Epidural or no epidural

[BEO]

For context : first pregnancy and only 23 weeks but trying to prepare.

I am wanting to hear people’s opinions on epidurals. I am not ruling one out but don’t particularly want one if I can do it without. Just wanting some more info on the pros and cons on them.

The reasons I’m not so keen are that you can’t move about , you can’t feel when to push and you may be more likely for intervention (forceps etc).

Obviously the pros are obvious, no pain!

I know some people have the opinion ‘why put yourself through unnecessary pain when you can have an epidural’ but I would rather try with just the other pain killers and gas and air.

be interesting to hear from people who have had multiple births, and have experienced both with and without epidural and what they prefer x

I had the epidural, no bother whatsoever and I felt all the urges to push. I laid down and chilled my whole labour, I didn't need to get up and move around as I was in no pain. I felt an intense pressure down in my bottom and told them I needed to push, she was out in 3 pushes 🤷🏼‍♀️ everyone's experience is so different but it was magic for me x

I loved it! Waw amazing to feel no pain and to be able to sleep. Still felt pressure. But wasn't bad at all

I had an epidural and would recommend it. I felt when to push but it was just pressure instead of horrific pain.

I woukd definitely have one if you are labouring a long tine, you get very tired and I had a nap through mine

Multiple births both actually inductions at 36 weeks so a tad different but I did maybe half of each labour with only gas & air & bouncing on a ball but as I was put on the pitocin drip especially for my second I had the epidural, in both my births I felt the need to push & had no need for any intervention in either, baby 1 was 2 pushes & baby 2 maybe 5 at most, both great labours & births which the epidural did add to for me

I didn’t - precipitous labour (2 hours) and no time for any pain relief at all. I think it depends on length I could (and had to) cope without and because it was 2 hours I could. Beyond beyond a certain point think you would need one.

the advantages really felt the next day though when could be up and around

Tbf Op, until you are in labour you don’t know how you are going to feel.
My dsis always said that she wouldn’t have an epidural. However, on the day she was screaming for it

I was induced very quickly so opted for an epidural and it was fantastic.
Can't say I felt the urge to push per se, but could see my contractions ramp up on the monitoring machine and had my hand on tummy so I could feel it tensing. Also had a very helpful midwife prompting me :)
Was also able to move into different positions on bed quite easily as legs felt a bit numb but not unusable - wouldn't have liked to have stood for long though.
Did end up with forceps/episiotomy but due to baby being back to back rather than the epidural so very glad I had one in hindsight!

just thought I would say @BEO I haven't had any experiences with the epidural so wouldn't be able to comment on what it's like but I have had 4 babies in total (3 of which were spontaneous labours & 1 i had to be induced for due to GD & other complications) & i ended up on hormone drip in end to kick start labour & still only used gas & air when I felt like I needed it!.. being in the birthing pool with my 1st baby helped ease the pain of the contractions, hardly used any gas & air with him 😂 so for me i have only ever used gas & air for labour/birth 😊

Epidurals are amazing. No idea why the medical profession tries to convince women not to use them. Not being able to move around isn’t a problem. If you’re not in pain you are very happy to just lie there. If you don’t feel the urge to push your midwife will tell you when to push.

Couldn’t recommended them more.

I had an early epidural in my birth plan. It was brilliant - no pain. I had a good sleep and watched Wimbledon.

I think if you are having an otherwise straightforward birth, most people start off without pain relief and then ramp it up by however much they need in labour. Some labours are very painful, some are fairly comfortable, some are long and some are short. I didn't have an epidural with DD because I didn't need or want one. The birth was quick and not particularly painful. My friend had a long induced back to back labour, and her epidural allowed her to rest and have the energy to get through the pushing stage. My lack of epidural was the best choice, as was her epidural.

I had epidurals with all 3 of my labours. I felt pressure and a dull ache in the pushing stages but completely manageable and probably preventable if I had remembered to keep topping it up! Pretty sure no more kids are on the cards but if I was ever to have another, I’d happily have another one.

I had an epidural on my first baby because my contractions were on top of each other there was no let up between them and it was raising
my heart rate and the baby was getting stressed also.

It calmed me right down when the pain was eased and I was able to relax while I continued to dilate. However, I stopped dilating at 6cm and baby was stuck so I had to have an emergency c section - I don’t believe this was anything to do with the epidural as he was a big baby and I’m a small frame so that may be why i struggled.

