Your experience of an epidural wanted please

[dinny]

Hello,

I am pg with my third baby and have had the first two without any pain relief but I just don't feel capable of doing it again this time. I've never really considered an epidural but am wondering if it is the answer. Could you answer the following?

1. did it make childbirth less frightening?
2. did you have assisted delivery?
3. did you have stitches?

and any other opinions would be great - thanks v much.

oh, and your exp of pethidine too would be helpful.

Hi dinny,

I've only had one dc, but I had an epidural and for me it worked wonderfully. I had a 28hr labour and found the pain unbearable so when I got to 4 cms they gave me it and I was able to sleep through alot of the contractions. Sweet.
I also had alot of top-ups but was able to deliver my dd without any assistance and thankfully no stitches. She was 8.14lbs too( I did have a truly outstanding midwife to thank for that as well)

I didn't have pethidine, not for lack of trying, they only had meptid where I was, which did nothing to help.

1 no
2 yes - ventouse altho nearly c/s
3 yes

and my epiduaral didn't work (but v unusual) so had to be given an old-fashioned numb-everything one.

I wonder why you can't face the third labour?

I had an epidural with my first birth and had a caesarian. I feel it slowed things down. I also had pethidine before the epidural which slowed things down too and made me feel horribly spacey.

Next two times no epidural or peth and all a bit quicker. That's my experience -- I don't have any knowledge or training on the issue.

I ended up having an emergency c section after I opted for epidural as ds was in distress and I stopped dilating. The canula in my hand was the most horrible thing ever too.
However, when it kicked in and the labour pain stopped it was heaven! And I got to lie on my back for the first time in months.
Please note I am v. overweight. and had a big OP baby, whatever bearing that may have had on the outcomes.

My experience very similar to bananapaddlepops. V long labour, DD was back to back for a long time, epidural put in and was able to relax. Still felt the contractions but not painful, just a sort of tightening sensation. Delivered at the end with no assistance and no stitches. 2nd labour was completely different. Much quicker so no time for epidural but would have happily had one if needed.

I just don't know what's best thing - both my labours have been fast (5.5 and 4 hours) and I've never torn or had stitches. But I just don't think I can do it again, am too scared (ds was 9.3 and shoulders got stuck, hence some of the fear, but a lot of it is the general dread of the pain/fear)

seems to me that if you have an epidural you are v likely to have interventions and tear, whereas if you don't have anything you may avoid them.

does pethidine make it more scary then, as you feel spaced out?

I was in sort-of labour without knowing it for a couple of days, when they measured my pains & realised they were contractions they gave me something to get things going and threw me into very nasty, strong contractions which I couldn't get on top of, felt out of control, so had an epidural. But, before it could kick in (within about 20 mins) my first baby was born (was twins).

It made my thighs feel heavy and that my pushing efforts didn't achieve much. I wouldn't recommend it. Not nice to have a needle put in your spine either.

The second twin had turned and the midwife put her hand up & turned him, luckily I didn't feel anything abecause of the edpidural. They cut me, which I felt, and stitched me up, which I also felt.

My advice to you would be to do some more research into ways of making yourself feel happy & confident to do it 'naturally' a third time, with gas & air, tens or whatever. Can you talk to the midwife?

Good luck - you can do it!

so you obviously just have to lie on your back with an epidural? to deliver, I mean?

does the mw tell you when to push - can you feel anything at all at that stage?

I have had 2 epidurals and pregnant again and will prob have another. First one was in prep for c section but in the end I gave birth naturally, no other intervention. I knew exactly when to push and everything. 2nd time was even better. I elected to have the epidural and I slept while I dilated from 4-10cm, then woke up with a need to push. Baby came out with no probs and midwife just watched. You are on your back but if there's a good anaethetist, you should have sensations. Afterwards though, there is a greater risk of needing a catheter as you may not be able to walk for some time. I think if I had done it without before, I would do without again but I'm far too much of a wimp to try it this time unless the baby comes faster of course!!

Oh gosh, don't talk about canulas.

