# Epidural



## KiwiMOM

Hey guys, I'm just popping over from teen pregnancy to ask a question.. I just told someone that I'm not going to the hospital to give birth (I didn't say I'm doing it at home, I'm not sure why but I'm worry about what people will say :blush:) and she asked if I plan to get an epidural.. I can't have one at home so I'm not planning on getting one and I've always been ok knowing it isn't an option for pain relief :shrug: I wanted to see how many of you guys got one, just for curiosities sake :flower:

Edit: if you've had more than one baby can you answer for your first? I guess I'm wanting to know because everyone says "Oh, just wait til you feel contractions! You'll be wanting one" etc


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## veganmama

i didnt plan on getting one, actually i didnt even plan on having a hospital birth inthe first place but had to due to prolonged rupture of membranes. anyways i gave in to the epi because they needed to check my cervix for a second time to see how much i was dilated and it was SO EXCRUIATING the first time they checked my cervix i told them i couldn't have them do that again. my midwife told me i needed to have it checked and said the epi might make it less painful so i gave in. im kind of glad i did in the end because pushing the baby out was VERY PAINFUL(even with the epi!!!) and i dont think i would have survived if i didnt get one lmao


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## KiwiMOM

I think you were super brave about everything Veganmama. I remember reading your birth story and you coped with it all so well! 

PS. I'm definitely not looking to judge anyone for their choices, I just feel really discouraged that nobody thinks I can do it!


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## veganmama

thanks kiwimom<3

sending you lots of labour dust hun


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## Amber4

I didn't want one at all. I was all for just gas and air. However I was induced and when my drip was at the highest I really was in agony. I had to wait 2 hours and it was the longest wait of my life. Once it kicked it was amazing! I went from 4cm to 10cm in about an hour too and just got pressure when I pushed.


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## Mii

I never said " I wont get an epi" because I honestly didnt know my limits seeing as this was my first baby! so instead I said (to whoever asked) 'I will go as long as I can without pain meds and when/if i need them I will get them' and that is pretty much what happened :flower: I went as long as I could without pain meds and when I needed them I asked and I wouldnt change a thing about it! My birth was amazing (I was laughing actually while I was trying to push cause my mom and her friend were holding my legs n saying funny things, n I loved it!!) :flower:


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## lizardbreath

Never wanted one never got one. With either. I didn't have any pain relief with Katherine she was 100% natural.


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## amygwen

Planned on getting an epidural and got one! No regrets!


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## MommyGrim

Planned to get one, and got one. Loved it! I was a little out of it some of the time but I'm happy I wasn't in blinding pain during the entire birth!


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## AriannasMama

I didn't plan to but I ended up with one. My labor started with my waters breaking and my contractions weren't normal so they gave me pitocin, that plus my waters broken (?) made the contractions a lot worse so I ended up with one and am totally ok with that. It made my labor super easy and stress free.


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## x__amour

I went into my birth with an open mind. Went 27 hours without one and I have low, low pain tolerance so I'm proud of myself. I don't regret it. :D


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## beanzz

Planned to get one, I begged for it! But I progressed too quickly and they wouldn't let me have it :/


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## AirForceWife7

Planned to get one and got one.

I thought I might end up changing my mind .. nope :D


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## Bexxx

I didn't want one and didn't get one :)
I'm happy with that. All throughout my pregnancy everyone laughed when I said I didn't want one, but it was never that painful that I needed one. I didn't have the easiest delivery either and I was pushing for 4 hours so that was almost like one massive contraction. I don't think I have a higher pain threshold but I just don't think my labour pains were all 'that' bad :lol:


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## wishuwerehere

I went into labour very open minded...but kind of like I'll probably end up having one, because I'm a big baby! 
But...I progressed very fast and didn't end up needing one. Now I'm much more sure of what I can do and I hope any future labours I will manage without, but never say never.


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## daydreamerx

I went into not wanting one and didn't get one :)


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## mumsie2be

I dont cope well with pain so i planned on having one when i couldnt cope but ended up being induced at nearly 39 weeks and they said it would helP me so gt it done. It def helped but did give me really bad back pain :/


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## KiwiMOM

Thanks for your replies ladies :flower: I've definitely noticed being induced/having your contractions sped up artificially often leads to getting an epi even if you hadn't planned to get one. But it gives me hope that most people who didn't want one didn't get one.. If I want one I have to transfer to the hospital and I definitely don't want to do that!


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## jemmie1994

i planned not to get one but as i was being induced midwife advised me to have it done before got started off but decided see how it went halfway through asked for it but the anestetic person was going to do a c section said she's be back in an hour....Evie was out before she came back really glad she couldnt do it now :)


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## tinkerbelle93

I planned to get one but I got to hospital quite late (was already 7cm). The gas and air wasn't doing a lot so I asked for an epidural and the midwives sort of sighed and said something about i'd have to be moved somewhere else for the epidural and sort of made out like it was disrupting their plans. 

So I just said it was alright, I'd try without. 

