tell me about your epidural experience please

[Pingpong]

I had paracetemol, vomited, then pethidine a good while later, then gas and air and finally a spinal for emcs for DD's birth.
There was a huge gap between signing the paperwork for cs and the spinal, it was the worst bit of childbirth for me having been trying to push her out I was then sitting with my legs crossed trying to keep her in! I've had a debrief and discussed epidural for next labour. I thought I wanted an active birth for DD but when it came to it I just wanted to curl up in a ball and keep my head down (it felt like my head was going to explode) so this time I think epidural might be good and if VBAC doesn't happen then it would be quicker to get the emcs than last time but I'm interested to hear stories of how you responded to epidural.

I didn't have an epidural, I had a spinal like you for an em cs so can't comment on that but can sympathise with the wait. Anaesthetist was very busy so was an hour and a half of contractions (after a 2 day labour and 6 hours of fruitless pushing) before I was taken to theatre. Definitely the worst bit. There was nothing to 'do' but lie there and take it.

I'm in the middle of being debriefed- can't face getting pg again- and am hoping it will help.

I had a really positive birth experience with an epidural. I was induced, had gas/air once things eventually started happening (ie when they whacked the dose of inducing drug right up) and then went onto pethidine. When I was dilated enough I had the epidural (approx 9pm). It wasn't uncomfortable to have and took effect quite quickly. I think I even had a little snooze (I was alone) and when midwife checked on me at about 1:45am she thought if I could feel to push I could probably deliver etc. Although felt no pain at all, I could feel to push so had completely painless birth and DD arrived at 2:15am. I was able to walk and got up to have a shower while they cleaned baby up (I'd had her placed on my chest immediately as wanted to meet her etc). Had no adverse effects afterwards and neither did DD. Only downside was staying an extra night in hospital as I wanted to go straight home and they wanted me in for another night to make sure I was ok.

It was wonderful.

First off, epidurals are very different from spinals. I had a brilliant epidural for induced vaginal delivery with DS1, and a spinal for emCS for DS2's delivery.

The epidural did take all my pain away which was fab, but also predictably slowed down/stopped my contractions, so out came the Synto. When it came to pushing, I could still kind of feel in what direction to push, IYKWIM, but had no pain. I could move my legs on the bed to make myself more comfortable but no way could I have stood up/walked ("mobile epidural" ). Also then did not feel angthing when my tear was stitched up . I felt well throughout with epidural.

Well, spine you've experienced so 'nuff said (I did not like it, body felt like wood, bloodpressure dropped, I felt shakey)...

I had a VBAC with DS3, spontaneous labour, went really well, had only gas and air and felt well throughout. I was told they would be reluctant to give Synto for attempted VBAC because of increased risk of scar rupture with augmented labour? Ask about that as with an epidural you are more likely to slow down your contractions.

HTH a bit. Every delivery is different. You never know you could have a fab experience next time round..

Good luck to you .

spinal, sorry

Both my VBACs were with epidural. With DD2, I had an epi at 7cm dilated, at which point I was weeping and asking for a section as I felt I couldn't take it any more. A lovely obs registrar persuaded me to try the epi 'as we'll need it anyway if we do a c-s'. 'Twas magic, and DD2 was born (forceps) about 3 hours later.

DD3 was induced (for reasons unconnected to my cs or anything), so they gave me an epi before putting the synto in (my hospital only uses synto for induction of VBACs). Once again, 'twas fab, and DD3 was born with no further interventions about 5 hours later.

I know that the research shows that epis can slow you down and increase the need for medical intervention, but they were a godsend to me - I don;t know that I would have managed any vaginal births without them. Didn't like the dead leg sensation afterwards, mind you! Was desperate to get up and about, so I could go home, but it always took a minimum of 24 hour stay before my legs had come back and my blood pressure stabilised (epi can drop your BP).

Should probably say that they gave me stonking epidurals (medical term ), as I had a failed epidural with DD1 (who was em c-s with general anaesthetic) and the mws always reckoned that was because the anaesthetist wanted to make sure it didn't fail again.

I had an epidural and would again.
I shook and vomited a little from it, which are quite common side effects, but I also went to sleep which is quite rare.
Though very welcome to me. Dreamt my way from 7-8 cm dilated!
After some fruitless pushing and failed ventouse (DD's head turned the wrong way), i had an emcs. They just topped up the epidural which was simply done and quick to take effect, so once that was decided upon itg was done quickly.

I had a very positive experience with my epidural (although an overall very negative experience of labour). When the epidural went in I was in such pain (even though was still only 4 cms) that it was the most welcome relief ever. The best best feeling. I didn't even feel it going in (a part which I really worried about, the idea of a needle in my spine). All the pain was gone very quickly & I was finally, after 24 hours able to rest. It was the only good period of my labour. My epidural actually didn't slow down contractions at all, in fact contractions got more rapid & effective as the midwife told me (probably because I was able to rest) & I got to 10 cms very soon after having the epidural, only a few hours.

That said, when it came to pushing, I suddenly felt loads (at the end of the pushing stage) i.e. after feeling nothing whatsoever I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to push which came very suddenly & was a shock which I wasn't able to cope with. I expect that women who don't have epidurals are probably more prepared to deal with this overwheling sensation. The result of this for me was that I was led to a theatre / forceps delivery which involved a much stronger epidural & which was shocking.

I would still go for an epidural next time despite the problems or I might even think of an elective c/s tbh.

Induced with immediate epidural for no 2. Labour took 5 hours from start to finish. Could move my legs but not stand up. Was kept topped up direct from source by the anesthetist since the top-up you administer yourself wasn't strong enough. Didn't feel any pain. Was able to walk about very quickly afterwards and left hospital the next morning. A fab experience and would like the same again with no3.

I had epidurals for both my dcs and had a great experience both times. I certainly wouldn't say it slowed down contractions - I was seven-and-a-half-hours with the first and five-and-a-half with the second, nor did it impeded my pushing (about nine pushes for dd and six or seven for ds). I went into labour in the middle of the night both times and I found having the epidural enabled me to snooze through the early part so I wasn't too exhausted for the main effort at the end. That said the excellent Parisian anaesthetist gave me just the right dose so it was just starting to wear off at the end - I wasn't in pain, but I could feel what was going on iyswim. I was up and about within hours and having a shower unaided. Loved it - no adverse effects whatsoever - I would thoroughly recommend it.

I had one but it only worked on one side, my left, they could not work out why, all the equipment was in the right place.

I did not like the experience of having to sit still and have a needle in my back, although you can't fell it, it was hard work to sit still and all the fiddling about.

The side it worked on, worked pretty quickly and really well, I did feel like I was puching the baby out a bit wonky and it definately reduced the pain when DS2 was crowning and I had to push him out, as I found that the hardest and extreme pain with DS1. If it had worked all over it would have been well worth it!

thanks ladies for the positive stories wukter I really want to be able to go to theatre quickly if that is necessary so your story helps and although I realise that an epidural and spinal are different I was sure I had read somewhere that if you have an epidural in place then you can go to theatre but then I was begining to doubt myself and think I'd dreamt it all up!
carocaro agree about the needle in the back. My MW had to hold me so tight when I had the spinal to keep me still. It's hard to keep still when having major contractions!
I know I'm going to be closely monitored and pretty much on my back so I reckon I might as well go for the epidural too. The gas and air made me funny last time so think it's time to try a different technique.