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...

When I was in labour I was begging for an epidural too (I was actually begging for a c-section 🫣 because I was certain that I would not be able to push the baby out 🤣). I was 6cm at the time. They took me to the labour ward and by the time I got down there I was 10cm and had to start pushing. The only pain relief I had was 1 pethidine injection. Gas and air didn't agree with me. The pethidine took the edge off and I was sleeping in between contractions (27 hour labour.. I was shattered). Honestly though, when I started pushing the pain wasn't even crossing my mind. I think it's because I could actually do something with the pain that helped me cope with it.
I wouldn't say you're crazy at all. But everyone's pain threshold is different. I know someone who gave birth to 3 children without anything. Not even paracetamol. And she apparently got told off by the midwife for laughing too loudly 😳 I for one certainly would not have been laughing 😂

I once had a botched lumbar puncture thus am scared of epidurals. Had three induced births, two without painkillers, one with air+gas. It was all survivable.

But tbh I don't know if that tells you anything as pain is so individual. Plus I was lucky my labours were short.

I'd say try by all means but don't put pressure on yourself and don't think of any outcome/choice you make in the moment as a failure. True I take a certain pride in having used little medication but if I'm honest I know I was just lucky and bloody-minded.

Just gas and air with both of mine. Dd was back to back, and ds was a home birth. I did hypnobirthing, which definitely helped me deal with the pain and not fear it. Don't get me wrong, it bloody hurt, but it was fine. Not being scared if it really helped to make it okay

PS. I'd have imagined Swiss hospitals as fairly idyllic, compared to NHS. Can you tour your local labour ward? It was possible where I lived during birth nr 2. You may be more relaxed knowing you have the option.

Yes. It was fucking barbaric.

DC2 was a delightfully painfree c section, very civilised.

I had epidural with my first birth. The 2nd a bit of gas and air which i hated so most of the delivery was drug free, and the 3rd was natural.
I think with my first birth, it was just such a shocker. I wasnt expecting the pain to be so intense or overwhelming. By baby number 2, I was more prepared and had a much better birth partner. It was still painful but I wasnt as frightened.

Youre not mad to try without, but if you think youll need more pain relief then plan for that. In my experience, epidural was a blessed relief in birth 1, but i hated how immobilised i was and it meant i couldnt go down to SCBU to see my baby till the next morning. My natural births were more painful but my recovery was much quicker and i felt much more in control and less frightened.

@SunnySideUp2020 Happy to recommend a doula in Zurich if you want to PM me..

Had both with gas and air. 2nd labour they took the gas and air from me and swapped it for oxygen. Labour is the right word, hard work. It’s not a competition though so have whatever pain relief you need

Had an epidural for DC1 and nothing at all for DC2. DC1 was horrendous and DS2 was brilliant. I would look into hypnobirthing, it was a game changer.

DC1: 24 hour labour, failed epidural and no gas and air as gave birth abroad. Pethidine just made me sleep in between contractions so pretty useless. Utter torture. Ended in CS.

DC2: vbac in UK. Lots and lots of amazing gas and air. So, so much much gas and air. I felt really stoned by then end of it, but happy and relaxed. Got an epidural after about 6 hours of labour as I had always planned to get one but I think I could have got by on gas and air if I needed to.

DC3: another foreign birth in a different country that doesn't do gas and air. That made my mind up for me. Elective c section it was!

If I was going to give birth somewhere that didn't do epidurals, I would be making sure they had gas and air. I'm doubting whether Switzerland do it and this would put me off, unless there was water to labour in.

I had natural births with both of my two, I was happy to have interventions, birth was easier than I expected, I didn’t even get to try gas & air.

Lots of women give birth without one so it’s definitely doable and if you’ve had 1 straight forward labour before it’s likely to be easier the 2nd time so you stand a very good chance and there are lots of other options- hypnobirthing, birth pools, gas and air, tens, pethadine etc. In my experience it’ll be much more difficult if anything goes wrong and it if decisions need to be made at a late stage taking pain out of the equation with an epidural can be very helpful. But would you transfer to a hospital in those circumstances anyway? - If baby is back to back or an awkward position or dilation is slow or you need the drip?