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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Wondering if anyone has managed an induced labour without an epidural?

95 replies

LovelyBertha · 10/01/2009 17:43

I'm pregnant with dc2, and for medical reasons, I know I will have to be induced at 37-38 weeks. dc1 was induced at 37 weeks too. Went something like this: Very short stage 1/ Epidural/ very long stage 2/ ventouse delivery.
When I've discussed this with people (friends, hv, midwife) since, and I've been told this is fairly typical of an induced delivery. I've even heard that it's actually pretty rare to do it without an epidural. Is this really true? Should I just resign myself to the fact that it'll probably be the same this time round?

I'd love to hear from anyone who knows differently.

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TuttiFrutti · 10/01/2009 17:52

I know women who were successfully induced without epidurals, so it can be done. However, induction does usually make the contractions stronger and more painful than in a natural labour, so you are more likely to want an epidural if you've been induced.

reikizen · 10/01/2009 17:58

Although it is rare, I have seen it done! One without any pain relief at all. It may be that your second labour will not be as hard going as the first anyway, or that they will induce with prostin and that's all you'll need to get things going. You know the drill, keep moving, have a good supporter (perhaps a doula would be a good investment?). You can choose to keep eating if you prefer as there is no evidence to support starving women in labour. Anyway, you may go into labour yourself, you never know.

Lulumama · 10/01/2009 18:01

i know some, but they hvae had v v fast and furious labours so even if thy wanted one, theyu would not have managed it !

there are other pain relief options, bath, or tens, gas & air , pethidine

epidural can and does prolong labour and amke instrumental delivery more likely, but second time around you might find things go quicker anyway

puddytats · 10/01/2009 18:02

I was induced with dd at 39 weeks and did it on gas ana air. Felt really pressured to have an epidural by consultant in case i needed a caesarean (ds had been an emmergancy c section). Luckily i had a really supportive midwife who fought my corner and did it without.

deepinlaundry · 10/01/2009 18:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MKG · 10/01/2009 18:04

I had one without an epidural.

I was induced at 38 weeks with ds1. I told the midwife that I wanted to wait and see how things went, and if I needed pain relief I would ask (I was planning on using hypnobirthing only).

I had prostaglandins, ARM, and an oxytocin drip. About 9 hours after they started the drip I was 4 cm and uncomfortable, but not in a lot of pain. 45 minutes later I was 10 cm and ready to push and 2.5 hours after that he was born.

All in all it was really good. And hypnobirthing got me through it.

You don't have to have one if you don't want to.

Haribolicious · 10/01/2009 18:05

I was induced with syntocinon drip and although contractions were quite strong rather quickly, I 'managed' with TENS machine and gas & air. So no epidural here
Good luck!

smartiejake · 10/01/2009 18:11

I was induced with my second dd after my waters broke and nothing happened. Had the pessaries first which did very little then the drip which fired it up good and proper. Don't know if it made it more painful as my first labour was such a nightmare it was hard to compare.

I had fairly slow progress for about 5 and half hours then it suddenly progressed and she was born 30 mins later after about 4 pushes. I did have G and A and pethedine but no epidural.

RubyRioja · 10/01/2009 18:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

escape · 10/01/2009 18:20

I did it twice. Never even got offered one. 1st time NHS, midwife just not keen, so saw it through with G&A, 2nd private & abroad so anesthaetist would have had to have been 'booked' in advance, so again not an option.

had a syntocin drip the second time, NEVER known pain like it, but it only lasted an hour I guess!
still went on rto have DS2!

really quite surprised this is seen as 'rare'

belcantwait · 10/01/2009 18:37

hi lovelybertha

with ds1 i was induced at 42+2 and ended up pretty much like yours- very hard contartctions, no break in between, epidural , forceps and haemmorhaging. nice.

with ds2 i had a planned cs as was scared it would go the same way

however with dc3, (dd) i knew she was going to be much smaller so was determined to try for a natural delivery. eneded up being induced again at 42+1 again and it was a 6 hour labour, no drugs at all! she was 8lb 5oz. it was the best feeling in the world!

it can be done

good luck!

solidgoldsoddingjanuaryagain · 10/01/2009 18:39

I was induced with pessaries and had just gas and air. TBH I did ask for an epidural towards the end but wasn't allowed one - still, tis doable.

Beccabump · 10/01/2009 18:46

I managed an induction with just gas and air and tens.