It was bad enough last time when I was spaced out and just wanted an end to the pain. Next time (I have been told next baby will be delivered by CS) I will be pain free and fully 'with it'. I think I will need to ask for gas and air. I am dreading it, even to the extent I am worried about getting pregnant again. Is it always that bad? Maybe I just had a clumsy anaethetist.

The actual epidural was fine though, I had to keep having the pain relief topped up as it wore off and I did have back ache. I was also very sick, but that started before the epidural and before the gas.

I didn't have to push as I never fully dilated and ended up having an emergency cs.

Yes, you're lying, sort of propped up, and the midwife teels you when to push, but it didn't feel as though much was happening despite the effort I was putting in.

This was 15 years ago so maybe epidurals are a bit better now.

do you have to have your legs in stirrups?

MrsSB - I always puke in labour anyway, when in transition - and yes, agree re canulas - had one with ds for antibiotics as I had group B, was AGONY!! even when I was 9cm dilated it still hurt enough that I noticed it!
do you mean your epidural hurt going in?

does the anaethetist do it and then leave?
what is a spinal block?
TNC, your exp sounds v good

I had one in August.

1. It was still frightening, but I felt less out of control.

2. Yes, ventouse and forceps

3. Yes, tons (episiotomy and 2nd degree tear).

I will say that while mine was useful for the bit in the middle the m/w refused to top me up because she wanted me to be able to feel to push. What she didn't know was that DD's head was in the wrong position and she was stuck, she was also almost 10 pounds.

If I ever have another epidural I will be very, very firm about the fact that I want it topped up for the pushing stage.

No Dinny, I didn't feel the epidural going in at all. That part was fine. I think the fact you can't see what's happening helps a lot as well. The anaethetist did the epidural and stayed around a bit, then left. He did pop back now and again to check though. I was pleasantly surprised by the care & attention I received TBH (NHS). Maybe I just had extra low expectations.

I certainly wasn't in stirrups for the birth itself. 1st time needed stitches and had to be taken to theatre as I was distresed and refusing to keep still. Was in stirrups for that bit. The anaethetist stayed the first time as blood pressure went mad and they may have done CS but 2nt time he left. I didn't notice the needle going in particularly with all the other pain.

I had an epidural bloc so could still walk around, dance even.

To answer your questions Dinny:

1. No - in fact having the epidural made it more frightening for me because I felt out of control
2. Had ventouse delivery though they kept going on about CS but I insisted they let me have a go at pushing
3. Yes

Could you not see how you get on without epidural and if really is too much, opt for one then?

Hmmm, difficult one this. The basic answer to your questions are:

1. No
2. Yes - em cs
3. Yes from cs but not episiotomy obviously

On one hand I think epidurals are great because they stopped the most agonising pain I had ever felt BUT I had a syntocinon induced labour which at the start of I wasn't even slightly effaced. (Reason for induction was that waters had sprung a leak 3 days previously).

I feel that I might have been able to cope without the epidural had labour been natural not forced. The eventual em cs I think occured partly from being induced (ds clearly wasn't ready to shift) and also partly from epidural. He was in a great position before it all started but ended up stuck apparently - and I got stuck at 8cm.

I know epiduals often slow labour down but in my case it speeded it up - it took about 8 hours to get to 4cm but then after the epidural went in I went to 8cm within about 3 hours I think. Sadly I then stayed the same for another 8 hours or so at which point a doctor called time.

My experience I think is more a cautionary tale about the spiral of intervention - particularly induction, than against epidurals. I don't think the epidural really helped matters but IMO it was a symptom of the induction rather than a cause of cs IYSWIM.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Hi Dinny,

1. Definitely
2. No
3. No

I got to 6cms ok and then started to feel a little bit out of control. They umm'd and ahh'd but eventually sent for an epidural.

From the moment I had it (the actual needle being inserted was a little bit scary cause you need to stay sooooo still and my leg was shaking cause I talked myself into being the minority case that's parylsed by it!!) there was instant relief. I had renewed enthusiasm for the birth and felt I coped far easier with it. I just kind of zoned out of the room and got on with it.

