Epidural for first birth

[Hann376]

Has anyone had a good experience with epidural for first birth? I have a very low pain tolerance and am very anxious so know I would find the pain even worse being anxious but I’m really worried about the epidural meaning it’s more likely I’ll have an intervention which causes me long term damage (e.g forceps or episiotomy).

has anyone had good experience with epidurals for first birth and still been able to push without a really bad tear/episiotomy/assisted delivery?

Yes I did. I did feel very bruised and sore the next day though. In a way I didn't following births without an epidural. I also had to have artificial oxytocin to encourage contractions and my baby went to special care overnight as he was grunting when born which can be a sign of infection. It's impossible to draw any conclusions from individual experiences but it wasn't a positive experience.

I had an epidural with my first - it was offered as I had very high BP due to preeclampsia.

No problems at all, didn't slow labour (it was 12hrs from my waters breaking naturally to baby being delivered), I did tear but I tore with my second who was a water birth, so... 🤷🏻‍♀️ I agree with the PP that I was more bruised and sore afterward but I would also say that second time around I knew what I was doing so I was pushing much more effectively for less time (12 minutes vs over an hour).

Not a negative experience at all.

Yes I did. It worked perfectly, couldn't feel pain but I could feel the pressure when to push so that was great. Also didn't have any other interventions, didn't need forceps etc. ended up being a big baby over 8lb so im glad I had the epidural in the end! Couldn't walk for a good few hours but didn't need to anyway! Just say in bed cuddling baby until I needed to move later on. Go for it and good luck x

Did have an episiotomy and forceps after epidural but don't regret it at all and don't think feel it necessary caused what followed as he was a big baby in an awkward position.

Also had epidural with second - no complications and no regrets.

Following as I'm due in 8 weeks and the thought of birth freaks me out too! I'm such a big wuss (I blame being a redhead on my pain intolerance).

When are you due OP? :)

I LOVED my epidural. My baby was back to back and my waters had broken, so labour was full systems go and agony from beginning. No gentle ramp in contractions for me 😑 I went from 3cm dilated to 10cm in two hours with no drip and I couldn't feel a thing. It was bliss! Pushing was maybe around an hour, then I got bored and asked for an episiotomy. After this she came out first go with the ventouse and I barely noticed my stiches, all healed really well and I was up and about really soon after. After the painkillers wore off I did feel a little bit like I had been hit by a bus, and I had some coccyx pain for a week or two, but I think that's because of her position rather than the epidural. Good luck! Oh, and I had a midwife with me the whole time because of the epidural, which was definitely reassuring!

Yes, I did. I was similar- very low pain threshold and very anxious. Tried without, and decided I really needed one!! I still found it uncomfortable, even when it was working perfectly - they told me it was pressure, but I felt it as pain, so just to make you aware, but it was a thousand times better than without. I could feel to push, and i had a short 15 minute pushing stage. I did have a second degree tear, but it healed fine and would probably have happened anyway. I would opt for the epidural again if I had another child. Also, just to say that my friend had a forceps delivery and 3rd degree tear without the epidural, so there's no guarantee it wouldn't happen anyway. And, she has recovered fine. Hth

I had an epidural with my first, after my contractions slowed and my bp was high. It was blissful! I could lie on the bed, reading, while checking on the monitor that my contractions were coming and going! When I got to about 8cm, they lessened the epidural so that I could start pushing myself when the time came. I did need an episiotomy right at the end stage, but I didn't feel a thing as the epidural was still giving pain relief. Honestly, the worst part was removing the cannula from my hand afterwards!! Really hurt!

Best of luck! Make sure that if you want an epidural, you make it clear as early as possible. With my second, it was a much quicker natural delivery and I begged for my epidural but the anaesthetist only arrived just as I pushed my dd out! I think the midwife was delaying sending for my epidural as they could see how fast she was coming (I'd been induced).

My own experience not relevant to this thread but I think there are studies comparing whether you are more likely to need an intervention with an epidural or not. If memory serves, they compared data from the UK where epidural rates are quite low, to France, where they do epidurals as standard. The rates of interventions were no higher in France than the UK. The conclusion of the study was that because in the uk [some] midwives try and discourage epidurals, only those women who are going through harder births end up getting them, and that group is more likely to need interventions, if that makes sense.

What I'm saying is, if you want an epidural, you should get an epidural for sure. My French mates think it's barbaric any woman would consider birth without pain relief over here!!!

I got an epidural six hours in with my first, and it was so great. Ask if they can do a walking epidural (much lower dose that you can top up) and you can still move around, bounce on the ball, go to the loo etc, feel the contractions etc. You might not have to have a catheter with a walking epidural. I didn't tear or have any issues after my first birth (second was an emergency c section but for other reasons, not related to having had an epidural etc)

Good luck!