I was induced at 39+3 with DD as SPD was so severe I couldn't get to the bathroom.
I had 3 doses of the gel pessary thingy-bob and then when due for my 4th was found to be 3cm dilated.
Went up to delivery room, had waters broken as I still wasn't progressing very fast (wish I had been more strict on less intervention but that's another story!!) then was on the syntocinon drip as I still wasn't progressing.
When they came to do the drip I needed an anaesthetist to put in the line as I have tiny veins and the mw's had given up trying to get the larger line in!! The anaesthetist was unfortunately a bastard less than helpful and told me straight out that as inductions with syntocinon are far more painful 'I would never cope with the pain' and almost demanded to give me an epidural!!!! The mw's bundled him out of the room and as far as I understand he was told in no uncertain terms by the head mw that he was no longer welcome on the delivery wards if that was his attitude!!
My mw team were fab and assured me that although, yes, it would be more painful and intense, they were sure I could cope and to try for a while to see how I went at least.
I am so glad I did go without the epi as I really didn't want one to start with - due to previous back problems - and the pain although very intense was indeed manageable and as I said I did get through it with just g&a and the tens.
I have to say that even with the syntocinon I still went another 7-8 hours before delivering!!! Don't want to scare you but thought you needed to know it's not all quick as it should be!!! If it makes you feel any better I had no real idea of the time passing and I felt that as the contractions were so strong and intense that the time between them felt sooo good!!

HTH

xxx

Hassled · 10/01/2009 18:55

I was induced with DC4 with Gas and Air and Pethidine, no epidural - didn't realise that was abnormal.

Hassled · 10/01/2009 18:57

And this was with syntocin drip - certainly the most painful of my labours, but epidural never suggested.

AnguaVonUberwald · 10/01/2009 19:03

I was induced and dilated too quickly to have an epidural. I would have given anything to have one, and begged for one repeatedly. I would be careful before you write it off as an option altogether.

AnguaVonUberwald · 10/01/2009 19:05

BTW, I had to have ventouse and episiotomy (sp) as well, so not having epidural is no guarantee of not needing those things.

stuckinthecorner · 10/01/2009 19:25

Also very surprised to hear induction without epidural is unusual. I was induced with both of mine at 38 weeks (7 years apart) First took 27 hrs from drip going up and second took 15 hrs (sorry cant be any more specific!!) and I managed fine with G&A and TENS. Second was an episiotomy and forceps as he was distressed, but he and I were well enough afterwards for us to go home on the rapid discharge scheme about five hours later.
Friend of mine was induced for medical reasons for all 3 of hers, she pops them out like peas and says shes always been to quick to have an epidural...also manages with G&A.

lulurose · 10/01/2009 19:31

I managed with dd2....not without trying for an epidural though! Induced and waters broken manually, put on a synocin (sp) drip and the contractions came fast and furious from the off. Managed on gas and air and then requested an epidural but too late, it was a 2 hour labour from the first contraction.

I remember the midwife the next day asking what happened and being really surprised I'd managed on the drip without pain relief. Looking back, it was intense and painful but not ridiculously so, the gas and air was really effective for the first hour or so.

Good luck

beansontoast · 10/01/2009 19:38

i have done two induced and no epiduarl...i dont know any different!

my experience was that my second labour was pretty quick...but oh so manageable...largely because i had been there before.compared to the first labour it was a very pleasant surprise

relaxation and deep breathing still worked wonderfully.

my feeling is that a second labour with no epidural could actually be BETTER than your first experience...given that you wont be guessing whats happening but feeling it.

ps that is not a smug smile at th ebeginning..its an optimistic one!

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 10/01/2009 19:41

Me with ds1!

Was 42 +2 with ds1, examined and cervix was "very unfavourable" so I had a pessary induction at 9pm. Managed with 2 cocodamol, then TENS and then a ot bath - that all got me to 9cms. Then had gas and air for the last bit and ds1 arrived at 4.45am the next morning.

Good luck!
xx

MadameCastafiore · 10/01/2009 19:44

I was induced after waters broke and didn't have time for an epidural - it was hell I tell you sheer hell!

I was still begging for one after DS was born!

whingeomatic · 10/01/2009 19:47

me - was induced at 40+3, cervix closed & very posterior.

Had pessary at 9.30am, first twinges at 11am, delivered at 1.15pm!

Didn't have any pain relief, just breathed through the contractions. By the time I felt that the pain was unmanageable I was already pushing, so no time for an epidural...

I felt more in control and liked not being told when to push.

iwantitnow · 10/01/2009 19:55

I tried but failed to be induced without an epidural. I wished somebody had said that DD's head was in an odd position and that she hadn't descended into my pelvis before I chose not to have an epidural. Nothing happened for hours, I did have an epidural in the end and still nothing happened got to 4cm after 12 hours- ended in c-section, to be told I was one of the true cases of pelvic disproportionality.

I could have saved myself alot of pain if I had known it would be a very long labour. However, the epidural didn't work properly either...

Lilyloo · 10/01/2009 20:00

induced twice no epidural
gas and air with no1 and nothing with no3 (natural labour no2)

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