractions.

deenymcqueenygoreandguts · 06/12/2007 10:51

bit of pushing and prodding to find the right spot then a sting when the little needle goes in.

then shouldnt be painful.

do you mean when the catheter actually goes in or when they do the op?

fsp · 06/12/2007 10:51

What to expect: when you go into the theatre you will be asked to sit on the edge of the operating table, a pillow will be put on your lap and you will be asked to bend over it, relax your shoulders and stay still. A midwife or a member of the theatre staff will be there to hold your hand!

A sheet will be placed on your back and your back will be cleaned with cold fluid. The doctor will then put the spinal in and then you will lie down on the table whilst it takes effect.

You will not get g&a but the majority of women, although they find the procedure uncomfortable, don't tend to scream the place down so it can't be that bad!

(I'm an obstetrician so have witnessed a couple of spinals before!!)

dressedupnowheretogotilxmas · 06/12/2007 10:55

i had epidural and i think coz i was a larger lady they struggled it took over an hour and four attempts so i was having major contractions trying to stay still crying like a loon and having gas and air

bt it was bliss when it kicked in

i assume if you are not in labour then it wont be half as bad

good luck

and take a cd !!!!

FioFio · 06/12/2007 10:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
fifisworld · 06/12/2007 11:00

Thanks
Deeny - I meant actually having the injection and whatever else they do, i had em c/s with ds so i know what to expect from that.
Im a right wimp when it comes to needles and have been a bit worried about this.

OP posts:
SSStollenzeit · 06/12/2007 11:01

Didn't hurt me

jacobandlysetteandabump · 06/12/2007 11:01

i had a bit of an ache on my back when it went in like someone pressing hard, but apart from that all absolutely fine.

i found talking crap to my dp who was standing in front of me really helped!

just have faith in your anaesthatist (sp) - they do this for a living - iykwim.

good luck with the section and don't forget to take your arnica and have mints handy afterwards for the trapped wind!

LiegeAndLief · 06/12/2007 11:02

I had to lie down on my side and the anaesthetist gave me a numbing injection in the small of my back. It stung quite a lot but her very nice assistant held my hand and I didn't cry ! She had a couple of attempts at putting an epidural in, failed, and did a spinal block instead. None of that hurt at all although I felt quite a lot of pushing on my back. The anaesthetist and her assistant were really lovely and I felt very well looked after - they stayed up the head end and let me know what was going on and what to expect next during the op.

fsp - what is the difference between a spinal and an epidural? Have wondered for ages...

HappyChristmasWalrusIsOver · 06/12/2007 11:06

Ok, It hurts, but only for a few seconds, when you get the lovely (but odd) numbing sensation.

Actually, "hurts" is the wrong word, I think a better word would be "strabnge" That's how it feels.

Good luck, btw. I havd an elective with DS2, and it was actuially a lovely experibnece (better than 18 hours of labour and an emenr4cencey CS with DS1 anyday!!!!)

SnowMuchToBits · 06/12/2007 11:10

All I felt was a slight sting when they injected the local anaesthetic, then a bit of pushing. Tbh, putting the drip in my hand hurt more (but that wasn't very painful at all) and the pain of the contractions was far worse than any of it. My epidural was fab.

Snaf · 06/12/2007 11:13

'Strabnge' is an excellent word to describe that feeling, walrus

ChubbyScotsBurd · 06/12/2007 11:13

I felt a tiny sting with the local (hurt less than the cannula in my hand did though!) and then a sort of dull ache sensation in my spine then nothing. It was a million times less painful than I had anticipated. I was ready to jump off the table with excitement at how much of a non-event it was but they've obviously had experience of that cos there was a burly nurse ready to roll me onto my side

The epidural is just injected into the epidural space so the nerves pass through local anaesthetic solution on their way to your bits. A spinal is injected one layer deeper so that as the nerves leave your spinal column they get the local anaesthetic hit, so it's a more complete block. It's to do with all the meningeal layers, subarachnoid and dura mater and all that, can't remember the detail but basically it's what I said back there.

ChubbyScotsBurd · 06/12/2007 11:14

lol Snowmuch, ditto!

LiegeAndLief · 06/12/2007 11:47

Am now feeling like a bit of a wimp - maybe I should add that I wasn't in labour so the numbing injection probably stung more than if I had been in enormous pain already!

Thanks CSB, now I know (ish).

Original poster
fifisworld · 06/12/2007 11:58

I'd also been wondering what the difference was. Do you know which one is given in a elective c/s and does one leave more side effects than the other?
I want to be up and about asap so i can come home

OP posts:
ChubbyScotsBurd · 06/12/2007 12:07

Spinal with elective usually I think - epidural mainly used during labour so ca be topped up if it's a long process! They mixed morphine into my spinal, great pain relief and I left hospital 48 hours after DS was delivered (he's my first).

Original poster
fifisworld · 06/12/2007 12:39

Thanks CSB
I had ds1 at 1.30 am with em c/s and came out sunday pm so im hoping i can just have the 1 night in hospital, its the main thing im worrying about.

OP posts:
LiegeAndLief · 06/12/2007 12:47

fifisworld, they were going to give me an epidural and mine was like an elective (classed as emergency but no labour). It failed so I had a spinal. I was able to move from bed to wheelchair, ie had feeling but not very stable, after 5 hours. Then fell asleep for the night but I expect I would have been able to move around with some help not long after. Walked length of enormous ward to the bathroom the next morning with no problem.

blueshoes · 06/12/2007 12:52

Don't recall the spinal hurting. The local anesthetic probably took care of that.

I found the putting in the catheter into the back of my hand a bit more painful, especially when they had to do it twice - but still not as bad as a blood test (urgh, hate blood tests).

fifi, I am pretty chicken. So you have it on good authority that you won't have nightmares about this part of the elective

Original poster
fifisworld · 06/12/2007 13:22

I cant remember whatever it was that they put into the back of my hand really painful last time. It was so bad infact that i was crying and they swapped hands.

OP posts:
FAWKEOFFwiththetinsel · 06/12/2007 13:24

i dont remember it hurting... just remember that gorgeous feeling.....nothing , i was utterly devestated that i was too far gone to have one with DS

expatinscotland · 06/12/2007 13:25

no, because the labour pains were just so bad i would have gladly unzipped myself out of my skin were that possible.

Snowmond · 06/12/2007 13:27

I jumped a little when the needle went in (spinal) but no more pain than with any injection.

Good luck x

claraquitemassivenow · 06/12/2007 13:36

Fifi - don't count on going home after one night, you will be lucky, they usually want you to stay in three but I (and I think many others) pursuaded them to let me out after two.

But you shouldn't try and do too much, remember it is a major, major op. Do you think they would let you out after one night after heart surgery? It's probably the only major type of surgery when we are encouraged to get up so quickly.

When I had my spinal I had to lie on my side. They took a few goes to get the needle placed right and hit a few nerves on the way in. Which was like an intense electric shock - horrible but bearable as only a very quick pain.

I was also sick at least twice - once just after they put in the block and later just after my baby was born.

But all in all it really is not a scary experience, I have not had an emergency c/s but would think an elective is far easier.

I may well be having my next elective the day before you next week, depending on whether this baby decides to stay put or not. I am not worried about it but will feel a little like I have failed by never having a natural delivery or even been in labour. But that's just me...

Good luck!