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

Original poster

Epidural yes or no?

87 replies

BabyAlfie22 · 18/03/2022 16:16

Hey girls,

For my first baby ( just hit the 3rd trimester) I'm just thinking about pain relief options.

Would you get a epidural again? Have you had one before? Are you thinking of getting one ?

Negatives and positives please?

🙏

OP posts:
MonkeyPuddle · 18/03/2022 16:17

I fucking loved mine

Windbeneathmybingowings · 18/03/2022 16:19

I’d have one any day. First time I needed one medically for preeclampsia, second time i requested one and it was perfect but I did need a csection anyway because the baby was 10lbs + and I am tiny. They can turn it down when it’s pushing time, it just gives you a nice opportunity to rest and for me, made me less less out of control.

sunshinesupermum · 18/03/2022 16:19

Yes!

Ringmaster27 · 18/03/2022 16:21

Unless medically necessary, it was a hard no for me.
The idea of it just freaks me out Confused

LanieM87 · 18/03/2022 16:25

I didn't have one, I remember asking for one at one point but they said no 🙈 presumably I was too far along by then. I managed ok without one and I don't think I'd request one if I was to be pregnant again. But I always think you've just got to see how you handle it.

You can put it on your birthing preferences if you want it to be an option.

Cherylinaa · 18/03/2022 16:25

Yes. Didn't get one with my first which was a very painful experience. Requested one with my second and was so relaxed and pain free. Wish I had one with my first.

nee22 · 18/03/2022 16:28

I didn't want one, but I ended up being in early labour for 5 days not progressing and eventually was induced. The drs strongly recommended epidural and in the end I think I would've ended up with a csection had I said no. It gave me a chance to rest before pushing, and I was able to walk to the loo once he was out. I think if things had progressed normally for me I wouldn't have needed it, it was just the sheer length of time I was in labour...I needed a break!

Allthegoodusernamesareused · 18/03/2022 16:30

My epidural experience wasn't ideal; it only worked about half way across my body so I was still in a lot of pain, and then took much longer than expected (24hrs) to wear off so I had to have a catheter.

I didn't bother 2nd time around, and had a much easier, quicker pushing stage and was on my feet much sooner afterwards.

EmpressCixi · 18/03/2022 16:36

I had planned on one with my first, but when I was in labour my blood pressure was too low to have it. The epidural reduces your blood pressure and they were afraid if I had it, it would drop even lower to being too low and my baby would go into distress due to lack of oxygen.

I didn’t plan on it or have it for my later babies.

Dyra · 18/03/2022 16:50

Yes and no. My preference is to get as far as I can on gas and air first. First birth I didn't have an epidural, and opted for opioids instead. Second I did as I wasn't progressing, and it was hoped the epidural would allow for that to happen. It didn't, but having had one, I wish I'd had one in my first birth instead of the opioids. I would have still slept, but done so without being as high as a kite.

GrendelsGrandma · 18/03/2022 16:55

I didn't like being stuck in bed covered in wires and machines bleeping etc. The pain relief was great but I felt distanced from my own body (tho it was a long labour ending in c-section)

I'd never go into it asking for one straight away, labour is a bit like period pain, for some women it's not so bad while others have more pain. Play it by ear and ask for one if you need to.

Ultimately you can have birth preferences but you can't always control what happens on the day. It's a bit like having a train ticket and thinking you'll see mountains out of the window etc - on the day it might be foggy or your view is blocked, you'll still get there though!

bottleoffanta · 18/03/2022 16:58

I liked not having one due to freedom to move about and liked being able to give birth in an upright position, I also like being able to be up and about not long afterwards and have a nice shower straight away. Also not having a catheter.

Very personal choice though. I may have felt the need for one if labour had been longer or more painful (eg if I’d had a back to back labour) and I also didn’t tear which probably contributed to a more positive experience.

Twiglets1 · 18/03/2022 16:58

I had one with my children (now adult) and I was so grateful when the blessed pain relief kicked in. I would advise anyone to get one if they want to and tell staff early on that you would like that option presented to you at the appropriate time

stairgates · 18/03/2022 17:01

Yes and no, for my birth that ended in c/s because the epidural went 'high' numbing my entire body apart from my forehead, then it was handy as it ended in a c/s but it also caused the c/s if that makes sense. The baby after was epidural and vbac which was fine as not another c/s. But I much preferred my gas and air births for the intense moments of baby being born and immediate control and feelings of my body again.

Fossilsmorefossils · 18/03/2022 17:01

Loved mine.

FTEngineerM · 18/03/2022 17:02

Absofuckinglutely had one both times and if I had another baby I’d be having another one.

Pre epidural; Labour is sweaty, intense, excruciatingly painful, loud and screamy. It is not in anyway enjoyable.

Post epidural; everything’s calm, quiet, you can hear baby’s heart beating on the machine (you need to be strapped to monitoring), start getting excited about the impending arrival, eat something, drink something, take a nap (first labours can be long a f mine was 36 hours of hell).

mummyh2016 · 18/03/2022 17:03

I haven't had one, I struggled with the back pain with DD and at the point I was going to ask for one it was too late as I was fully dilated. DS the pain wasn't half as bad (DD was back to back whereas DS was facing the right way) and I didn't consider having one.
With it being your first I'd go with an open mind, you might be fine without one.

CaMePlaitPas · 18/03/2022 17:03

Loved mine the first time around but it didn't work for me second time round, I had a 10lber and she was back to back, awful experience but nothing to do with the epidural! Third time in August, as soon as I feel the first contraction I'm getting an epidural, you need as much rest as you can get!

BlueBeeSpots · 18/03/2022 17:08

With DD1 I opted for 1 at 4cm - my first induction and things weren’t progressing. It worked well and I slept until 10cm. However pushing was hard and I felt a lot of pain (not sure if that was due to it being my first or that I had had pain free contractions so it hurt in comparison)

DD2 I asked for it at 7cm - it worked on the front but not the back so back contractions were still painful. This time the pushing stage was pain free. DD2 was slightly smaller which could by why (8lb instead of 10lb DD1)

Nelliephant1 · 18/03/2022 17:09

As a nurse, no, never, ever, ever!!!

whysoserious123 · 18/03/2022 17:27

@Nelliephant1

As a nurse, no, never, ever, ever!!!
Why ?
HeyBlaby · 18/03/2022 17:37

As a nurse who has assisted with countless epidurals, yes 100000x and I will be again for my second child due in September.

RelentlessForwardProgress · 18/03/2022 17:39

When I was PG the anaesthetists took it in turn to do a talk once a month you could attend, where they went through all the advantages, disadvantages, risks, contra indications and ask any questions you wanted which I found very helpful, don't know if this still happens post covid, but might be worth asking.

The main thing I remember them telling me I hadn't read anywhere else was what they called the 3cm test....if you get to 3cm and think, actually I'm alright, this isn't so bad, you'll probably be OK without one so crack on. If you get to 3cm and think this is bloody awful I need help right now, then ask for one immediately, as it might take an hour or two for a doctor to be available to do it, so if you leave it any later than 3cm you might be desperate for one but not get one.

TheBirdintheCave · 18/03/2022 18:13

Play it by ear I think. I gave birth to my son with no pain relief at all but all births are different. I think the above advice of seeing how you go by the time you get to three cms is a good idea. You might find you get on ok without it :)

OooohAhhhh · 18/03/2022 18:28

OMG yes! I absolutely loved mine! I had experienced so much pain at that point I was begging for it.
You can't feel a thing from the waist down once you've had it. And that felt amazing!
I plan on having another one, I'm 18 weeks now

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