Epidural preterm birth?

[LeBFG]

So, thanks to advice on here and RL, I've been looking at all options for the birth of my next baby due in March. I have a plan I'm happy with if I go to full term (DS was prem) - natural as possible in hospital. However, in the eventuality I give birth preterm again, I'm not so sure what to do and I'm looking for more advice/infomation.

Last labour, the midwife suggested an epidural was wise because of possible complications. I guess they would intervene quicker in the case of a preterm baby (get stuck in with forceps etc if baby was showing distress). Do I just opt for an epidural in case this happens? What is the evidence for this? Has anyone had a preterm birth without an epidural (willingly) and what was the outcome?

I obviously want the best for my baby and I'm not attached to a 'natural no-matter-what' philosophy (I was happy in general with my last medicated birth). But I'm a. very keen to experience a natural birth and b. want to avoid interventions, in particular a c-section (if at all possible). Currently very confused as to what to do.

My DS was born at 34 weeks and I didn't have an epidural. I have back problems so couldn't have an epidural even if I wanted to. He was a quick labour with no complications. In fact, nobody believed I was in labour until they checked and found I was 7cm dilated, DS was born less than 2 hours later.

I don't know how pre-term you're looking at, and to be honest DS was a rather hefty 6lb anyway!

They did attempt several times to put a cannula in me though, baby was continuously monitored and if they'd picked up signs of distress they were going to knock me out with a GA and deliver via CS. But luckily it was a very straightforward labour, DS practically shot out!

Well, yes, DS came at nearly 33 weeks (4lb4) so not very early - no health issues etc. I have a suspicion that the labour would have been shorter without the epidural.

I'm very pleased to hear your labour went so well! And 6lb at 34 weeks was a really great weight. Did you go home together? This is very much how I want to experience labour next time. How was the pain management with the continuous monitoring? I have some squeezy balls that might help me if this happens ....

Yep, we were discharged together 2 days later. Although DS was admitted to the children's ward at a week old as he'd lost a lot of weight - we then discovered that he couldn't suck. A week of ng tube top-ups saw him right in the end though.

I'd had no pain relief until 7cm, when they discovered I was in labour and "accidentally" broke my waters while checking. Up until that point, I honestly wasn't in too much pain. After that, I had gas & air. The MW was very supportive with the monitoring, she tried really, really hard to let me go in whatever position I wanted - standing up, kneeling, crouching...but in the end she just couldn't get a reliable trace, so I ended up lying down on the bed with her pushing really hard with the paddle-thing to keep a trace.

Do they know why you went into preterm labour last time? I only ask because DS was born at 34+1, with no idea of why he came then. I'm now pregnant again, and was admitted at 27 and then 29 weeks with contractions and cervical changes, had steroid injections etc, but am now miraculously 34+3! So it might not happen again, but I completely understand your worries, I've spent most of this pregnancy being terrified.

Snap there then Bionic re being terrified! I'm at 28 weeks with plenty of BH since about 18 weeks - no pain though. There was no reason like you. So fustrating. I don't even tick any of the risk factor boxes - not one .

It was nice for you to able to labour how you liked. I wonder how I would cope with continuous monitoring though. Last time, they never got a good trace but apparently could tell DS was fine - not sure how. I don't like the idea of being pinned to a bed - you sound like a tough cookie!

Really great news you got home so quickly though obviosly not so great having to go back again. So pleased you're broken your gestation record this time too. Best of luck with your next birth.