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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

No time for epidural?

30 replies

timewilltel · 21/01/2022 16:25

So I'm 34 weeks pregnant with my second baby and had an appointment with my midwife today, she asked about if I'd decided on my birthing plan. So for my first, I opted for a water birth as I was told it would be amazing and not painful but the only thing is I wouldn't be able to have any pain relief, well maybe it's coz it was my first pregnancy and so I had nothing to compare it to but let's just say it wasn't pain free at all and even tho it was only about 4-5 hours long it felt like forever! Anyway I swore that for my next pregnancy I would opt for epidural no question, so when I told her this today she went on to say "well just to let you know before you make any kind of decisions that second pregnancies are always much quicker than first and so you might not even have time for epidural at all"
Anyway long story short, has anyone else been told this or even had any experience with this??

OP posts:

Flittingaboutagain · 21/01/2022 16:28

Yep. I had a precipitous labour with my first and have been told to prepare for free birthing worst case ie have a home birth kit ready, call midwife at first twinge or waters going and husband to do baby first aid and get coached by the paramedics as there may be no time for anything!

sabrinatheteenagemortal · 21/01/2022 16:41

My first I was thinking I would try it with a water birth and get an epidural if it was getting too much. In the end it all happened so quick the midwife said that we were well beyond that point so the choice was made for me!

Podqkh · 21/01/2022 16:44

Yep. My second child arrived 29 minutes after I arrived at the hospital. No time for anything other than bed and birth!

GrapefruitPink · 21/01/2022 16:45

With my friends second she was born 15 mins after arriving at hospital.
Her waters broke only 45 mins before.

grey12 · 21/01/2022 16:46

Happened to a friend of mine she really wanted epidural, really didn't want a "natural birth" but her labour went quite fast and the doctor said there was no time for an epidural!

But I think that's a good thing! I had an epidural for my first because my labour lasted 2 days and I needed to sleep.

Anyways epidural is not nice in comparison to a quick birth..... it's super uncomfortable position curling over with a huge belly while having contractions but if you move it's dangerous!!! Besides I hated not feeling my legs and feet it was a fantastic relief though (Stupid pessaries 😒 hated the whole thing!! And couldn't push properly and baby wasn't coming out but too far for Csection and had to come out by force with ventouse.......) My 2 quick labours with no medication afterwards were much better also gas and air gave me terrible dizziness and "car" sickness so I wanted that thing as far away from me as possible but it seems to work for a lot of people

Notasdesperate · 21/01/2022 16:48

My hospital systematically understaffs anaesthetists in the maternity unit so both labours I had to wait 3+ hours for an epidural although both times I was suitable for one immediately. The second labour I entered the second phase by the time the anaesthetist turned up so it was too late.

mummyh2016 · 21/01/2022 16:58

Yep, I wasn't opting for an epidural this time anyway but if I had I wouldn't have been able to have one as I only arrived at the hospital just over an hour before giving birth so wouldn't have had time. From the minute I realised I was in labour to when I delivered it was 3 hours, first labour was 20 hours from first contraction to delivery so was much quicker second time round.

grey12 · 21/01/2022 17:03

@Notasdesperate

That is terrible!

You should have complained

123feraverto · 21/01/2022 17:03

I had no time for epidural in either of my pregnancies

1st induced - contractions 3 mins apart just after 8 and baby born just before 10

2nd - contractions 3 mins apart 11:30pm , got to hospital 1am - waters broke as I walked into the room baby born 02:26 - via episiotomy and ventouse

No time for gas and air and neither time did I get water birth I had planned :( 1st because induced and 2nd because meconium in waters

It was way quicker than I expected both times !

janicewheeler · 21/01/2022 17:07

My first pregnancy I was told it was too late for an epidural, then suddenly I was allowed one as my cervix had swollen. They were definitely putting me off having one saying I didn't need one etc so I don't think it's always the case

IDidntKnowItWasAParty · 21/01/2022 17:42

My first pregnancy came on so fast there was no time for an epidural.

MintyGreenDream · 21/01/2022 17:48

I had an epidural and it was amazing,couldn't feel a thing but they top it up every 40 mins and he started crowning when it had worn off so had to deliver without it. talk about unlucky !

Bells3032 · 21/01/2022 17:49

I had my first at 34 weeks. Waters broke 36 hours before so was in hospital. At 3am my cervix was closed, at half 3 it was 2cm. They said they'd check me in four hours as first labours are always slow. By half 6 my husband begged them to check again as I was in agony and really wanted an epidural. Oops 9cm...too late. She was here by 7.