In the end it was pointless though because just before he came out they had to do an episiotomy and gave me a spinal injection for that so I didn't feel him being pushed out anyway :( 

I'm definitely having an epidural next time! xx


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## vaniilla

I planned to get one but I didn't in the end due to incompetence and under staffing on the day lo was born, I did get offered gas and air but I felt horrendous on it so wasn't able to use anything in the end.


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## xx~Lor~xx

Was always a no for me, hate needles, hate the idea of an epi, just no. In fact I knew so much I wouldn't have one, I went and had both my kids at a midwife centre where epidurals aren't even an option. 

I used gas & air and birthing pool for both mine, that was it.


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## Munchkinn_

never wanted an epidural and didnt have one :flower:


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## xgem27x

I didnt want one but had to have one

I went into labour at 31+6 weeks with twins, with such a high chance of needing a c section, because they were early and there were two of them, I had to have the epi so that if I did need a c section they could do put the drug for the c section straight in where the epi was

It took all my pain away which was great because it meant for delivery I was well rested and not worn out from hours of contractions, however the epi wore off about 30 mins before the twins were born, so when I had them naturally I could feel the urge to push and I felt them come out

xxx


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## emyandpotato

Didn't need one at all. Good on you for having a home birth, I wish I had! I think people are more relaxed at home so there's even less need for drugs.


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## octosquishy

I had planned not to get an epi but got one because I had to have an emergency cesarean, and they wouldn't put me to sleep because it can put the baby to sleep as well and make it a lot harder for them to survive the process--they put me to sleep so they could sew me up though (After being in labor for 24 hours they decided I needed some sleep lol)


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## X__Kimberly

I didn't want one and ended up getting on cause I wasn't progressing fast enough. I was induced though

I went 8 hours without one though till finally I give in. The second I got it everything went by quick!

Next pregnancy i plan on not getting one!!!


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## we can't wait

Planned to get one, but by the time I wanted it I was already feeling the urge to push. I tried, but she came before it worked. I am so glad, though. Any future children will be natural, too!


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## BandK

I wanted a natural birth, but Kara got stuck sideways and so I was having back to front and back again contractions, with NO break in between. So they gave me an epidural, doctor said he would have given me heavy pain meds either way because Lo would have been in considerable pain coming out before of forceps, and twisting her body with her head etc.

I am still upset that I got the epidural though because I was so out of it by the time she was born I dont remember much :(


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## nicoleJOLIE

i had an epidural , had to have the needle placed 3 times but he obviously didnt get it in the right spot cause about an hour or so before i reached 10 cm i started feeling everything ... it sucked.


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## LauraBee

I voted for not planned and not received. I had nothing during my induced labour. I don't think the contractions were that bad, I was just pissed that I wasn't allowed to eat for hours, so wanted to take advantage of the G&A option, but that made me throw up anyway.

Obviously, I had to have a spinal block for the c-section, but I don't think that counts as I would have to be a Buddhist Monk to tolerate that much pain :haha:


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## snowfia

I planned not to get one and I didn't get one :)


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## leoniebabey

i was adamant i didn't want one. I had a rough 10 mins before the gas and air and morphine kicked in where i screamed for one but they kept telling me i didn't need one and after a few mins i'd forgotten all about it and was zoned out lol so no i didn't end up getting one.

eta: i was induced and didn't end up needing one


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## mayb_baby

Planned to get one and I got one but it didn't work, it hurt like a bitch (it was only a tester and it takes up to 20-25 mins to work) 17 mins after it was inserted I had Michael in my arms. 
I had mine too late and not 'the real deal' but for me it was a pain in the ass


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## Elizax

I didn't plan on getting one but didn't realize how painful back to back contractions were!
I thought 'oh I think I'm might get one', at that point I was only 2cm dilated and the back pain was excruciating.

When I asked about it they said I'd have to go on the high dependency ward and be hooked up with everything if I really wanted one but they said I was coping so well and just to give it a few more hours so I just agreed.

They gave me meptid instead (does feck all!) and a little bit of G&A and after 4 hours when she came to check me I was 8cm!

Way too late to even think about getting one so I didn't end up getting it :flow:


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## babytime1992

I planned on getting one, I got two. First one...pure bliss, most wonderful thing of my life lol. But the second one, they put it in wrong and it hit my nerves and it was the most excrutiating pain of my entire life, worse then labor, and they had to give me another numbing shot because I was screaming. Both were kind of pointless considering I ended up with an emergency c-section under GA.


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## Keera1Aiden2

I planned on not getting one but i was induced so the contractions were right one top of each other and i couldn't handle it, plus my blood pressure was going high and if i didn't have one to relax and bring down my blood pressure then it would have ended up being a repeat c section as i was going for a VBAC. So i felt like i really had no choice so i ended up getting one but i figured as long as i got my VBAC then i really didn't care


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## misse04

I didnt plan mine I hadnt decided was sort of 'see how it goes' but LO was back to back and contractions were so strong. Labour was 43 hours in total and got epi for the last 6 hours of labour. To be honest if it had gone quicker I dont feel I would have needed it but I hadnt slept and the pain became to much. xx


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## chanelle92

I didn't plan on getting one but after 28 hours in slow labour and the midwife having to break my waters due to having pre eclampsia I couldn't take it any longer and got one! I don't regret it at all as I didn't feel the contractions just a pressure to push.


