Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

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

Original poster

Epidural questions - Why the stigma attached

331 replies

horseshoe · 21/04/2008 16:37

I had one with DD1, G&A with DD2, desperately trying for a home birth for DC3.

I have said to the MW that if I end up going to hospital I am just gonna ask for epidural if I feel I want one to which she replied "Oh you dont want one of those".

With DD1 I did have vontouse delivery but I had epi after 18 hours of labour when I was 8cm dialated and before they realised that baby was back to back and getting stuck in birth canal.

Everyone I speak to especially "angellic "i've had 3 natural no drugs birth sis" appears to look down their noses at this decision.

So can anyone tell me why they are so wrong and what is the best time to have one - nearer birth or early labour. I seem to remeber that they wait until at least 4cm dialated.

OP posts:
MrsMattie · 21/04/2008 16:40

I think it's because intervention in childbirth can be a bit of a vicious circle. Women who have epidurals are more likely to have ventouse / forcep deliveries, and I think more likely to have c-sections. However, childbirth is not an endurance test and people have very different births and very different pain thresholds. I always think 'Know the facts about all of the pain relief available, but never say never...'

motherinferior · 21/04/2008 16:42

I think there is a strong feeling to be honest that Childbirth Is Natural, and that Pain is both To Be Accepted and Not To Be Expected.

Which kind of informs the anti-epidural arguments, especially as epidurals these days are rather more sensitive than they used to be.

I've had one epiduralled birth, one home one. The second - home - one was much nicer, but the labour was much nicer and quicker than the first one.

doggiesayswoof · 21/04/2008 16:45

Statistically you are more likely to have further intervention with an epidural. But that doesn't mean you will - just the risk goes up a bit.

FWIW I had one (was about 6cm dilated when they put it in) - it was a 'mobile' one so I could still push and feel when a contraction. I had no other interventions, although it was a close run thing - dd just came in time, they were about to fetch the ventouse.

I think the whole birth thing can be a bit of a pissing contest but it shouldn't be. MW shouldn't be pushing her views on you.

ImightbeLulumama · 21/04/2008 16:46

because epidural is not in the same league as other methods of pain relief

it has to be given by an anesthatist, you will have to have further monitoring and a catheter, it will restrict your mobility, there can be nasty ( rare) side effects.

it can be a god send when labour is long and you need to rest, but it can also slow down labour and make an instrumental delivery more likely , as the pelvic floor is relaxed making correct rotation of the baby more difficult.

so, there are pros and cons, i would definitely look into it more

there are other options:

nothing, i.e active birth, moving ,vocalising at will

TENS

water ( not with TENS!! )

massage

aromatherapy, reflexology and other alternative therapies

hypnobirthing

gas & air

pethidine etc

epidural

bear in mind also that epidural can make you totally immobile and if baby is in a funny positoin, being able to move and be upright can help a lot more

ImightbeLulumama · 21/04/2008 16:46

sorry, meant to say, it is entirely up to you ! have whatever you want, and need at the time

Makingdo · 21/04/2008 16:48

Message withdrawn

doggiesayswoof · 21/04/2008 16:48

I didn't need to have a catheter, but the constant monitoring was a pain - had to stay almost lying on my back. I did want to move about more and couldn't

staranise · 21/04/2008 17:05

I've banged on about this enough on an earlier thread so will keep it brief but jsut to agree with you, had a mobile epidural with DD1, it was fab (no catheter), no pain, lovely birth. No epidural allowed with DD2 (don't know why, MW thought I didn't need pain relief, not even G&A), birth was nasty, brutish and short and has left me paranoid about childbirth.
it's totally up to you but I will be screaming my head off for an epidural from the moment I get into hospital - though I did that last time and they still didn't let me have one (and I was 5cm dilated). No points for being brave - and I'm not brave anyway! Best of luck for no. 3

BrummieOnTheRun · 21/04/2008 18:32

I bet many of the complications associated with an epidural could be avoided if they didn't leave women lying for hours on their backs after administering it, and helped them get into an assisted upright position for the birth (e.g. over the headrest of the bed).

sweetgrapes · 21/04/2008 19:05

Agree with Brummie - it's not so much the epidural as the fact that the mother is lying horizontal that is the issue. Witha mobile epidural you remove that problem.

Fwiw, I wanted an epidural but arrived late and ultimately the only pain relief I had was 10 mnts of g&a. It was still great because it worked for me. (I had a fantastic doula and baby did all the right things at the right time.)