Honestly it wasnt a shock as my sister had had the same thing and it wasn't unbearable. The contractions I had gas and air which took the edge off. The pushing didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Just felt like pressure and burning.

I think next time we are gonna prep for a home birth just in case me don't get to the hospital.

insancerre · 21/01/2022 17:52

I didn’t want an epidural with either of mine, just as well really as with my first there was only time for gas and air and with my second there was no time for any pain relief at all.

rooarsome · 21/01/2022 17:55

My labour timings!
1st- 16hours. Epidural which failed, only numbed half of my abdo.
2nd- 6 hours
3rd- 8 minutes

epponneee · 21/01/2022 18:02

while it is possible to have a really quick birth and no chance for pain relief, I find that a weird thing for the midwife to focus on. Some midwives are really against pain relief, simply because of the push to be all "natural".
If you want an epidural, I would ask that to be recorded in your notes. And as soon as you are admitted, then reiterate your request (assuming things progressing normal speed etc). You may be told, as I was, that you can have an epidural whenever you want so there is not need to make a decision quickly. In my case when I decided I did want one, the anaesthetist came to have a look then disappeared for an hour and a half, by which time they said it was too late! Also if you are told it is too late, you can request a spinal block instead. (I didn't know this). Good luck, and I hope all goes well! :)

student26 · 21/01/2022 18:05

I had one for my first and one for my second as well. It was on my birth notes that I wanted one for the second time round as well. I think labour was less than 12 hours long for my second.

Ionlydomassiveones · 21/01/2022 18:06

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

soupmaker · 21/01/2022 18:20

First DC, was in water bath as thought I'd be up for that. Hated it. Asked for pain relief when it was really sore, told too late. She was born half an hour later.

Second DC, induced. Only just made it to labour ward to give birth. No chance of anything other than gas and air for last few pushes.

Bakingwithmyboys · 21/01/2022 18:31

My first pregnancy I had two epidurals as the first one wore off. I'd tried water and gas and air to no avail.

My second I knew I was going to ask for one. It happened quickly I experienced a huge contraction trying to get in the lift to get to the maternity ward and was a little scared baby was going to make an appearance then!
He didn't. I got to maternity, was told it was too late for epidural but this time the gas and air helped and he was out within the hour.
No one warned me this may happen.

BitcherOfBlakiven · 21/01/2022 18:34

Yerp, my births went from

94 mins to 40 mins to 10 mins.

The only reason DD3 wasn’t an accidental unassisted home birth is because I was already in due to high blood pressure.

Having said that, I did give birth in hospital however they didn’t believe me despite my Consultant writing it in big red letters on my notes and I delivered her myself, with no medical staff in the room.

Sigh.

SallyCinnamon3009 · 21/01/2022 18:41

Very quick labour with second after having waters broken (first was 16 hours)

Asked for epidural as soon as I got on delivery suite but I was only there 22 mins before he was born.

What I will say is that the contractions were by far worse than the pushing out , which honesty just felt like having a really big poo that stung a bit

WTF475878237NC · 21/01/2022 18:51

Personally whilst a slow labour was less painful it was more exhausting which brings its own challenges after delivery when caring for a newborn. A fast labour was more painful because it was sudden, no build up, resulted in medical shock and a very bad tear but I had so much energy in comparison....so swings and roundabouts maybe and ultimately out of our control. That's the worst thing for me!

Cazziebo · 21/01/2022 18:54

First labour was awful experience - 26 hours of labour, most of it hard going and painful. I was aspiring to be an earth mother and eschew all drugs. Idiot!

Second labour I demanded I be first in the queue for an epidural. Didn't even have time to get my knickers off - labour was 20 minutes and I'd only gone to hospital as waters had broke during the night and we wanted to avoid rush hour traffic. Easy birth - I was laughing as baby was born. (no drugs!)

GuidingSpirit · 21/01/2022 19:19

Yep, i had this. Contractions started around 10.30pm, examined at 1am ish (i had been admitted due to high bp) and was 1.5cm dilated so had some paracetamol. Pain was manageable for several hours but then asked for more pain relief at 6am ish and found to be 9cm. Given gas and air, taken to delivery suite and when i asked for an epidural, i was told no anesthesiologist available for around 2hrs by which time DD would have arrived.

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