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## mamawannabee

I was another who didn't even plan on giving birth in the hospital, but would up getting induced when I was 11 days late because the placenta had stopped working and baby was in distress. I was planning all natural, but got to 5 cm and since contractions had been one on top of another for all my labor due to induction, I just couldn't take it anymore and had tried a bath, walking, bouncing, massage, stadol, tv, breathing, everything. MW told me to get it and I did, then it didn't work so they tried giving me a second and it helped a bit, but not much. Then I was pushing in two hours and wished I hadn't have gotten it at all. End of story being, you can do without it! Next time I would try to go without again, and hopefully succeed.


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## KiwiMOM

I'm hoping I'll be able to answer my own poll by this time tomorrow! :happydance:


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## youngmummy94

I planned on no pain relief and got the epi. Super long labour and slow progression made me do it. I wouldn't change it, although I pushed with no epi.


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## Mummy2B21

I didnt plan to have one but I did know I probably would as I was scared of feeling the ring of fire, contractions I dealt with. 

I could of easily gave birth without the woo seeing as i was stuck at 9cm for 8hrs and then had an epi 20mins before he was born, I was so scared of pushing and feeling the ring of fire plus my waters hadnt gone so they gave me an epi and popped my waters and he came straight out x


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## KiwiMOM

I had my home birth :) no epidural, I didn't even take panadol. I couldn't blame any one for having an epi after going through labour though! It was so hard at times, I think I would have caved if it wasn't 100% what I wanted to do


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## tasha41

Planned to get it, got it.

Surprised though, tbh I think I could have handled natural labour... but I'll be in for a c-section next time, drugs are kinda necessary for that ;)


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## SusannLynnn

I loved my epidural !!! It was a gift from heaven :haha:
Before I got it contractions were HORRIBLE :cry:
After the epidural ..... :coffee: It was fine (till they got SUPER strong):haha:


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## tooyoung

NO! The thought of getting a needle in my spine scared the crap out of me!


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## skylair0929

i got one after almost 8 hours into labor..it was the best thing i couldve done..i was in so much pain that i though i mightve passed out anytime..,i was a little loopy until i saw my babygirl and than everything changed..regardless of the way you do it..itll all be worth it in the end.


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## cookie123

I didn't want one...but I didn't not want one. I just kinda thought I'd get one if I needed it :) ended up having a short, easy labour so didn't have one :)


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## xxchloexx

Planned on getting one , Soooo glad I did :) Felt everything but no pain just pressure , Could enjoy my labour , didnt need any stitches , could walk around almost instantly , No back problems afterwards, plus my labour only lasted a total of 4 hours. I had 100% positive experience with it and would defo get one on my next.


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## Rhio92

I went in with an open mind :) And didn't get one, I was so lucky I managed to get in my own little zone and laboured in the birth pool with a bit of gas and air :)


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## aidensxmomma

I didn't plan on getting an epidural with any of my three kids. And I didn't get one with any of them. With my first two, I did get pain medication through my IV though.


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## samisshort

I went in with an open mind, thinking I wouldn't get one if I didn't need it, and that I'd get one if I did need it.

For about a week, I was having contractions every 3 minutes that lasted a minute (barely slept at all) but they were bearable, plus I was at 3 cm still the whole time. The night before I had my son, contractions got stronger so I went to the hospital. 3 cm still! Around 2 am my contractions were bad enough I had to breathe through them, so I got in the tub for about two hours. When I got out, I was 6 cm! I was still able to tolerate the pain. An hour later my doctor comes in and breaks my water. That's when all hell broke loose :haha: I was screaming for the epidural then. After I got it, my son was born two hours later at 10:47 am :)

I didn't feel any pain (not from the pushing or my double episiotomy!) but I did feel the pressure when pushing


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## lucy_x

I didn't want one, at ALL.

But back to back labour, with syntocinon and the in ability to position my self where i wanted made me make the decision to have one.

Shame it barley worked - can only be grateful my labour was a little over 5 hours haha.


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## cammy

I planned not to have any drugs but ended up having to have the spinal block because of the emergency c-section and I didnt want to go to sleep.


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## kittycat18

I didn't plan one and I didn't get one. Completely natural :flow:


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## Maid Marian

I wasn;t planning to, wanted a natural birth ... but ended up getting induced on a drip, and had an epidural after a few hours.


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## pupsicle

I went in with a completely open mind, if I needed pain relief, I knew what was available as it turns out I was only in labour for 5 hours, pushing for 2 hours, so didn't need any pain relief


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## Rmar

I didn't want one as we were planning a homebirth and I didn't have one as I did have a homebirth. I remember thinking that if I was in the hospital I would be asking for one but I made the choice to be at home so I had to deal with it. That must have been transition.


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## kimber89

i wanted one because i was terrified thinking about the pain! im a wuss! lol but my lo was born so quickly i didnt et anything no oxygen or nothing and i can say im so happy i was let out of hospital so much quicker and felt great after she was born because i had no medication!


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