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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Do epidurals usually lead to further interventions?

71 replies

goodnightdarthvader1 · 02/12/2015 21:26

Want the option of an epidural (although I'm hoping I can tough it out with a water birth), but it seems that most epidurals lead to interventions, from ventouse to EMCS. Is that true in your experiences?

OP posts:
ChicaMomma · 03/12/2015 11:04

Getting the epidural post 5cm dilation reduces interventions.

I had one at 7cm and no interventions or tearing at all. Really positive experience.

Also i had a low dose- so could still move a small bit- i birthed on my side, not on my back.

Original poster
goodnightdarthvader1 · 03/12/2015 11:16

That's really useful, thank you both.

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 03/12/2015 11:20

I had a ventouse delivery after an epidural. I had a long labour, 15 hours pre-epidural with baby back to back, a further 13 hours afterwards.

Haven't regretted the epidural for a moment. It really changed my birth experience from one in which I was starting to panic to one in which I was calm and about as relaxed as you can be.

Thurlow · 03/12/2015 11:22

I agree with other posters that it probably isn't as simple as "epidurals cause interventions."

I'm not denying that lying on your back, being immobile or feeling contractions less do have an effect on your ability to labour and push.

However, it's probably equally as likely that women who are already having a difficult labour for one reason or another are the ones who choose to have an epidural.

I had one after 36 hours of early my arse labour - constant contractions, standing up (only comfortable position), not being able to keep any liquid, let alone food, down (HG returning with a vengeance) and till having barely made it to 4cm. So it was less the pain that made me choose to have an epidural than being absolutely bloody knackered and needing something to give me a bit of a break.

I ended up with an emcs fairly swiftly anyway, but I suspect even if I had dilated quite quickly and given birth soon, I would have been more likely to need some form of intervention as I was probably too exhausted and dehydrated to push effectively.

So there's probably an inbuilt aspect where women who have epidurals have a reason (exhaustion, poorly positioned baby etc) that might see them needing intervention anyway.

No idea how you'd measure that though!

Alisvolatpropiis · 03/12/2015 11:25

Sorry should add. The ventouse delivery was related to the fact they gave me an hour to push after that they would have used further interventions. My waters broke before contractions started (PROMs) and as that carries a higher risk of infection for both mum and baby the hospital I gave birth at only allows 36 hours from when the waters break.

I was pushing effectively and would have managed on my own but they wanted the baby out and and I was perfectly okay with that.

The epidural I had needed to be topped up regularly because it's designed to wear off.

Everythinggettingbigger · 03/12/2015 11:44

Epidural this first time round due to a very long labour and no dilation, said my body couldn't take much more and I needed a rest. Ended in forceps.

Im hoping to stay on my feet this time round with no epidural....hopefully it doesn't end the same and its not just me!

Don't get me wrong, getting to go to sleep after 40 hours of constant contractions was heaven, and much needed but the recovery afterwards of having to have an episiotomy....ouch!

Lozza1990 · 03/12/2015 11:51

I had an epidural which didn't end up working but had no interventions. I think I could have possibly toughed it out but was in labour for 3 days so was exhausted and depressed. The epidural goes into your back for top ups and everything, I did have a cannula but can't remember if it was related to the epidural or not Confused. You also have to stay in for 24 hours with an epidural so bare that in mind, oh and you have a piss bag (can't remember the proper name).

TPel · 03/12/2015 11:59

It doesn't sound as though things have changed much. I had DS 24 years ago.

Induced
Epidural
Forceps (episiotomy and tore)

I didn't have another child after that sadly. Sad

Bolshybookworm · 03/12/2015 12:08

2 "complete" epidurals here and two intervention free births. Dd1 came out with 45 min pushing and dd2 came out with 15 min (no stitches!).
Both were long labours and by the time I asked for an epidural I was becoming quite frightened as I couldn't take the pain for much longer. The epidurals allowed me to calm down, sleep and get my energy back for pushing. With both, I could feel the contractions along the top of my bump so knew when to push (having brilliant midwives who got the levels just right helped too Grin). I have never felt a baby crown and I never want to!

Basically, if you need pain relief, don't be afraid to use it.

Librariesgaveusp0wer · 03/12/2015 12:08

Lozza - you don't have to stay in for 24 hours. That might be the preference of your hospital, but it isn't everywhere and they can't force you.Smile

Brummiegirl15 · 03/12/2015 12:08

You do normally have a cannula inserted in case you need fluids (also in case you need a EMCS urgently with GA)

The epidural cannula is taped to your back for top ups. Unlike a spinal block which is designed for a set amount of time (for an elective c section for example) there is no way of knowing how long you need an epidural for.

