# What does an epidural feel like?



## Buddysmum89

_Im talking the whole thing from start to finish , as this is my first baby i dont know what to expect?

Its about the only pain relief that sounds favourable to me as i dont really like the sound of gas and air as ive watched one too many 'One born every minute' programmes and always seem to see woman throw up everywhere when they have the gas and air!, im a puke-a-phobe incase no ones noticed yet ..Ive also got a bit of a phobia of needles but seem to be completely fine when im not shown the needle or told what I can expect to feel, i dont want diamorphine or pethadine as im not keen on the drunk and forgetful feeling either! 

Im also not that big on pain so im hoping an epidural will help me deal with it a lot more because im a wuss..There i admitted it 

So what was everyone elses experiences like with an epidural? _


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## Misskitty10

it was the best thing ever!!! lol

I didnt like the gas and air AT ALL it made me heave and did NOTHING for the pain! when i complained it did nothing, even the MW said " yeah its a bit of a placebo really just helps some mums take their mind of it slightly" 
I didnt see the needle & although the pain of the needle going in hurt a little it was nothing compared to a contraction! 

I definately reccomend it! On the ward in the morning the anethatist came round asking all the girls who had epi to rate it & everyone was like " AMAZING, 10/10" lol


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## robinator

The worst part of the epidural were the three numbing shots they gave me first. During the actual procedure, I didn't feel the needle at all; the medication felt like this weird electric burning sensation. That lasted five or ten seconds - it didn't hurt, it was just......strange. The epidural kicked in within just a couple of minutes.


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## dancareoi

Buddysmum89 said:


> _Im talking the whole thing from start to finish , as this is my first baby i dont know what to expect?
> 
> Its about the only pain relief that sounds favourable to me as i dont really like the sound of gas and air as ive watched one too many 'One born every minute' programmes and always seem to see woman throw up everywhere when they have the gas and air!, im a puke-a-phobe incase no ones noticed yet ..Ive also got a bit of a phobia of needles but seem to be completely fine when im not shown the needle or told what I can expect to feel, i dont want diamorphine or pethadine as im not keen on the drunk and forgetful feeling either!
> 
> Im also not that big on pain so im hoping an epidural will help me deal with it a lot more because im a wuss..There i admitted it
> 
> So what was everyone elses experiences like with an epidural? _

I don`t usually look at this section as i am usually on the second trimester loss section. however I saw your post and thought I would reply, having had 3 children already, 2 with epidural and 1 gas and air.

1st birth - total labour from start to finish 42 hours!! Not too painful to start with and was 7 1/2 - 8 cm dilated when I got to hospital. Although still not too painful I got epidural in place just to make sure I didn`t get the pain!

The worst part for me was the needle actually going in, but after that nothing!!!! It was a really weird feeling not being able to move your legs!

the biggest problem was it slowed labour down, I think I got it too early, because once in you can`t move around at all, which can help with the labour.

All i do remember is there was a tube down my back which was used to pass the medication and i remember the epidural starting to wear off, then being topped up and this freezing cold feeling running down my back and then the pain stopping again.

They did start to let it wear off when I began pushing, however was topped up again when i went into theatre to have ventouse to help baby out.

Wears off then after a while.

2nd baby was breach so had c-section under epidural - no problem at all - totally pain free and awake at the birth.

3rd baby - hospital told me i was too late for epidural as labour progressed so quickly - just under 6 hours from when my waters broke to baby being born. Had gas and air for this one, and although you are a little detached - that is real drunk feeling, you can still feel the pain.

To me, epidural is the best way to go!!!


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## rockabillymom

I had an epidural and to be honest didnt feel a damn thing. I was in so much pain from my contractions that I was focusing on that and trying to stay still during them more than anything they were doing behind me. Once I got it I could still feel the peeks of my contractions and I had her literally 5 minutes after they laid me back down and were going to put my catheter in. I guess it sped up my labor cause before that i was only 4 CM. 
Ill be getting another epidural with baby number 2!


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## mum2millsxx

Ive had epidural with both of my labours and its really nothing to worry about. With my first I was induced so I had one put in after trying gas and air and pethidine. I hated pethidine and the gas and air took the edge off the pain. I didnt get sick I just got a really dry mouth.

My last labour I had an epi after finding out my baby was back to back. I genuinely didnt feel a thing when they put the epidural in, the worst thing Id say about the whole thing is the drip you have to have in you hand, thats sore. I remember that cold feeling too when they topped the epidural up. Id definately have one again though if I needed it x


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## pinkandfluffy

Felt nothing - I was struggling so much I literally didn't feel a thing until I felt the blissful nothing it gave me!!!! X


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## Buddysmum89

_Thanks ladies . All these comments are definitely making my decision easier!  It sounds like an epidural is the way for me too! _


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## HellBunny

The needle didn't hurt (i was in that much pain i wouldn't of cared if my torso had been sawed in half anyway) then i got a cold sensation rising up my back for a second, then a few minutes later pure heaven! I'l be having one again if i have to, no gas and air as it made me sick x


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## jjbuttons

good post i will be following this :)

question tho- when is the cut off point when they say its too late for you to have one (at what dilation)

xx


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## Awangbi

have heard about complications post epidural, like prolonged numbness, back pain etc..but i think reading this thread, my decision to go for epidural seems clearer. Would like to now if anybody experienced any post epidural complications?


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## Srrme

I was in active labor when I received my epidural (they wanted to keep my son is for 3 more hours because of test results they were waiting on, and an epidural was the only way to stop me from needing to push) and I seriously could barely feel it. It felt like a small needle poke, and that was it. It numbed me almost immediately, which was nice, I guess, but I couldn't feel ANYTHING from my waist down, and I don't like that. :nope: I didn't even know when to push because I couldn't feel pressure anymore. :shrug: I would have LIKED to feel my son being born, but nope.. too numb. 

I did have a dull ache in the spot I received my epidural for months and months (so did my mom when she had one with her last pregnancy). I don't like the whole "waiting to be un-numb" process either, haha. It freaks me out not being able to feel my legs, or butt for that matter.

I had a spinal block with my last because of an emergency cesarean section, but if I get to go into "natural" labor again in the future, I will be steering clear of both! Only mild pain relievers, or none at all from here on. :D


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## MustangGTgirl

It feels like heaven once it is in :)


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## krismarie621

It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. The numbing needle they give you right before the epi was worse than the actual epi, and even that wasn't that bad. Once they gave me the numbing needle, I felt a bit of pressure a the base of my spine, and that's pretty much it.

Once it kicked in (took about 5 - 10 minutes), it was heaven. Things got so easy and relaxed. I was lucky in the sense that I could still move my legs around, and I could feel pressure so I knew when I was having a contraction, but it didn't hurt. A friend of mine had an epi and couldn't move/feel her legs, and had no idea when to push.

The only side effects I had were feeling itchy for about an hour after the epi was put in, and for a few weeks after my labor, I didn't ever have the urge to pee. I'd go pee and it'd be a LONG pee, so I'd have to remind myself to go even if I didn't feel like I had to.


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## tickledpink3

They didn't give me anything to numb the stick BUT they had already put a drip in. I forget the name of the pain med but the epidural itself felt like a painless pinch. I did feel some awkward pressure but that was it. Believe me, when those contractions hit you, anything would probably feel better than those at that point lol

ETA Oh and I itched afterwards like the above poster did. But I had a c section and they "topped" off my epidural with something else so I had a reaction to that.


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