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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Epidurals, Safe or not?

36 replies

yellow · 06/10/2004 11:46

Am 29 weeks with my first DD and have forced myself to start thinking about the birth. I have heard good and bad things about epidurals and wondered if you could advise. I heard there is a relatively new epidural which is called a mobile epidural where they use a lower dose. I think I would like the option of having this but keep hearing things about epidurals going wrong, also I have heard you have to let the midwives know on arrival at the hospital if you would like an epidural as there needs to be an available doctor and if you don't you run the risk of not gettong one. Am starting to panic about it all any advice?

OP posts:

jampot · 06/10/2004 11:48

I was against epidurals when pregnant with first child and ended up with one for em c/s.

With my second child I had a spinal block which apparently is different in that it has no failure rate unlike a normal epidural (apparently).

One word of advice - don't look at the apparatus they use !

bundle · 06/10/2004 11:48

epidurals are v safe. i had one with dd1 and it was bloody marvellous, especially seeing as i ended up having a c/s and it was just topped up for the op. mine was a mobile one, ie i could still move around, feel if i wanted to wee etc. one of my friends told an anaesthetist at a party that if he ever wanted a kidney then he should just ring her, such was her delight at her epidural (v complicated and painful birth, ended up with catheter for a month after her ds's birth)

bundle · 06/10/2004 11:49

(ps never felt it going in, and they tape the tube to your shoulder where they top it up, quite handy really)

motherinferior · 06/10/2004 11:52

I had one with dd1 and like Bundle just had it topped up for a near-c/s birth.

Mine didn't work brilliantly, I have to say. But I do think that they get a very bad press from people who say 'oh no, not an epidural' without even entertaining the option. I decided against one for my second baby, but I would entertain all options at the moment. And as far as I know you don't have to specify when you get there!

fuzzywuzzy · 06/10/2004 11:52

From what I've read, mobile epidurals allow you to continue walking, whereas with regular types you are numb from your waist down. I'd discuss it with my midwife if I were you and get full details. At the hospital I went to we were supposed to let the m/w know if we wanted an epidural as the anaesthesist may be really busy. However luckily I managed both times without, luckily as I am a big huge chicken when it comes to needles....

Blackduck · 06/10/2004 11:54

Had an epidural with ds - at the anti natal classes an anethetist (sp) said she'd have one every time! The main thing is you have to be able to curl over and keep still for the duration (this is partly why they are less keen to do it if you are contracting regularly and there isn't sufficient space between them). As for saying you want one the 'earlier the better' seems the rule partly because there is usually only one person available to do them so if they get caught up in a C'section you may not get seen in time - this happened to my sil....by the time he arrived to do it the baby was too far down the birth canel..

bundle · 06/10/2004 11:56

yellow, even if you did specify when you reached the maternity unit someone might have a more urgent need of the anaesthetist (i had a general for a crash c/s 2nd time around) so you might not get what you want when you want. a friend of mine had an epidural which only worked on one side, and mine initially did nothing for some sciatic pain which i had towards the end of pregnancy in my left hip. but on the anaesthetist's advice, when it was topped up i lay on that side and hey presto - it worked

Blackduck · 06/10/2004 11:57

forgot to say they are much more refined than they were, so they check what you can feel (not feel!) and can top up for a C if necessary... - which can alternatively be a bit of a bummer if you don't end up having one!...

Northerner · 06/10/2004 11:57

I had an epidural and it was wonderful! I did ask about mobile ones but they didn't have them available at my hospital at the time. Mine worked brilliantly and I was not in any pain whatsoever, would def have one again. I had a little bit of back pain afterwards but nothing serious. There will always be an anaesthitst to administer one, but you have to be careful not to leave it too late to request it as you have to be very still whilst they put it in - quite difficult if you're so far gone you are having fast and furious contactions! I had mine at 3cm dilated (chicken that I am) Seriously though, I was induced so my pain was quicker and more intense.

motherinferior · 06/10/2004 12:00

Yes, I had the only on one side thing too. And I think it may have been linked to the fact my labour went very slowly afterwards (although it may not - it had been bloody slow before!). I certainly came out of my first birth swearing that drugs, drugs and only drugs could get you through.

Like I say, don't rule anything out. They certainly are NOT as gruesome as some people make out (my antenatal yoga teacher referred to them in tones of such horror!)

vict17 · 06/10/2004 12:01

I asked for one when my midwife suggested a hot bath and pethidine!! At first it only worked down one side which they only figured out when I asked for the gas and air to be brought back. When it was fully working it was brilliant and I didn't feel a thing.

acnebride · 06/10/2004 12:02

I think it is hard to tell if epidurals are safe since most of the books say 'with an epidural you risk x y and z but mobile epidurals are better' but don't specify any evidence. I assume all epidurals now are mobile epidurals unless they're only put in for a c/s? Put in your birth plan/preferences that you're very interested in an epidural and mention it when you get to hospital - most places IIRC don't like putting them in before you are in really established labour inc ase it slows things down, even 5/6 cm, so start talking about it early perhaps!

There's a post somewhere on here from the partner of an anaesthetist and she advises telling the anaesthetist exactly what you want from the epidural - which i guess would be still able to move around and stand as much as possible, maybe even to wear off for the second stage, but with the option to top up?