Get an epidural, I had anxiety and was refusing it, the pain was unbearable. Was having contractions for 3 days, had to be induced, was in excruciating pain for 12 hours, had to get a c section in the end and ended up having epidural due to that. No pain and over in 20 minutes. It's your choice but if you have a low pain threshold I would probably go for it. Wish you the best of luck!

Highly recommend an epidural. DS was 10lbs back to back and had his shoulder stuck. Didn't feel a thing!

Aw congrats! Exciting you are due soon :) yeah I definitely don’t think I could cope without any pain relief - not due until august but weighing up my options now!

Anaesthetist for labour ward. Search my previous posts I've written many essays and videos explaining in more detail

This is the explanation I give women

There is potentially an increased risk of forceps or a csection with an epidural, but we don't really know its cause or effect. As women that give birth pre hospital etc won't ever have an epidural so the data is skewed somewhat... for all we know the ladies may have just had babies in a bit of a funny position that would never have come out unassisted anyway

If you've got a low pain threshold I'd def have one, you don't see many anaesthetists give birth without one as they're by far the safest pain relief for baby. You can always just not use the topup button as frequently towards fully dilated if want to be less numb, but I'd just use if you have pain as pointless suffering unnecessarily

Forceps are v safe or we wouldn't do them. Anyone who has forceps has an episiotomy to widen the exit path and minimise tears

Every epidural is a walking epidural now... yet to see anyone in 9y of anaesthetics actually walk with one though lol most sleep through labour once numbed or sit chatting/reading the internet

Probably 90% of epidurals will have a catheter... we only don't put them in if the woman is adamant she doesn't want one, as the bladder gets lazy when numb and if it gets over distended it can obstruct baby coming out and potentially cause bladder issues from being over stretched

When you say epidural is the safest form of pain relief for the baby, compared to what? Not gas & air, TENS or water surely?

Forceps do increase the chances of a 3rd or 4th degree tear. From 3% to 8-12%.

Sorry that was badly phrased, i meant compared to drug options administered by midwifes pethidine or diamorphine (or remifentanil patient controlled devices that some labour wards offer, set up by us) which both can cause baby to be drowsy or lower respiratory rate as transfer to baby via the placenta, albeit in small quantities

I had an epidural with both my births (both inductions on the drip) and would recommend. No episiptomy or forceps, was able to push them out naturally, second degree tear each time which healed well in a few weeks, no long term problems at all. I tried to avoid the epidural with my first because I was terrified of losing feeling, but my only regret is not having it sooner! With my second, I got them to pop the epidural in at the same time as the induction drip hah. Best of luck!

Also @Hann376 I know it's easier said than done but please try not to worry. The birth is just one day. You get your child FOREVER. Whatever gets thrown at you, you can handle it. And trust me, I've had horrible births (not relevant to your thread so no more about them), but as soon as they were over they were just memories. In fact I'd go as far as to say I remember my forceps-episiotomy-dreadful birth quite fondly as it got me my lovely son who I adore. And also all the stitches healed up beautifully so it's all neat as a pin down below.

I did! I walked to the bathroom with the drip, sat on the bouncy ball, rocked on all fours, crouched with my knees up. I only started pressing the button more towards the end of labour, when I had to have the catheter installed and stay on my back. I credit my easy labour with being able to move with the epidural during early labour. Having said that, I'm not sure it's very common, as a doctor and students came in halfway through and the doctor said in a very pleased manner "and here is someone with an epidural on the bouncy ball, getting baby into position!" Lol.

So cool, I mean it's what they're designed for to aid mobilisation to help baby descend etc just never seen it happen before in spending half a week, most weeks for many years on LW

Yes! I had an epidural! My best recommendation is to ask for it early before the pain becomes unbearable as I was always on the backfoot with my pain management as I waited till the last moment to ask, and then they have to go away and get it all set up etc.
I got to a point in pushing where I was struggling and they suggested forceps and episiotomy but I said no and they listened. Instead I had a ventouse delivery and no episiotomy. Small tear. But you don't know at the time. The recovery was a bit sore but actually ok!

I did with my first birth. The hardest thing was sitting still during contractions when they put the epidural in, it felt like an eternity for me and I remember looking at my partner trying to say with my eyes oh god how long is this taking! But he had no idea 😅

Having an epidural was the greatest relief! I did have forceps and episiotomy but I’ve always viewed this positively because a) after a long labour I was grateful just to get the baby out and b) the episiotomy meant I had no tears and the wound healed very quickly for me.