So if it does start wearing off - and you need more, or if you end up needing an EMCS, they can instantly top up.

Bolshybookworm · 03/12/2015 12:10

I didn't stay in for 24 hours with either birth! Was in for about 12 hrs afterwards with both. They took the catheter out straight after the birth.

I did have to piss into a jug though to show my bladder was working.

ChicaMomma · 03/12/2015 12:13

Picking up on TPels point- it is my belief that induction is a bigger cause of medical interventions than epidurals tbh.. plus getting the epidural too soon.. if it's adminstered when you're well into active labour (5cm+ i would say, although officially 3cm+) then it's less inclined to result in a 'cascade' of medical interventions, less so again if you've not been induced in the first instance.

NeedsAMousekatool · 03/12/2015 12:16

I had a mobile epidural after 24 hours, no catheter. I was able to walk around, bounce on a ball, go to the loo, and when it came time to push I was upright on my knees and on a birthing stool.

(Then when DD was almost out she turned and lifted her head and got herself well and truly stuck and I needed forceps to get her out, but that can't be blamed on the epidural, plus having the needle already in place meant they could pop a spinal block in for the forceps really quickly.)

Fugghetaboutit · 03/12/2015 12:28

Epi here at 6cms and it wore off before pushing stage so I felt all of that. No interventions needed after. Best thing ever, especially for difficult first births

Buttwing · 03/12/2015 12:30

Hi 3 epidurals and 1 ventouse but it wasn't to do with the epidural, his heart rate dropped and he needed to come out quickly.
I found it pushing with an epidural fine and one of my dc was 10lb 8 and back to back. That said my epidurals were for dc2, 3 and 4 I didn't have one with dc1. I don't know if it makes a difference I suppose my body had done it before.

Original poster
goodnightdarthvader1 · 03/12/2015 12:52

Thanks everyone, this is really useful. I particularly like the viewpoint that interventions might have been needed anyway so the epidural could be a symptom of that rather than a cause.

Do forceps always mean episiotomy?

OP posts:
LibrariesgaveusP0wer · 03/12/2015 12:53

Pretty much, yes. Forceps are quite large!

targaryen · 03/12/2015 12:58

I had an epidural which drew out the while process and resulted in kiwi cup and forceps in theatre. My dd was back to back so may have been horrendous if I hadn't had the epidural.
Second labour really quick and I was shocked at the pain and would have taken an epidural in a heart beat by no time and my ds was born quickly.
With my third child I had a water birth, really, really quick. At the point when your hips feel like your going to snap I would take an epidural but with the third I did know we were just about there.

Original poster
goodnightdarthvader1 · 03/12/2015 13:34

When do you find out if the baby is back to back? Do they tell you at a late scan or only after the fact?

OP posts:
LibrariesgaveusP0wer · 03/12/2015 13:35

You don't have a late scan unless there are other concerns. And a baby can be back to back one day and turn the next.

They can normally tell by feeling your bump in labour.

Loki17 · 03/12/2015 13:36

I had a mobile epidural. I could still feel and move my legs. Could feel my contractions but they didn't hurt as much. I had a complicated labour so had nothing to lose I stopped topping the epidural up before I got to the pushing stage to help me (I had the option of topping it up every half hour and I only did it once an hour). I pushed a 7 lb 15 oz baby out without any intervention. The epidural was great for me.

ppandj · 03/12/2015 13:43

I was so worried about interventions and wanted the most natural delivery possible. It didn't work out that way and my waters broke spontaneously but they gave me the drip as they worried I had pre-eclampsia. Anyway I had an epidural and it was great. I was relatively pain free for half of labour and even slept a bit, meaning when I was fully dilated I had more energy to push. 20 mins of pushing and DS popped out. The only bad thing was that I had a 3a tear and I don't know if I would have had I been in a different position.

NataliaOsipova · 03/12/2015 13:54

I had two epidurals right from the start. First one did result in ventouse and episiotomy (but they'd even mulling over an emergency C section earlier in fairness); second one no intervention at all. I would go for one again in a second - I felt calm and in control and was up and out and about the day after with both of them. Just didn't feel like a birth was a huge trauma.

Strokethefurrywall · 03/12/2015 17:15

I had hypnobirth with DS1 and needed an episiotomy. He was a 4 hour day labor.

Had an epidural with DS2 and he came out in 3 pushes with a ventouse. He was a slow burner, went into labor at 11pm and I wanted to sleep. Both DH and I fell asleep, and was woken by my OBGYN at 6am telling me it was time to push. No stitches required.

Loved both births, wouldn't change a thing about either of them.