Did you give birth without epidural?

[SunnySideUp2020]

Please tell me about it!!!!

How was it honestly? How was the labor?

Had my first last year and although I had planned a natural birth, when active labor hit I begged for an epidural. It was a low dose one but I felt like I was dying without.

Expecting the second this October. Am I crazy for considering trying without epidural?

The reason is where I want to give birth they don't do epidural. It's not in the UK. It's a birth house in swizterland where I live. The other option is hospital...

Yes 2, no drugs, was fine. Trick is to keep active, no lying in bed and I highly recommend a birthing ball to rock on

I wanted an epidural, in fact I was insisting on one but sadly they were all in theatre at the time and then I progressed too quickly to get one. I was gutted.

It was excruciating, but for me mercifully short-lived at just over 6hrs total labour.

My recovery was amazing though, bouncing off the walls afterwards, so it all worked out well. But it hurt like a bastard as DD was slightly back to back and my labour felt like my spine was being ripped out. Hideous.

Epidurals weren’t available here when I had my children, not sure if they are now either.
1st time was horrific, I couldn’t believe it was possible to be in so much pain and not lose consciousness. I don’t think I was using the gas & air properly though.
2nd time was absolutely fine and I was high as a kite on gas & air.
Good luck!

I was adamant I didn't want to have an epidural, EVER, scared me witless and opted for a natural labour with my first.

However things didn't quite go to plan after 36 hours in labour and at 10cm with no pain relief, I had to be wheeled down to theatre and ended up having to have a spinal block in case of an emergency ceasarean. I can honestly say, it was such a relief for the pain to stop.

2nd baby, I couldn't get the epidural quick enough, much shorter labour, less stressful and no emergency delivery!

DS1 was paracetamol that was subsequently thrown up. They offered me gas and air when I objected to them stitching me up.

DS2 I didn't even have time for paracetamol. He basically fell out on to the bathroom floor.

Different strokes for different folks. But id say if you were desperate for pain relief with no 1, unless there was a reason like breach, it's unlikely to be massively different next time round.

DC1 was a difficult birth with an epidural and I ended with an episiotomy and a forceps delivery.
For DC2 I arrived at the hospital too late for an epidural and had an easy birth an hour later. I had another episiotomy which I didn't even feel.

I had gas and air and a diamorphine injection for my labour recently. It was induced, so a pretty intense 12 hours. Baby was 8lb7 and I needed an episiotomy. I don't think I needed an epidural, although the pain and exhaustion were pretty immense. The gas and injection helped, although they made me vomit multiple times. I just didn't like the idea of not knowing when I was contracting.

OP, how far is the “birth house” from hospital and what are the transfer arrangements, in the event of either you needing an epidural after all, or because you develop a potentially life threatening complication such as severe fetal distress or intrapartum haemorrhage?

Yes, 3 times. I was more bothered by the thought of an epidural than the thought of giving birth without one, for various reasons.
I used gas and air. It was fine. All were relatively straightforward births and it was nice to be up and about immediately after delivery.

3 children - gas and air and half a dose of pethidine. All well.

I've had three babies, two with gas n air and one fully natural birth with no pain relief.

Whilst my last birth wasn't pleasant I felt far more in control without any pain relief but I was much older and confident than me first two births some 15 years ago so feel great at having A final, natural birth

Disclosure:- had antibiotics as had vaginal biosis

I had my DS at home so no pain relief than gas and air which was pointless to be honest.
I had him in the water -that was the best pain relief and the hypno-birthing breathing really helped me through. I didn’t need stitches or anything so can’t comment on doing that without an epidural. Good luck

Sorry meant bacterial vaginosis🤣

Yes but only because by the time I was begging for one it was always too late. My pain threshold is minimal as well. It was the contractions I struggled with.

I used:

TENS machine (from the first contractions right through til about 7/8cm dilated). 100% recommend. I hired it.

Birth pool (from about 7/8cm dilated through to fully dilated - got out of pool to give birth). Make me feel comfortable and I was happy to have a change from spending all night labouring on the bed!

Gas and Air (from being admitted to hospital at 3cm through to the start of the pushing stage. Could not have done it without this.

Hypnobreathing/visualisations from first contractions through to the start of the pushing stage. I just went 'into myself' - I practically didn't say a word for 12 hours. Very unlike me 😂 I found the breathing patterns were easy to maintain while using the mouthpieces for the gas and air.

One downside of the gas and air is that my memories are jumbled.

Recommended the book 'practical ways to make your birth better'. I read it cover to cover and highlighted bits for my partner to read. As he needed to understand that I would be using visualisations etc and therefore didn't want him to talk to me!

Just gas and air and it was fine. C section with dd2 was another story.

Two with just gas and air, but both were relatively quick - 3hrs and 1hr of getting to the birthing centre. I can't say what I would've done if I'd gone 3 days like one of my friends! My dsis had pethidine (?) and was absolutely away with the fairies!

I had epidural the first time but was determined not to have one second time as recovery wasn't great and we'd have to stay in overnight.

When it came to it, my contractions started getting worse pretty quickly. I finally thought I'm going to jump out the window in a minute, I'm going to explode so started begging and pleading for an epidural. They said 'ok, ok we will get you one, just have to wait as they are Doing someone else at the moment' and with that, I started pushing and baby was out within a few minutes.

So basically, I had planned on not having one then changed my mind but couldn't have one 😂 but I'm so glad I didn't have it as my recovery was 100 times better! Good luck 😃

First one, I had to go on the drip to speed things up and needed an epidural. Terrible birth with episiotomy needed, massive blood loss, terrible recovery, I can’t believe I ever did it again!

Second one, I had gas and air, and pethadine (a bit too late to be honest, he came very quickly and was very floppy - but was fine). It was a much better experience overall.

Third, I was left alone as the midwife in triage said I wasn’t in active labour and would be hours yet, so she went off to “check something” for 2 hours, no other midwives around. I had cocodamol and that was it - gave birth on my own in triage, caught my own baby, with DH running down the corridor screaming for help. So no epidural there!

overall, I would say subsequent births are much more likely to be “easier” as your body knows what to do - I’d not have an epidural again by choice.

Wanted one with my first but was induced and it all happened too quickly! So just g&a and pethadine.
Didn't want one with my second (also induced) and I did just g&a and meptid.
Third was a home birth with just g&a. Used a little hypno birthing.
I'm not great with pain but the last one was the easiest.

3 births on just G&A, including one ventouse delivery. I used the TENS machine, deep breathing and the birthing pool for all of them (although got out to push). Labours were 12 hours, 7 hours and 5 hours. I have a severe needle phobia and the idea of someone sticking one in my spine is horrific - I'd rather have labour! If any of my labours had gone on beyond 12 hours I might have changed my mind though.

Love everyone's answers thanks.

Interesting though that the pethidine/diamorphine injections make you feel drunk/out of it. Not my thing at all.

With my first labor my waters broke and active labor started immediately so I was a bit shocked. I then had meconium in waters, infection, pitocin drip and a retained placenta with haemorrhage. So i guess the epidural was kind of helping!

I had a spinal block with my first as he was delivered by emergency section. Baby 2 I used a TENS machine and with number 3 I had gas and air.

Dc1 - epidural for many reasons, not planned
Dc2 - just g&a

Had 2 completely unmediated births (1 of which was back to back) and having a bath really helped me! I also asked for one of the gas and air mouth pieces to bite down on while I was pushing which was great! Hoping to be able to do the same with my 3rd in December🤞