Epidural and then no little/no pain relief experiences

[starstarstar]

Just out of interest, has anyone had an epidural with one birth and then little/no pain relief with another? Or the other way round? Just curious to see which option was better for you in the long run x

 

[Srrme]

I had an epidural with my first son and had an all natural labor and VBAC with my third.

I was very happy with no pain relief, and am going to do it again this time around. I did NOT like being unable to feel anything from my waist down when I had the epidural. I wasn't even sure when to push and couldn't feel a thing. I like to know what my body is doing.

 

[luz]

I had an epidural with my first and nothing with my second. Not by choice, but the labor was so quick by the time i got to the hospital there was no time for anything. It wasn't a pleasant experience by any means, but it wasn't the end of the world. Both births were fine with no complications and both times my baby was out in 2-3 pushes.

 

[starstarstar]

I've heard so many bad experiences with epidurals where the mum believes it has either slowed down labour or has had an effect on things not going to plan. I just had gas and air last time but my labour was 33 hours and I don't think I handled the pain very well. I just wanted to keep my options open but the more I hear the more I'm put off an epidural and that makes me panic even more about the birth!

 

[Srrme]

I've heard so many bad experiences with epidurals where the mum believes it has either slowed down labour or has had an effect on things not going to plan. I just had gas and air last time but my labour was 33 hours and I don't think I handled the pain very well. I just wanted to keep my options open but the more I hear the more I'm put off an epidural and that makes me panic even more about the birth!

I've heard that too. I've heard of a lot of women needing Pitocin to speed up labor after having an Epidural slow their contractions down.

I have very quick labors, so going pain medication free isn't too difficult to me.

 

[catmummyof4]

I had an epidural with all 3 of mine and soooo want a natural with this (its early days i no lol) iv had 3 very different results with my epis so i think a lot is how your body reacts x

 

[shinona]

I had an epidural with my first and it was what I needed. I couldn't have got through it without it as it was a very long labour and I was exhausted.
I had only gas and air with #2 and 3 and it was a lovely experience to be able to feel everything. Sore but not unbearable.
My recovery without an epidural was so much better and easier though that given a choice I'd go natural every time. Xx

 

[ClairAye]

I had the epidural with my first and no medical pain relief with my second, my first was not going well way before the epidural but my second was ten million times better!

 

[mum140381]

i had an epi with my first but it made me sick headaches and slowed down labor i said never again i then went onto have 5 all natural births much better x

 

[K8te]

Following!

I had epidural with my 1st, I was in labour 22 hours and I'd been having contractions every minute to two minutes from the start so I needed the relief. I tried pethadin which did nothing and gas and air which made me sick.

I was quite lucky with the epi as I still felt pressure from the contractions and still had full movements in my legs.

I'm hoping this time I have normal contractions so I can have a more natural labour.

X

 

[AP]

I had an epi with my first(and loads of other tablets - i was in the mood to take anything just to get me through the night ) and nothing for my second (apart from gas and air at early doors but i threw it away, i felt sick) I honestly hand on heart would say the labours were the same. I dont really find it all painful, just absolutely knackering!

 

[EastCoastMom]

I had an eip with my first, but things went too fast and it didn't have time to kick in. If things go as quickly with my second I probably wouldn't bother. I want something for the pain, I just don't know what yet.

 

[laura109]

i was induced and due to the staff being stretched i did not get my epidural. i was finding it too painful. i used gas and air but eventually it did not work lol. i had a shot of diamorphine and im not sure if it helped.

my labour was intense and lasted 6 1/2 hours roughly.

not sure how different it would of been if i had gone into labour naturally. my contractions went straight into 3 mins.

id say take as much as you need. when i was planning my labour i said no gas and air and no pethidine. i was worried about feeling sick and dizzy. but by that point id of taken anything. go with the flow hun.good luck xx

 

[SAmummy]

I had 3 with epi's and the last without pain relief.

The births with epi's all went really well and it was great to be so relaxed while pushing and be able to "take it all in." I remember every moment so clearly.

The last without pain relief was exhilarating. When I was going through transition i was very vocally scolding myself for choosing not to get the epi because I could have been relaxing at that point she arrived so quickly (from 7 to 10 cm in 5 min) and it felt chaotic. I don't think I even looked at her for the first while because I was so shocked by the intensity and speed. Having said that it was an incredible experience and I felt like superwoman after

I can honestly say there were advantages and disadvantages to both and would be hard to choose if I had to do it over again although I think I would prob go all natural ... Although I'm sure the hubby would want me to have the epi after the last experience

 

[susiq1]

I've heard so many bad experiences with epidurals where the mum believes it has either slowed down labour or has had an effect on things not going to plan. I just had gas and air last time but my labour was 33 hours and I don't think I handled the pain very well. I just wanted to keep my options open but the more I hear the more I'm put off an epidural and that makes me panic even more about the birth!

ive had two children (baking the 3rd now), both were very different pregnancies, labours and deliveries. i recieved epidurals with both deliveries, and the experiences, as a whole, couldnt have been more different.. the doctor that gave me the epidural for my first child was wonderful and the medication worked wonderfully as far as making me comfortable enough to get some rest before i had to deliver..pushing was still very painful and very difficult just because of the pain, not the medicine, but i was still able to push our son out in 45 minutes and had very little bleeding and only needed a couple stitches..but when our daughter was born i had a horrific doctor give me the epidural..its the worst experience i have ever had with a doctor, and i have some horror stories..one of his decisions was to put only lidocaine into the epidural, no pain medicine..at this point i had been in labour for over two days and was so sore and exhausted that being numb just wasnt enough for pain management, i was moaning and crying in pain for over two hours before my nurse was able to convince him to put in some fentanyl in the iv so i could get some rest (the guy was the only anaestesiologist in the whole hospital so we didnt have a choice on him treating me, my husband almost put him through a wall by the time i was ready to deliver) but once i had the pain medicine i was able to rest and focus on preparing to push, after a few hours the shot wore off and my OB made him give me one more shot and then about an our after that i delivered in under ten minutes and felt virtually no pain, just pressure. i could still feel when to push but didnt have the agony that i had with our first child..and once again i had almost no bleeding and very little stitches were needed..so in my personal experiences the likelihood of an epidural working can greatly depend on the doctor that gives it to you..having a good physician perform this procedure on you respectfully, patiently, and especially CORRECTLY (in my case) can make all the difference..

 

[Perplexed]

I asked for epidural at transition phase with my first and was fully dilated very soon after being administered it.

I for some reason didn't ask for epidural early or late with my second. it wasn't faster than my first...my lo must have been sunny side up as I've had back contractions between contractions and felt no relief. pethidine and gas and air were good until i started to transition. then I couldn't cope anymore. near the end I figured my back pains were more manageable when I were sitting up so I just did that...but I was stuck between 9-10 cm for a long time it took a lot out of me. they wouldn't give me epidural by that point I asked.

i think if I knew I'd be having back labor I'd have asked for epidural.