Epidural - experiences & intervention as a result?

[Kingsroadie]

Hi all,

30 weeks pregnant with my first and just thinking about pain relief options. I am obviously going to just see how I am feeling at the time as I have no way of knowing how I will react but am fairly keen on the idea of a mobile epidural if not managing the pain well (or to try a water birth actually but I realise that you usually get an epidural/get into the water at about the same point so it might mean a choice - this is what I have been told anyway).

Obviously I have read lots about it but it would be really good to hear some real life experiences...

Just wondering:
a)what everyone's experiences of a mobile epidural are,(will be at Chelsea & Westminster)
b)whether you (think you) tore more as a result (am a little paranoid about that) and
c)whether you (think you)required an intervention as a result
d) If you have had births with and without which you preferred
e) did the epidural mean you felt less shattered for the pushing stage and therefore pushed more effectively?
f) did you feel the epidural allowed for more controlled birth of the head?

I know this is not necessarily clear cut - ie you might have required intervention etc anyway. I am just not keen on the idea of forceps/episiotomy etc (although having read things I probably wouldn't actually care at the time!)

Thanks everyone and sorry for massive list

a)what everyone's experiences of a mobile epidural are,(will be at Chelsea & Westminster)

Didn't have mobile ones where I was, just a normal one BUT I did still feel all the contractions and had to use gas & air too...the epidural just took the edge off them.

b)whether you (think you) tore more as a result (am a little paranoid about that) and

I don't think so. I had 2nd degree tears with both labours.

c)whether you (think you)required an intervention as a result

No, in fact I think the epidural saved me from ending up with lots of intervention but that's fairly specific to my labour iykwim.

d) If you have had births with and without which you preferred

My first birth (without) was much faster but I enjoyed my second one (with) more - though it was more due to the greater support I had second time round

e) did the epidural mean you felt less shattered for the pushing stage and therefore pushed more effectively?

No, it didn't make any difference I don't think. I didn't manage to get any sleep with it cos I could still feel contractions and mw was checking stuff every now & again. BUT it was a better experience than pushing with pethidine that I had first time.

f) did you feel the epidural allowed for more controlled birth of the head?

No, not particularly.

Just wanted to add that with my 2nd birth baby was back-to-back and so my labour was much longer than first time. I also seem to have funny contractions where they're either justa bit of period type pain or full on contractions. I had a precipitous labour with dd1 and similar contractions with dd2. My mw thinks my contractions with dd2 were too strong to let her turn and so the epidural took the edge off and that's when she turned.

Also I found the water very effective as pain relief so I'd definitely try that before an epidural.

a)what everyone's experiences of a mobile epidural are
had a normal epidural, didn't even get offered or had heard of mobile epidural beforehand

b)whether you (think you) tore more as a result
had to be cut - but more for the ventouse than the epidural, but i guess the epi caused the need for a ventouse

c)whether you (think you)required an intervention as a result
definitely - had ventouse, because my labour had been so long, that my contractions had started to stop happening

d) If you have had births with and without which you preferred
only had 1 so far - am pregnant with another - am hoping not to have another one, but i'm keeping an open mind.

e) did the epidural mean you felt less shattered for the pushing stage and therefore pushed more effectively?
i couldn't feel contractions whatsoever - the midwives were telling me to push. it got to the point where they could see the head, where my contractions just then seemed to stop totally. if my contractions had kept going, i really hoped that i couldn't have done it without the ventouse.

f) did you feel the epidural allowed for more controlled birth of the head?
maybe, not sure.

one thing i will say is that by the point of deciding on the epidural, i was totally besides myself with how long the labour was taking and the pain. when the epidural took effect i was totally totally happy, managed to get some sleep before the birth and the birth itself was lovely - no pain, no noise, just me joking with my dh, mum and midwife. so the birth itself was very relaxed, which i'm sure it wouldn't have been without the epi!

good luck

Thanks everyone - more very useful info there. Coffeeaddict - that's interesting that they let you actually get up and move around with a mobile epidural - I have heard that Drs aren't too keen on people trying to move much/walk as apparently lots of women have got back problems as a result of contorting themselves into different odd positions due to not being able to feel any pain in the hip/back area and not realising they were in an odd positon - so good to know C&W seem to let you. Were they reasonably amenable to you having one when you wanted it? How long did you have to wait? (If you were NHS - obv private isn't an issue).

Also do you think the no intervention/stitches thing might have also been becuase it was your third baby?

