Do epidurals usually lead to further interventions?

[goodnightdarthvader1]

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?

I had one at 1cm after 18 hours of consistent, regular and back to back contractions. 4 hours later emcs, general anaesthetic, blood transfusions, n a one week hospital stay

Me: 4 births, no epidurals, no intervention, and stitches only with DD1 who punched her way to freedom through my perineum (thanks, darling).

Friend 1: 3 births, no epidurals, no interventions.

Friend 2: 3 births, 3 epidurals, 2 sections (one including failed forceps)

Friend 3: 1 birth, induction, epidural, section

Friend 4: 4 births, no epidurals, no interventions

Cousin: 2 births, no epidurals, no interventions

SIL: 3 births, no epidurals, no interventions

Those are honestly the only ones where I can remember enough the details of the births. There's a definite pattern there, but as PP have said, what's not clear is that women have epidurals because they have more pain which indicates am more difficult lie etc. Though to my mind, it stands to reason that if you are immobile on your back, you will not labour as effectively as if you are walking around, on hands and knees, able to squat etc.

DC1 - overdue, induction, sytocinon drip, epidural and eventually ventouse. But was already a bad labour way before the epidural.

DC2 - slightly overdue, waters broken, epidural, epidural allowed to wear off so I could push properly. Was an amazing birth, very calm, and I would definitely choose to have another epidural if I was crazy enough to have DC3.

I wanted a hypno water birth. Had meconium in waters so had to be induced. Managed 5 hours with just hypno birthing and tens, but was only 3 cm so requested epidural.

I loved it. I could move around but was best on my back, and pushed DD out in 15 mins. Had borderline 2nd/3rd degree tear and had to have fluids IV after bp dropped afterwards but otherwise fine.

Midwives kept saying "we'll see you in the MLU for a waterbirth next time" and I was thinking "No I'll see you on the delivery suite for an epidural thanks!"

Epidural with my first.... Couldn't get the needle in tried 15 times and drained my spinal fluid. Ended up having emergency c section. Left 4 days later with my baby and had to go back 2 days after as I couldn't sit up without getting major migraines (migraine beyond anything I've ever felt) to have blood from my arm into my spine to block the holes they had left :( not worth it. Avoid it if you can!

I guess I'll try to tough it out, but need to prepare myself that if I opt for an epidural I may end up with my vagina looking like a bomb site. I have painful sex and bladder issues so worried about making everything worse :/

Katie, I'd wager that your experience is fairly unusual.

Your vagina may come out just fine OP, mine did! In fact, my vagina ended up worse after the DS1's hypnobirth and ensuing episiotomy than with DS2's epidural birth with a ventouse (no tearing, no episiotomy)

Well in all honesty, your vagina looks like a bomb site no matter if you have pain relief or not but epidural doesn't automatically mean intervention. Although for 98% of women it does mean a comfortable labor (not including those for whom epidurals don't work...)

My recovery after my epidural birth was far quicker than with my hypnobirth though. With my first I felt wonderful and was on a complete high but felt like I'd been hit with a truck. As in, I ached all over, it was like when I finished the marathon. The stitches were uncomfortable too and I just felt bruised all over.

DS2 we left the hospital the day after he was born and I didn't ache at all. I didn't even feel like I'd given birth. Tres weird!

I can only speak from my own experience. My epidural didn't require me to be strapped to the bed, I could walk myself to the toilet (no cannula) and could control the amount of the drug I was getting so I could still feel contractions if I wanted to. I could also get some sleep! Yes, the heartbeat needed to be monitored but it wasn't constant and I could still labour on the birthing ball etc.

I ended up having an emcs but that was because DS was in distress and in a tricky position.

• sorry I meant no catheter, not cannula

Was that in the UK?

goodnightdarthvader1 - your vagina could look like that without an epidural too!

Yes, London in 2012.

Three children, three epidurals, zero interventions.

Where did you get the 98% stay from Stroke?

There was a Web chat a while back with a consultant and he said something like 70% of women were happy with the pain relief from their epidural. I will try and search when I am not on my phone.

My epidural wasn't classed as failing, but nor did it provide full pain relief, despite my legs being totally dead. It was most odd (and disappointing )

I had an epidural and my baby was born by ventouse. But not because of the epidural- because she was much bigger than expected! But the epidural was bliss- I couldn't speak due to the pain before and felt totally normal after the epidural.

good

I'd recommend not hanging on until you're beyond being able to listen to instruction/sit still (you have to sit in a strange position for the epidural's initial administration).

My bits look just the same as they did pre-baby, if that helps? I did have a tear but it healed very neatly. Highly doubt I'll even try going for a "natural birth" if I have a second child.

I know that the earlier you ask for one the better, since it's hard to get hold of an anesthetist quickly.

That said, if an epidural is done at the right time, it enables a woman to rest, sleep and not be suffering from fatigue when the time to push comes. By this point the epidural could also be starting to lessen so there is still "sensation" and she can actually push.

That describes mine exactly. Laboured for ages, missed two nights of sleep, ended up in tears from exhaustion. When they put me on the induction drip I asked for an epidural and then had the best sleep ever of my whole life.

When I woke up they let it wear off and it was completely worn off by the pushing stage. I tore but had no forceps/ventouse/etc.

1 epidural. Ended up with ventouse and 3rd degree tear. Had it done at 6cm.
1 gas and air only. No intervention, no tear, easier afterwards.
It wasn't worth it for me