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

@sand27 that is also a worry; if I am coping ok and don’t want one then when things ramp up change my mind and it’s too late 🙈 I guess I feel like you either need to get one quite early or you risk not being allowed one so it’s hard to know what to do for the best isn’t it!

@Lizzieregina thank you. After this thread I am probably definitely leaning more toward one than I was before but still going to see how I feel first. Just scared I could leave it too late then not be allowed one! It’s hard to tell how your body is going to react isn’t it! Guess that’s the fun of Labour 🙈 I have been watching one born every minute to try and see all the potential eventualities 🙈 not sure if that’s a good idea or not lol!

I've had 3 births, only had an epidural with the first. Was a looong labour resulting in drip to speed things up. At this point I thought I might as well have an epidural as was told to stay in bed anyway. I hadn't slept for nearly 48 hours by this point and the pain relief was so magical I instantly fell asleep sitting up. Could still feel when to push and it had worn off enough so could walk straight after. I took myself straight off to the toilet despite the protests of the midwives. No regrets, but equally glad I managed without the 2 births after.

Every birth is different, do what you need to when the time comes

@BEO honestly I was so upset😂😂

my whole induction was a bit crazy though, I had no idea what was going on with my body the majority of it and swore blind I was pushing when actually my waters had only half broken and the pressure feeling was baby bouncing off my cervix😩 it was awful.

I definitely knew when it was time to push an hour after my waters had been broken though😂 My only advice is to be persistent if you feel something isn’t right during labour and whatever pain relief you would like don’t be afraid to ask! My labour must have progressed VERY quickly. Last time I was examined I was 2cm, the next I was pushing DD out!

also if you do end up changing your mind and it’s too late, the only way I saw it in a positive light was that baby was finally coming, I was nearly finished and that was good enough news for me😂

i honestly wish you all the best!! :)

I was dead against having an epidural for many of the same reasons as you, until I had a hellish 4 day induction. It was 100% the best decision for me, I was able to sleep through most of my early labour, didn’t need to move around as I wasn’t in any pain, and was still able to feel when to push; it just felt like pressure, rather than pain. The only intervention I had was an episiotomy, but other than that it was a completely straightforward labour and birth. I would absolutely opt to have one again if needed, and would really recommend not ruling too many things out pain relief wise as plans so often change with babies.

2 babies born with gas and air ( and the pool for DS) honestly breaking my collar bone hurt far more. Home after 3 hours with Dd (DC2)- lovely.

I’ve given birth 3 times. No epidural as I didn’t fancy one (bit too squeamish for the needles). I had diamorphine with first, pethidine with second (didn’t work as baby came out within minutes of having it), and a home birth with the third so just gas and air but I didn’t get it delivered to the house til right near the end so didn’t make much use of it. All 3 were long 20-30 hour labours. I’m due in February and terrified of all the pain I know is coming my way. I still don’t want an epidural but would consider one if it’s another long labour and gas and air don’t help.

Question tho for everyone else. Do you need to be catheterised with an epidural as they also majorly puts me off.

Only have 1 DC. Had gas & air only. Originally that was what I wanted, asked for epidural but the anaesetist wasn't available so had no choice in the end. It was fine because it was all happening very fast. If it was a slow labour it would've been very tough. I defo recovered the quickest out of everyone on my ward who all had different births and pain relief!

Read The Positive Birth Company book. I found it very helpful to explain everything clearly and without bias. I also told my midwife that I was going to try without epidural (similar to you, it wasn't set in stone, ultimately I trust the doctors and nurses) and she gave me instructions on how to properly use gas&air. Some people say it had no effect on them but she reckoned they weren't using it properly. You have to really suck it in!

Yes had to be catheterised but wasn't too bad. Hated when they took it out tho

@Ssme92 agree with you in this. I used gas and air with all three and felt no benefit. However recently underwent a D&C with gas and air and I honestly couldn’t have done it without. It’s made me think I will definitely opt for it as it was so effective, and will use it how I did for D&C (ie properly), and probably ask for it sooner as I think with other births it came at a later point when I was too stressed and panicky to use it effectively. You really need to start taking it from the moment you feel the first twinge of pain and just suck the life out of it to get the full effect.

I would day it all depends on situation, if you go into labour slowly at home you get to work up to the pain so to speak, be comfy at home, go in, move around have a bath etc it’s much more manageable. However with my DD my waters went oreamaturely at home, I went in a spent 2 exhausting days being induced, when labour finally started I was already wrecked and it was 0-60 in two mins, no build up. I had to lie super still on my left so they could monitor her being premature and just could not in that pain so epidural all the way in that situation. I then did have episiotomy and vontuse as she was in an awkward position. So I would say decide in the situation!

Im so glad ive read this thread. Im 36 weeks and my first labour was so painful and I'm adamant im having an epidural at the earliest opportunity this time. Sounds like a dream😂

2 labours.
1 with epidural.

Both required interventions- 1 forceps, 1 ventouse.

I wish I'd had time for an epidural with the second but it all happened too fast for one unfortunately.

