Epi & child birth ...Am I mad girls?

[Chel]

I dont think your mad at all!

Not to say I'll never ever, because I've broken most of my "i'll never ever"s since becoming a mother, but I think that I'd hate to have an epi.

Even though I ended up with an emergency cesarean, I made it to 8cms dialted on gas and air and that was with an oxytocin induction, which usually means you have harder and faster contractions.

The idea of an epi freaks me out a little now for different reasons to before... as I've now had an epi for the cesarean, the needle in the back thing wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, but being stuck on the bed during labour would make me hysterical. When the MW asked me to lay down so she could check how i was progressing I'd fall apart crying.... all my instincts were saying stay up, sit up, stand up, push down... I'd be hysterical on the bed and then as soon as I was up, I was all good again.

So.... an epi seems mad to me!

That said, since having Jasper I'm a bit pro-drugs. You dont get an award for doing it with more pain! Midway through labour when I'd been offered the gas a couple of times, when I stopped pretending to be brave and took the gas I felt so much more in control and also my labour started progressing HEAPS faster, as I was more relaxed (or less tense... who relaxes during labour???!!!)

 

[reallytinyamy]

I've only done it without, but having seen other women on the ward I'm glad I did it with just gas and air

 

[Tam]

So I've half decided I will not have an epi with this baby! If Im in long labour again and can I may change my mind... its not off the list but I *hate* the thought of being inactive whist it wears off and that wee bag thing LOL

Am I mad?

You are bloody bonkers, but that is a whole other story!!

If you are in long labour and you are not close to 9cm dialated, YES you can have one if you changed your mind.

Why don't you ask your MW/Consultant if you can have a semi or partial Epidural if you do want one (can't think what it is called) but it basically doesn't numb the legs, just the belly and the entrance for baby

I have to say there was alot of control on my epi and I was walking about as soon as they took my cathetar away! I had an excellent man looking after me!


Good Luck hun! x

 

[ladymilly]

i dont think your mad at all hun. i had it with my first and i blamed that for me having to have a section. i was too scared with jack and kept insisting no way to teh epi. i had gas and air with him and then it stopped doing the job so i had to have the epi. it was the best thing ever!! would totally recommend it. i suppose it has a different effect on everyone. good luck hun and hope your labour isn't as long this time. can't believe you only have a few weeks left

 

[slk79]

I don't think you're mad at all. First birth I had one, second I didn't. I was like you though, I was open to maybe having one if it had gone on a while. I was so lucky though as after a fairly long 1st labour, I was only in labour for 40 mins with Ben, so didn't have time for any drugs at all. Didn't even manage to get to the gas and air. It was a much nicer experience all in all. Just so lovely being able to have a bubble bath straight away. I felt almost back to normal within a few hours, whereas with the epi i was "fuzzy" for a while. I was lucky though. I can guarantee if it had gone on longer I would have had an epi, but looking back now I'm glad i didn't have time, and now I've experieced giving birth without one I don't think i would have one next time if i could avoid it.
Sarah x

 

[Serene123]

Good luck Wobbs! You aren't mad atall. I hope this labour is everything you want it to be!

 

[Leanne&Bump..x]

I had an epidural and didnt have a bag put on. They emptied my bladder before they gave it. But my epidural failed, so i was kicking my legs about and never lost any feeling, ended up giving birth on nothing.

I wouldnt advise an epidural, mine failed and now i get pain every day where the epidural was administered, sometimes to the point that i struggle to walk.

My advice would be not to rule it out, but see how you go with other pain relief before opting for an epidural

 

[Lil_Baby_Boo]

Am I mad?

Beware of the mental woman in the corner!!!!

I'd say your very brave wobbs!!!

I don't think I could do it without - then again I swear Noah was born the size of a 3 year old

I was glad I had one due to the fact they would have had to put one in for theatre anyway!! Not sure what would have happened had I have not had one...eeek!!!

I think maybe next time (if I'm brave enough for a next time) I'd have one early on and maybe let it ware off to see if I could handle it - but then I could have it topped up if needed!! I didn't like the gas & air tho which didn't help

 

[Tam]

I had an epidural and didnt have a bag put on. They emptied my bladder before they gave it. But my epidural failed, so i was kicking my legs about and never lost any feeling, ended up giving birth on nothing.

