Would this be crazy? Epidural.

[Cherryblossomsinspring]

My first labour was horrific and unbearable. Waters broke early then I had 10 hrs straight of contractions 3 mins apart and very very powerful before finally getting epidural and a few hrs late being forced to push just after an epidural top up so needless to say it ended in forceps.

Second labour was 3 hrs of bad contractions and although horrific, it progressed well and I handled it all fine. Dd came out in 2 pushes in the pool. Not too horrific really and very textbook.

This time I just want to arrive, get an epidural and just have as little pain as possible. Is that mad? I know having an epidural means no water birth and increased liklihood of intervention but has anyone ever had a well managed epidural labour with an easy 3rd stage? No intervention? I just want a calmer experience. The pain is something else, I vomit everywhere and I think I scream ghetto place down (but dh and midwife always say I was silent).

I completely understand this. I would consider the same. With DS I had no pain relief, not through choice, but although I always thought I had a fairly decent pain threshold I was in agony from the word go. My way to deal with pain is to withdraw into myself and count so I literally spent 15 hours counting to myself (weird I know) to deal with the pain. I was also sick, a lot, despite anti sickness drugs. I've now decided if I have a 2nd I'd ask for an epidural asap so I could deal with it in a measured way. I like to be in control and I think an epidural would give me some. Wishful thinking, huh?!

Your labour is totally your choice. I can't speak about epidurals as I've not had one but there is no reason at all why you can't ask for it to be managed any way you want! If you are worrying about intervention later you could ask for it to be lowered once you get to 8/9 cms? When it comes to labour no plan is crazy! Just talk to your mw

I had an epidural and it was fab. When I got to 10cm they told me to sleep for an hour and I will then push. I thought there was no chance, but I actually did just go to sleep, woke up and pushed her out! Took 45mins but no intervention. I'm half tempted to do what you are suggesting this time, but might try and see if I can have a water birth first - feel more relaxed knowing that the epidural is a gift from God should I need it!

I think it's really sad that a woman even has to ASK if its "mad" or unreasonable for her to want to not have to endure pain.

Here in France it's pretty much standard practise for a woman to be giving an epidural as soon as she arrives at the maternity clinic. You obviously aren't forced to have one, but if you refuse you are considered to be a bit weird.

There is probably more medical intervention in France purely because things like home births and water births are not really heard of. If you just took a selection of hospital births from both sides, I don't think there would be any difference. I only know one person who needed forceps used, and that was about 15 years ago.

I arrived on the labour suite, had an epidural pretty well immediately and laboured in a very civilised way.

read a book, napped... ds arrived in the middle of PM on radio4

no forceps but a pretty massive tear. I was doubly glad of the epidural during the stitching.

I had an epidural with DS. I cannot remember exactly what stage as I was off my tits on pethadine and G&A but I had the epidural and like a PP, when i was 10cm I was told to go to sleep and was woken up an hour later to push. Pushing took around an hour but I needed no Intervention at all, not even a stitch.

I wasn't aware of this at the time (see above) but the woman who administered the epidural very nearly did it wrong. I apparently have a very tough back and she struggled to get it in. When it finally went she almost pushed it too far and it wasn't it the exact place she intended. According to DP she froze and went completely white before going to get a specialist. He thought she had paralysed me! The specialist redid it and I was actually fine but it was still a shock when DP told me everything the next day. I hadn't even realised I had it twice!

Because of this I do not plan to have an epidural this time around, although I am open to change my mind on the day.

I've had four dc, with dc1 I did it on gas and air. It was ok but obviously very painful.
With dc2 I had an induction at 38 weeks it was strongly advised to get and epidural as the drip could be very painful. It was brilliant so much so that I had one for dc3 and dc4. With dc3 I actually had a nap for and hour at fully dilated so he could descend a bit on his own.
Lots of people said I was mad for dc4 but it was my birth and my choice. When I was taken from triage to delivery suite I told the midwife that it would be a nightmare for me if she examined me and I was very dilated as I really wanted an epidural she was great and said "well I won't examine you til it's in then!"
I was thankful of it when Ds was and emergency ventouse as there wouldn't have been time to give me any pain relief.

It's you birth and your decision, my experience of epidural have been great.

Totally agree goodnessgraciousgouda In my home country (USA) the vast majority of women who deliver vaginally use epidurals. It's only from my time spent in the UK that I've come across the attitude that anything more than gas and air is some sort of failure!

I've been watching loads of "One Born Every Minute" and have seen several cases where an informed woman asks for an epidural upfront and the NHS midwives actively attempt to discourage her from getting one.

I'm now living in a country where home births are illegal and most births are quite medicalized. I am planning to have an epidural (first pregnancy) and glad that I won't be made to feel bad about it.

Wow, unexpectedly positive responses. I will speak properly to my midwife. I would so love to enjoy the labour and be excited in the hrs before baby arrives and I just can't while my insides are being pulled inside out and I'm vomiting all over the place. My last labour wasn't very painful till 1 am and she was born by 3.45am so it wasn't hell for long. Also it was amazing the way my body just roared her out of me, it was quick and powerful. But I don't feel the need to do that again. I just want a better experience.

Cherry meant to add I've never had stitch and pushed them all out no problem and dc3 was 10lb 8 :)

I had an epidural early on with my third pregnancy (twins so they're keen for you to have one). Only time I've laboured without copious vomiting. It was really calm and lovely. It was still a fairly quick labour, about six hours, so having an epidural doesn't mean it'll be slow.

Not mad at all. However, find out if your hospital offers remifentanil. I had it last week to deliver ds2-had a horrific experience with ds1. It was set up very quickly (epidurals take a while I think AFTER finding the anesthetist, and 3rd labours can be very quick?) and amounted to a button I pressed every time I felt a contraction coming on. And it literally took all the pain away for me. Made the rest of the labour completely ok. I had to wean myself off it to push but that was a decision I made and not everyone does.

I plan to do exactly that - and this is my first. I have no interest in experiencing labour pain more than is necessary. I'm quite happy to have a large needle shoved in my spine at the first available moment

The right approach to labour is the one YOU feel comfortable with - whether that's whale music or drugs coming out of your ears. And don't let anyone tell you any different!

This time I just want to arrive, get an epidural and just have as little pain as possible. Is that mad?

If it is, I'll have to change my name here to Mad Jack McMad...

If I were to have a natural labour I would 100% do what you said and just go straight in and have one, my first labour was 34 hours and I honestly don't know how women can go that long without one!! Heroes!!