Epidural advice! Any positive stories

[woodr]

Hi

I had an epidural with my dd about 2years ago however it didn't work, they topped it up a few times however never took effect, I had meptid early on and by the time they had messed about with Epidural I struggled with no pain relief so this time want to manage the pain a lot better. I did say I wouldn't have an epidural again because of last time however being realistic I think I should keep my options open so want I'm asking is:

- has anyone had epi not work 1st time but worked 2nd time?
- did it slow your labour down?
- did u need any assistance?
- could you feel when u needed to push?

Look forward to your input x

 

[meli1981]

i had an epi with my second. it was great! i still felt the contractions, but they were very mild. i liked still being able to feel them, i felt more in control. it sped things up considerably, i went from 4 to 10 in a couple of hours. and i was just numb enough to push without holding back. i will definately get one with this one if i need it

 

[MomPepperdine]

I had an epi with my first (would of with my 2nd but no time) it worked and my labor never stalled and I could feel my contractions but they didn't hurt and when I hit 10 (I went from like 3 to 7 all at once and just took mins to get to 10) I felt the need to push and had no probs pushing baby out got her out in 30 mins plus when you get an api you can get some sleep

 

[woodr]

Thanks for this, I think I'm going to speak with midwife on Monday see what she says about chances of it working second time, could of been position of my dd or rubbish doc I suppose! Xx

 

[Logan's Mum]

I had an epi as I was induced with back labour. The epi worked a treat, but Logan went into distress and had a forceps delivery due to his heart-rate dropping. I think his distress might have been caused by the induction though, with the assistance he was born without any complications and I was fine afterwards.

I will try not to have another one, it worked but felt I lost control. I also don't want to be induced again, I'm sure I could have done it on my own if I was allowed to be more mobile.x

 

[dollyemi]

I looooooved my epidural and wanted to marry the anaesthetist! Only had one baby but the epidural was a godsend, it did slow things down a little but I was then given a hormone drip to speed back up again. They let it wear off a tiny bit so that I could feel the contractions and push more effectively and i had a normal delivery, no forceps etc, in fact only pushed 5 times and she was out (I'm sure that is thanks to raspberry leaf tea!). Would do it all again, baby was absolutely fine and happy throughout the whole thing. Good luck

 

[mommatoabeaut]

I had the epi with my first, not because of not coping with the pain, but so i could sleep as id been awake for 3 days unable to get comfy.And just like you, it didnt work, no matter how many times they topped me up.
They didnt believe me until i jumped off the bed like 'MY LEGS STILL F**KING WORK!!' haha

 

[MomPepperdine]

I had the epi with my first, not because of not coping with the pain, but so i could sleep as id been awake for 3 days unable to get comfy.And just like you, it didnt work, no matter how many times they topped me up.
They didnt believe me until i jumped off the bed like 'MY LEGS STILL F**KING WORK!!' haha

show them b*tches lol

I felt like I could still move around if I wanted too after labor they wouldn't let me get up and I told them I had to pee they made me sit in the bed holding my pee when I could of got up on my own gah

 

[musicmomma]

Loved my epidural. But will ask for a bit less this time as I really couldn't push well because of no feeling. The had to turn it off in the end so I could get a bit of feeling to help me push. But yes I loved it and will be getting another one.

 

[ukgirl23]

I had an epidural with my first that did work, but it worked too well and my labour stopped and I fell asleep haha.. they had to give me a drip with IV drugs to start me back up again which I didn't feel until I needed to push, those contractions were so big and strong that I felt them even with the epidural. I didn't get time to have one the second time round so I have nothing to compare it to. I say that you are right to leave your options open and hopefully if you do get one this time it will work xx

 

[addizmnz]

Do whatever you are comfortable with. Try it natural at first, but if the pain gets to be too much, maybe it would work better this time.

I personally had a great experience with my epidural, although I was nervous about it before I had it done. I was induced due to PPROM so my contractions came on strong pretty quickly and just as I was getting to the point where I was in a great deal of pain, they put the epidural in and I was able to get both pain relief and rest. I felt that I could have walked around because I still had feeling in my legs, although they wouldn't let me. I was also able to feel the urge to push and work with my contractions to deliver the baby when the time came.

I understand some women want to do it naturally and I applaud them, but that was not for me (especially considering I had to be induced). I will definitely be requesting an epidural again as it let me have a peaceful, well-rested delivery!

 

[addizmnz]

Oh yeah, and I forgot to say, it didn't slow my labor down (but as I said, I was induced). I did need assistance (an episiotomy) but that had nothing to do with the epidural - baby was in distress, probably from being early and my water breaking. My doctor told me if her heart rate had not dropped I would have probably delivered on my own in about 20 more minutes, they just needed to get her out faster than that.

 

[Mamoosca]

Mine worked a little too well. I couldn't feel contractions at all and it spread way to high up my body so had to be switched off. I could still see the contractions on the monitor so I knew when I had to push and the only assistance I needed was an episiotomy. I'm open to having another with this baby depending on how i'm coping

 

[woodr]

It's great hearing these positive stories, keep them coming! Xx

 

[Julesillini8]

Been reading this as I too had an epidural with my first that didn't work! I felt doomed like it would never work for me in the future either, but maybe I will try to have one this second time around and pray that it works/ placement is better. Thanks all for sharing your stories!

 

[mrsdean2009]

Had an epidural with my DD. my labour had already stopped and had to be started up again with the iv drip and became very painful so begged for the epi! Worked perfectly first time and gave me a chance to rest and for the drip to progress my labour.

Didn't feel the pain of contractions but could feel pressure. When it came pushing, I couldn't feel the pain but the pressure of needing to iykwim?

Didn't need any assistance and pushed her out in 45 minutes

 

[austinsmom]

The epi worked GREAT with my first labor. Although I was induced, it did slow things down a little, was put on pitocin.
My last delivery, I got the epi at 8cm, so was in full swing, but it didn't work!!! I panicked, and made the anesthesiologist re-due the epi. He pulled it out, and moved up one vertebrae, and worked like a charm! I delivered my DD out 5 mins later. I believe placement has ALOT to do with whether or not it's going to work. Sometimes it just needs to be adjusted.

 

[JeepGirl]

I had an epi with DS and it was amazing! I got it between 6-7cm and it only took 3hrs after that to get to 10cm. I had a button to control it and when it came time to push I just didn't push it as much, so I could feel when I needed to push but didn't feel pain. I did end up needing a EMCS because he was back to back and got stuck, so stuck that even in the CS they had a very hard time getting him out. They assured me that would have happened with or without the epi, and I truely believe that. I have to have a CS this time, but if I was able to have a VBAC, I would have another epi for sure if I felt I needed it.

 

[wanting2010]

I got an epidural and had no problems with it. I didn't get it until I was already 9cm dilated, so I don't know if that had any bearing on the fact that it didn't slow my labor down. I had been contracting since 3am on a Sunday and my little guy wasn't born until 6:22 Monday morning. I was so exhausted that I needed a break which the epi gave me. Plus the pain was so much more intense after they broke my water. Because I got the epi I was also able to labor down for an hour before I started pushing so LO was able to drop lower in my pelvis. I couldn't feel the pain of the contractions but I felt a lot of pressure and could tell when I was having one and when I needed to push. I only pushed for 30 minutes which my OB said really surprised him and was great especially for being a FTM with an epidural. I would definitely consider getting it again for future labors but I would again try to wait until I was farther along rather than getting it really early into things. My experience was a super positive one and I went into it not really wanting an epi, but I have no regrets now.