There's no one correct answer... Do what you think you want and don't let anyone put you off anything.

terramum · 21/04/2008 19:15

Epis can also affect the baby as well (interferring with natural instincts & reflexes that help initiate breastfeeding), especially the mobile ones as they contain more opiates...and the iv fluids they use in you can artificially raise the baby's weight at birth as well.

alfiesbabe · 21/04/2008 19:30

I think Lulu's post sums it up perfectly. I don't think there's a stigma attached to epidurals, I think it's simply that an epidural automatically makes the birth a far more medicalised experience, and increases the chances of further interventions eg forceps/ventouse/csection. Childbirth is a natural event. Not all women want to have a natural birth, but you can't deny that the process itself is natural.

staranise · 21/04/2008 19:38

Yes, I just don't agree that natural = good or even desirable.

But really, each to their own on this one - everybody's experience is different, just as their pain threshold is different. Mine is obviously v low .

WaynettaSlob · 21/04/2008 19:47

I had an epi with both my DSs. DS1 had a long long labour......spent most of the labour on my back, ended up with ventouse and forceps..... He was LARGE (almost 10lbs) and back to back, so I'm not sure he would have got out without intervention.
For DS2 I had a mobile epi, stayed uypright throughout and delivered unassisted. Different babies, different births. For DC3 am going for a mobile epi again.

BrummieOnTheRun · 21/04/2008 20:35

horseshoe, with DC3 you may not be in labour long enough for an epidural anyway!

Get your hypnobirthing tapes ordered.

deaconblue · 21/04/2008 20:38

I think it's personal choice but after having an epidural and subsequent ( I believe consequent) ventouse delivery I really want to avoid having one again.

ImightbeLulumama · 21/04/2008 20:38

you need to check the hospital you are at does offer mobile epis, when i enquired recently if they were offered at my local hospital, the answer was a firm no.

also, if you go in to labour on a weekend or public holiday, there may well be less aneasthatists on site.

have one by all means, they do have positives.but be aware of the possible down sides. same with every type of pain relief taht involves opiates etc

flowerybeanbag · 21/04/2008 20:38

Is there a stigma? I hadn't realised!

I had one with DS which was completely cocked up and left me virtually paralysed for 24 hours and various consultants Extremely Worried Indeed, so I'm not sure I'd be too keen to have one again, but not because of any stigma.

ImightbeLulumama · 21/04/2008 20:38

waynetta ! do you have news???

PortAndLemon · 21/04/2008 21:02

I don't think there is a stigma -- but in your case as you are planning a HB I think midwife is understandably assuming that you want a fairly "natural" (not that I like that term) non-medicalised birth, hence will be looking for reassurance that you can manage without an epidural rather than encouragement to have one.

Tangentially, a "mobile" epidural isn't terribly mobile if in addition to the epidural and catheter you are connected to CFM and to an IV via canula. Any time I wanted to move when in labour with DS it was a major undertaking to navigate all the tubes and wires.

Original poster
horseshoe · 21/04/2008 21:03

I know I am not going into hospital unless I seriously cant take the pain like back to back with my DD.

Hope your right about not being in labour long enough Brummie. 10 minutes is my aim!!

OP posts:
Anagram · 21/04/2008 23:04

Horseshoe, there was a thread not that long ago (sorry, don't know how to link) that touched on these issues.

You don't have to fight to get an epidural in most of the Western world. You don't have to deal with the stigma. It's considered the best form of pain relief, period -- if administered well (which often doesn't seem to be the case on the NHS).

When the best time is ... I asked a senior consultant at Queen Charlotte. He said 1 or 2 cm is too early, to wait until 4 cm or so. But that guideline assumes that an anesthetist is readily available. And not compatible with a home birth.

Trolleydolly71 · 21/04/2008 23:15

Message withdrawn

ThingOne · 21/04/2008 23:16

One of the other problems with epidurals is that they do not always work. I didn't have them for childbirth but had one recently for post-operative pain. It didn't work.

GooseyLoosey · 21/04/2008 23:20

Kind of thought I had an obligation to do it the natural way with ds and anyway arrived at hospital fully dilated so told too late for any pain relief. 7 hours and a very distressed baby later, ds was born.

With dd I had no qualms about asking for an epidural. In fact I had 3 and 2 spinals but neither dd or I was unduly distressed by the experience. People can think of me what they like but they have not been through my experience with ds so who cares.