Within 2 hours, I was at 10cms and said to the midwife "I need a poo" to which she replied, "you're talking yourself into it - you can't feel a thing". She then examined me and said "actually - you're 10cms - do you feel like pushing?"...

Joe was born 34 minutes later with no intervention - very relaxed (as relaxed as you can be eh?) and with no tearing or sticthes! He weighed a very healthy 9lbs 3oz!

My midwife was fantastic, and I did exactly as she said. I stopped pushing when I was told and although I did feel a lot of what was going on (they didn't top the epidural up as they wanted me to feel when to push) the only bit for me that was really unpleasant was when he crowned.

I know it's each to their own, but I would say mine was a very positive experience of an epidural. I wouldn't definitely have one again as I'd like to see how I would cope knowing to a certain extent was was going to happen, but I certainly wouldn't write on off and if I felt at the time I needed one, I'd say so!!

Good luck - hope this helps

Just want to point out - I have no knowledge of whether an epidural can paralyse you, but just that's what I'd got into my head at the time!

Just re-read what I'd put and realised how frightening that sounded

Am at work and supposed to be working, so typed it in a hurry and didn't re-read before posting!!

Both babies induced.

1st. The bad news. Ds was scarily overdue (4 weeks by my date - runs in our family and I had to be induced too). No amniotic fluid left and placenta was failing. They broke 'waters' - scare quotes because no fluid LEFT - pains afterwards were memorably awful. Asked for an epidural. 2-hour gap before anaesthetist available [ASK BEFORE IT GETS UNBEARABLE] By the time the guy came in, would have been quite glad to see man to perform assisted suicide. Almost broke dh's fingers and he had bruises for days. Epi only worked in 3 quadrants which let me push, but bouts of gas-and-air between 'waters' and epi made me vomit repeatedly, with each contraction, which made pushing less effective, so 2.5 hour second stage.... Ds plainly stuck and dh - not please note midwife in whom we are always told to place utter trust - pointed out his heartrate was falling (to low 70s). People rushed in with lights and then forceps. Had big big episiotomy and was sore for days and traumatised for a long time. So too ds, poor lamb.

1. The good news. Dd. I insisted they induce after a week. It went exactly as before, but I wouldn't let them do waters till epi installed. Blissful, simple seocnd stage - she was out after 2 contractions. Tiny tear and a few almost painless stitches.

1 yes I think it but i don't remember much about it to be honest.
2 I had foreceps delivery, but I was induced because of pre-eclampsia so assisted was always on the cards
3 yes I had an episeotomy (sp!) so had stitches.

I had heard bad things about the pain of induction so had my epidural in before the induction started.

I would have one again. I was aiming for a drug free birth, but the only thing that was mentioned in my birth plan that I got was a baby.

Dinny I think like Trixie said, if they don't 'overdo it ' - and that may depend on your midwife' - the risk of intervention isn't that much higher.

FWIW I had syntocinin (PROM), epidural, 5 or 6 hour labour inc 30 mins pushing, no intervention but small tear because when MW said 'stop and pant' I said no and carried on pushing! And this was first baby.

Btw your 3rd might come more quickly so you may not get time for epidural...

My epidural didn't work properly nor did my SILs so they are not 100% effective, so you can end up immobile and still in pain.

My epidural didn't work properly either. I couldn't feel to push so needed forceps. Had stitches. Was in a lot of pain after the birth. Needed a catheter (which I am convinced was the catalyst for a year's worth of kidney infections.)

2nd birth - no pain relief, up and about straight away, hardly any pain afterwards, back home within 6 hours of delivery

I had an epidural as my labour was slowing down after 7 hours as uterus had swollen due to me NOT being able to lie down! It seemed to take ages to work but when it did, boy HOW I WISHED I had not had one sooner!!!!!! My moto is now ' you wouldn't have a tooth removed without anestetic so .....!
I also had the gas and air and pethidine still unbearable but at least gas gives you something to focus on.
My partner told me when to push as i was attached to a monitor and he could obv see when I was having contractions.
I did need stiches and vontouse delivery so this could have been due to the epidural.