My experience of having an epidural was positive but as you said weigh up the pros and cons before you decide xx

Also would like to try a water birth if possible so I know you can’t have an epidural for that. But again I might feel different on the day and want all the drugs so I will keep an open mind really just wanted to hear others’ stories 😊

@MummyTo4BoysXXXX That’s amazing I hope my birth is like this but I know everyone is different and things can change very quick 🤣🤣 but still trying to manifest this 🙏🏼 would also like to try a water birth if I can.

You probably think yeah, it's going to be incredibly painful, but women have done it so can I. You can and you will if you have to. But the pain - and also crucially the total loss of personal control over the situation - is indescribable.

I've had four

• DC1: Epidural that didn't work (vantuse)
• DC2: Epidural that did work
• DC3: No epidural, just gas and air
• DC4: rapid drop in heatbeat so ended with GA emergency CS

DC2 by far my best and most positive birth experience. Slept through the night while I dilated 4-10cm. Woke, pushing. Could feel all thr pushing and all thr details of thr birth in the way panic stopped with the others. I could feel thr head stretching me and thr process of crowning happen. I recall saying "oh, the heads gone back in" in an interested way, it was just the grasual crowning process. I properly experienced it all. Calm, in control and really lovely.

With DC3 (thought I was superwoman and could ace it without pain relief) it was hideous. I was in such a state of panic I just wanted to scrunch into a ball until it ended. Refused to open my legs, I just wanted to wait until I felt more in control of thr pain. But your body doesn't let you. Panic, out of your mind pain, and no say in what happens. I ended up in stirrups and fighting against thr urge to push because my panic responce was so high. And I'd had 2 children previously so did know what I was doing.

DS3 by far my worse birth experience. And I had a put to sleep c-section. Calm, tranquil birth experience to cherish is far, far better.

@Woush thanks for this. I am obviously going to see how it plays out on the day and what options are available. It’s good to know it’s an option as it does sound like bliss not having to feel anything .

Mine's v different to the stories above BUT I was terrified of having an epidural all the way through (my very straight forward) pregnancy, then had an abruption so had to have an EMCS. I was crying my eyes out because I was so scared, they sprayed my back with the cold numbing spray...and then they said okay we're laying you down now, genuinely didn't feel a thing!

Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy ♥️

Also keep an open mind on the day as things can change really fast. I was induced but reacted badly to it so they took me to ECS so all my plans and preferences went out of the window.

Just keep an open mind. My birth plan just said I didn’t want pethidine. Apart from that anything goes!!!

First baby was born in an hour and a half start to finish. Husband almost missed the birth. Gave me some gas and air to try and slow things down until he arrived but that’s it.

Second baby I wanted a water birth but the pool was in the process of being emptied and cleaned when we arrived at the hospital. Again things progressed so quickly that DC was born before they had even refilled it. I had no pain relief at all.

But it would have been a totally different story if I had been in Labour hours and hours. Bring on the epidural!!!!

@Olika yes defo that’s what I plan on doing. Have preferences (as does everyone) but not ruling anything out or in and not putting pressure on myself just going to see how it plays out.

I've had three births, and needed an epidural with my first labour after failure to progress as she was back to back (awkward position) and I was tired after a very long labour. It was needed at the time, but it made it very difficult to push, and I needed an episiotomy to get my daughter out.

My second and third labour's were easy (second) and difficult (third) but I avoided the epidural both times and the pushing stage was much better and I had minimal tearing.

Personally I wouldn't opt for an epidural if I didn't need it, but there may be cases where you do need it, so it's just about being flexible where needed.

I’m had an epidural that worked great in my first labour and an epidural that didn’t work great in my second labour.

id definitely go for an epidural, I wouldn’t get a tooth out without my mouth being numbed , There are no medals for being in pain.

personally I wouldn’t make a birth plan, you can’t plan for birth, I’d just go with the flow. I think birth plans are one of the main reasons people feel so upset and down when their birth plan isn’t followed due to circumstances.

I have had one birth with, one without, both were the correct decision for me at the time. Birth one was very very painful (back to back) and I was almost 24 hours in and exhausted. It allowed me to get some rest. I did have a reaction to it which was a bit scary, but all sorted really quickly. I didn't feel the urge to push though and ds was vontuse delivery. I didn't feel restricted in movement so much during labour (I wanted to lie down) but once he was born I had to wait a long time to be able to walk about - not the best when DS was taken to nicu and I couldn't go with him.
Birth 2 there wasn't time, but it worked out great. I didn't need the rest as much (only 7-8 hours, daytime only so my sleep wasn't effected) and 2 pushes later DD was born. I felt fantastic afterwards, like I could walk home.
My advice is see how you feel at the time. Neither choice is wrong, and keep an open mind.