Used entenox for both but felt completely ineffective for me. Tried baths with both as I hoped to manage with water + entenox but wasn't to be for me.

I never planned I would or wouldn't have an epidural, just that I was open to having it if I felt it was necessary. I definitely did (both times but couldn't for the second).

My advice would be don't rule it out ahead of time. If you plan not to have one but then feel the need you might feel more negatively about your labour.
I hope it all goes well for you anyway.

I was induced. No epidural as I wanted to move about. One dose of diamorphine. The rest just gas and air. I was tired by the end and really struggled to get him out. I even begged at one point for a CS but he was too far down the birth canal. Thankfully I managed eventually to get him out with the encouragement of the doctors.

He was constantly monitored because his heart rate kept dropping so I still couldn't move about. I didn't find the pain too much to manage tho.

I had two - the first didn't take properly so I could still feel pain (this was probably the worst moment!). The second one (done by a different anaesthetist) was amazing.

I could feel to push - they 'lighten' if for that so you can feel the urge but it isn't painful. By the time I had it I couldn't care less about moving around - I was exhausted, had done all the active birth positions, gas and air, warm bath, paracetamol and a TENS machine, none of which helped with the pain. The epidural meant I could then rest and sleep and recover from all of that to get my strength up for pushing.

There's loads of stuff about the 'cascade of interventions' but I'm no longer convinced this is even true. Someone who is struggling to cope with the pain maybe has a more complicated birth/less than ideal baby position or a lengthy latent labour and ends up exhausted. All of these factors could mean the baby needs to come out quickly and needs instrumental delivery or becomes distressed and needs EMCS. It wasn't the epidural that caused that.

Had my first baby in feb. I was adamant from seeing the positive test result I was having an epidural. All I would say is if you do decide beforehand, put your foot down. In the assessment centre they kept trying to push me to go to the birth centre but I refused as I knew I couldn’t get an epidural there, kept saying I could do it without etc but I didn’t give it.

ended up having ventouse and an episiotomy and I don’t think epidural related so was glad I had the epidural. Overall if I was to have another I would get an epidural again no question

Same.

I had a button thing to press when I needed to top it up so felt fully in control throughout.

It's worth asking for it earlier than you think if you think you might need it. There's only a certain number of anaesthetists on, especially overnight/weekends, and they may be in theatre so there could be a wait if you've decided you want one. You don't want to be screaming in agony at that point! I asked for both pethidine and epidural at the same time, midwife put in the anaesthetist request and got the pethidine signed off so I got the pethidine within 5 mins and the epidural about an hour later (it was the middle of the night!).

I found the labour ward were helpful
about access to pain relief and followed my wishes. The community midwives were awful, didn't listen to what I wanted and tried to make me give birth in the midwife led unit which I didn't want!

I was strongly advised to have one. Didn't. Bloody wish I did 😂

There is a difference between an epidural you have as a desperate measure late in active labour (because you’d been sold the idea of merely breathing through the pain and the actual brutal reality) and one you elect to have early in labour.

Don’t bother edging your bets then choosing epidural as a last resort. That’s where all the horror stories live.

If you want to know how bloody miraculous and what an early epidural is like - Watch Khloe Kardashian’s labour with True on KUWK - she’s relaxed, full make up, family all around making jokes etc. That’s the power of epidural and it’s what people for whom no money is an object choose to have rather than grunting in pain sucking on a pipe for hours in a sweaty paddling pool.

I also don’t know why you think you can’t move or don’t know when to push etc. If that were the case no one would advocate for them! Yet epidural is a default thing in American maternity care - given how litigious they are so you think they would do them if the risks were so high? It’s a fantastic, painless, relaxing way to give birth. I never quite understand why someone would actively choose not to have one!

That’s because it benefits the NHS to keep women in pain and biting on a stick. Epidurals cost more money.

My epidural didn't work so I felt all the pain. I was induced with the drip and that's apparently more painful than spontaneous labour. I didn't need forceps, thankfully.

I never quite understand why someone would actively choose not to have one!

@Screamingabdabz I didn't have one and would opt not to get one again if I am lucky enough to get pregnant again.

I had an epidural with the first. The epidural itself was a god send!!! I had a long labour and ended in forceps delivery so the epidural was needed. However I had my second almost 3 years ago and no pain relief at all. Was a fast labour. I had a waterbirth and it was amazing!!! I just focused on my breathing the whole time. I didn't want to have an epidural second time round as I really wanted a water birth. I was out the same.
I planned to only have gas and air with my first but unfortunately it didn't go to plan. Sometimes it doesn't. I hope you have a safe and lovely labour. Good luck.

I had 3 big (well 2 over 9lb and one coming up 8 at 36 weeks) babies with no epidural. It wasn't a walk in the park, I'll say that, but the gas and air was good.

Struggled a bit with dc1 at 9lb12 and posterior but the consultant who delivered her by ventouse said if I'd had an epidural it was definitely cesarean. I had phenomenal midwife support which got me through to the ventouse point, which I can never be thankful enough for.

Dc2 was a SVD, gas and air was enough.

Dc3 was too fast for anything but gas and air!!