Had an epi with DD1, after induction. 2 minutes later, my blood pressure shot up, DD1 in distress, got wheeled off for a crash C section under general anaesthetic. DD1 ended up with further complications and in special care for 10 days. After removing catheter from me, nothing worked, and ended up in absolute agony (labour all over again) and had to be recatheterised for 2 weeks, lucky not to have permanent damage to bladder. Also didn't really feel like DD1 was 'mine' for a good few weeks as she was born under general.

DD2, just gas and air at home, had to transfer in to hospital for the last bit, but home after 2 hours. Hurt like buggery at the time, but once it was over, it was over.

Not saying epi's don't have their place (and my god, that 2 mins between the epi working and it all going a over t were heavenly!), but I would think carefully before any intervention, as there's always the chance that you'll be part of the small proportion that experiences the cascade of intervention and other problems.

a)what everyone's experiences of a mobile epidural are,(will be at Chelsea & Westminster)

Wasn't offered a mobile epi and was monitored anyway as induced by drip.

b)whether you (think you) tore more as a result (am a little paranoid about that) and

Possibly. Second degree perineal tear and tore inside as well so lots of stitches. Pain wasn't too bad afterwards as long as you remember a jug of water when you wee. A bath with tea tree or lavender oil is nice too.

c)whether you (think you)required an intervention as a result

Didn't require one.

d) If you have had births with and without which you preferred

Would prefer a home birth next time but would have an epi if things didn't work out according to plan.

e) did the epidural mean you felt less shattered for the pushing stage and therefore pushed more effectively?

Not sure. I dosed prior to the pushing bit. It took 50 minutes of pushing but it took 20 mins to get the hang of it. I had a good, very bossy MW to keep me motivated.

f) did you feel the epidural allowed for more controlled birth of the head?

No. MW had to be in control of that. I did ask if my tearing was due to the epi (NCT guilt). MW: 'Errr no, your baby has a large head'.

I do wonder with the stats about epidurals and interventions whether you are more likely to have an epidural with a long/complex labour and would therefore need an intervention anyway?

I had an epidural and it didn't work - they didn't believe me until the midwife went to put my legs in a different position and I just lifted them back up onto the bed myself! This is very rare though I think.

a)what everyone's experiences of a mobile epidural are,(will be at Chelsea & Westminster) : I discovered yesterday that my epi was a mobile one - I had thought not as I was completely immobile. I begged at the pushing stage to be assisted into a better birthing position but was flatly refused as "it was easier for them to monitor me".
b)whether you (think you) tore more as a result (am a little paranoid about that) : Yes, without a doubt. Second degree tear, painful stitching.and
c)whether you (think you)required an intervention as a result. Absolutely. I loudly refused forceps and grudgingly allowed ventouse, which worked. They wanted to intervene after only 10 minutes of pushing which was indicative of their expectation that intervention was inevitable. Foetal heart rate was used to scare me silly but the trace really didn't justify the scaremongering in my opinion.
d) If you have had births with and without which you preferred: Ask me in February after dc2!
e) did the epidural mean you felt less shattered for the pushing stage and therefore pushed more effectively? Less shattered, yes, but more effective - no. Could feel plenty of pain (epi worn off) but struggled to 'direct' my pushing properly.
f) did you feel the epidural allowed for more controlled birth of the head?
No. I was fighting and pushing furiously to push her out before they threatened more intervention.

I resorted to the epi after a long exhausting labour with little progress, and I'm not surprised at the typical outcome. If I find myself in the same situation again, the one thing I'd change is I would INSIST on being helped to a better pushing position.

This time (like last time) I'm hoping for a home water birth again.

a)what everyone's experiences of a mobile epidural are,(will be at Chelsea & Westminster)
Just an ordinary epi - mobile not available, also DD was being monitored via vlip in scalp so I wasn't allowed to move.
Epi didn't work on one side, despite being topped up. Also (on side it didn't work) had dead toes for several weeks afterwards.

b)whether you (think you) tore more as a result (am a little paranoid about that)
No - I did tear but not much and it wasn't an issue (better to tear than be cut IMO).

c)whether you (think you)required an intervention as a result
No.

d) If you have had births with and without which you preferred
Preferred birth without epi - partly because I think the drugs didn't really agree with me, so I recovered quicker without them.

e) did the epidural mean you felt less shattered for the pushing stage and therefore pushed more effectively?
Couldn't feel to push - was just pushing and pushing whenever I had the energy.

f) did you feel the epidural allowed for more controlled birth of the head?
Didn't even think about it - was to keen to get blardy head out of my fanjo as fast as possible - it hurt.