I wouldnt advise an epidural, mine failed and now i get pain every day where the epidural was administered, sometimes to the point that i struggle to walk.

My advice would be not to rule it out, but see how you go with other pain relief before opting for an epidural

Mine failed in my 1st labour too! x

 

[Wobbles]

Well if I suffer for my decision your only up the road to baby sit Boo

 

[Tezzy]

i didnt have an epi with either of mine and i can tell you both the good and bad points of it if youd like?

 

[nikky0907]

More power to you!
I personally don't think I would have handled it without but I had a 49 hour labour!

But I definitely think that if I had been more active (and not chained to the bed because of the epi) I maybe would have dialeted a bit faster and it wouldn't have lasted as long.

 

[ryder]

I dunno? I think the labour time depends on alot of things... I didnt get the epi until I was 7-8cm dialated and it did speed things up seemingly...

 

[lorrilou]

Dont think your mad at all, ive given birth with only gas and air and ive had an epi, all depends on how well you cope and circumstance. I had no choice with callum had to have an epi to get him out whereas with nicole i did fine with only gas and air.

My advice is dont rule anything out, you never know whats gonna happen. x

 

[Hevz]

Play it by ear sweetie

I had a mobile epidural with two of my 5 previous births and they were most definitely my most positive and pleasant births. With the others I felt quite out of control at the end when it all got very intense and I didn't like that feeling of being out of control.

I was able to move my legs but they felt very heavy and numb...like when you've sat in a funny position for too long, I wouldn't have been able to stand though I don't think.

I pushed less than 4 times during both of these births, no assistance and no stitches etc. I went for a shower alone just an hour or so afterbirth too as the mobile epi had worn off towards the end of labour. And I wasn't catheterised either time (I know this for definite as I remember weeing all over the floor after having Abi as I was vomiting. I could feel gushing warm between my legs as I was throwing up and thought "I'm bleeding to death"....I was so relieved I'd p!$$ed myself)




You don't have to set anything in stone....keep your options open honey

(by the way I was sick after 4 out of 5 births and only had an epidural with 2 so it wasn't that that had made me sick)

 

[MoonMuffin]

You should do what you feel is right and what you feel you need. Tell yourself, I'm going to try to go without the epi, but if I need it I'll leave the option open. You never know what's going to happen. I got one (boy did I need it), but after a while I could fee the tube from the pee bag, and it got worse and worse. It hurt so bad with each contraction and even pressing the button for medicine didn't do anything, I don't think it happen that often though. I ended up having to get a c-section so the stuff they put in through the back needle was strong enough to stop the pain, but it was horrible until then. I couldn't sleep for more then a few min. When I have my next baby in a couple years I'm just going to get a c-section again (though I wish recovery wasn't so bad).

 

[alice&bump]

i did it with g&a and pethidine, but had a spinal afterwards so they could stitch me up. i was in labour 23 hours too and started at 2am so it was a good 40 odd hours i was up for. i've had a bad back since, didnt think of it bein the spinal. i think if i'd have had an epi i'd have been cut to kingdom come, i'm only tiny and katie was 9lb12, so just tore instead haha! good luck xx

 

[xarlenex]

I was in labour for 48 hours and 20 minutes..I hadn't slept in over 2 days as i went into labour at 8 at night and I managed without an epidural, I think you can do it too!

Good luck!!

xx

 

[Blah11]

I didn't have one but was open to it if I needed one. I managed on gas and air until I was about 6cm then asked for something more. The MW asked me if I wanted an epi and I asked to try diamorphine first to help me snooze in between contractions as I was exhausted. It didnt take the pain away but it helped me zone out and focus on my breathing. Maybe you could try something like that before you ask for epi?

 

[polo_princess]

Dont do it, if you can hun go without!!

In the car on the way to the hosp i said to Carl "F**k this i want an epi" and i never did, just a bit of pethidine in the morning for my backache then gas and air the rest of the time. Im so pleased i didnt have one, in a weird way i liked to be able to have some control and feel what i was doing/what was going on.