I didn't have an epidural with ds (no time unfortunately) but had a spinal block afterwards for the stitches - super blissful and wonderful as I'd heard the injection is painful but it wasn't. I will probably go for a home birth next time but would go into hosp and have an epi without hesitation if i had a long exhausting first stage.

vict17 · 06/10/2004 12:03

I had mine quite early on as I was able to sit on the side of the bed.

beansmum · 06/10/2004 12:06

not all hospitals offer the mobile epidural,dont think mine did. i didn't end up having an epidural anyway, wasn't in too much pain and it all went pretty quickly. i would think about other kinds of pain relief as well, you never know what you'll want when you're actually there.

JoolsToo · 06/10/2004 12:08

I had two - one in 1974 and another in 1976 ds 1 & 2 (ds1 had to be rotated and I didn't feel a thing - phew!) so you can see they've been going for yonks I think they are bloody marvellous and was thankful they were around then - had dd the 'natural' way - no thanks!

Original poster

yellow · 06/10/2004 12:09

Thanks for all your advice. Think I will def opt for a mobile epidural, know my hospital does them. May be a stupid question but is it true that as you can not feel to push it can make the birth harder and longer?

OP posts:

fuzzywuzzy · 06/10/2004 12:14

Mu cousin couldn't feel when to push, but she was being monitored and told when to push so she managed fine. Personally, with dd1 I knew when the contractions were coming as my stomach would really tighten however I felt absoloutely no pain even though I'd had no sort of pain relief.. wierd but true.

Pidge · 06/10/2004 12:14

yellow - I guess my view was that I would have an epidural if I needed one, and boy did I need it last time round after 2.5 days of labour and not dilating due to posterior position baby. I had a full epidural - had to lie down and couldn't feel a thing for the further 10 hours it took dd to arrive. But frankly all my desires for a natural birth were long gone and I was just relieved that the pain had stopped. It was marvellous given that I wasn't progressing.

Pushing was a bit of a problem, as I really couldn't feel a thing and couldn't tell if I was doing it right. My lovely midwife lied to the consultant about how long I'd been pushing to buy me more time, and dd popped out in the end without further intervention.

So yes, it can impact your ability to push. There's a greater risk of further intervention once you go down this path. But I think the best advice is to see how the labour progresses and take what options you need at the relevant points.

Good luck!

snmum · 06/10/2004 12:28

I am a dural tap with my first epidural, so probably not the best person to ask!

2nd one, i had a spoinal block, as i had a planned section and it was a dream, honest...dont dismiss epidurals or spinals, they are wonderful things IF DONE PROPERLY!!!!

Rowlers · 06/10/2004 12:30

With my epidural, the anaesthetist turned down my dose at the pushing stage to half way, enough for me to feel the contractions and push, but not enough for me to feel any pain at all. Just what I wanted.
Only downside was lack of mobility for a few hours afterwards but then you've got a lovley little baby to look at so you won't want to go far anyway.
Also, after my epidural, because I couldn't feel anything below waist, I didn't move my legs for hours so when I did get movement back, I was very stiff for a couple of weeks. Just remember to keep moving (or get someone to move you around a bit).
Good luck!

Nimme · 06/10/2004 12:33

Yellow - I had a low dose epidural with DD as I was induced via drip and I was told it was going to hurt a lot (from no contractions to fast and furious). It worked brilliantly and wore off after 1-2 hours. I then requested more but was told it would delay labour but I could have if I wanted. Shortly thereafter I could feel when to push and out she came. If I had had more I wouldn't have felt the need to push and am/was very glad it worked out the way it did as I felt more in control. HTH

Nimme · 06/10/2004 12:34

Also should mention pg and due soon - I plan to have low dose epidural again (do not want anything to make my mind "funny")

Skate · 06/10/2004 12:44

Sorry, no time to read whole thread but I had a mobile epidural for ds1. Not sure about this 'mobile' bit - if you have an epidural you hooked up to a drip and I also had a monitor on baby's head so wire coming out and strapped to my leg and had other arm with BP thingy on it. I wasn't walking anywhere!!

Having said that, I had no ill effect and a calm, pretty pain free labour so wouldn't say don't have one if it's what you want.

HOWEVER, for ds2 and ds3 I had just g&a so felt EVERTHING (eek!!) but these births were fantastic and I'd choose this route anyday. Much more satisfying. If you can and you'd rather, I'd go without - you CAN do it!

Skate · 06/10/2004 12:45

Actually, my drip might have just been for the syntocin as I was induced, but do you have one anyway if you have an epidural or do they just check your BP?

sponge · 06/10/2004 12:49

I had mobile epidurals for both mine and I would heartily recommend them, especially for the second one where, as others have said, I was induced and the pain comes very fast and furious.
I could feel a bit to push and you are monitored so they tell you when to. If you do need any intervention (I needed an episiotomy with both) then they top it up at that last stage to a full block so you can't feel the cut or the stitches. You can always decide to have one at the point when/if the pain becomes too much for you, as long as you don't leave it too late.
The only downside I felt was that labour (the dilation stage) was probably slowed down but since you're feeling no pain the only real drawback is therefore boredom, especially for your partner.
If they feel that your rate of progression is endangering the baby in any way they will give you a drip to speed things up.
I would keep your options open, see how you cope with the early stages, but don't be afraid to ask for an epidural as soon as you feel you want one.

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