Epidural- why are people so against it?

[Sarahrei]

As for the comments that we should be able to have natural births because women have been doing this for thousands of years.. a LOT of women and babies used to die in childbirth so I dont think that's a very good argument.

You are very correct, however they didn't die because of lack of pain management, they died because of a medical emergency, which is very different.

 

[ProudArmyWife]

Personally I don't like giving up control and with epi you need a nurse/doctor to tell you that you are contracting or fully dilated and when to push.

Not always true. I was actually the one telling my nurse when I was having a contraction and that I needed to push. Although I will agree that it seems to be more common that women can't feel anything. Like I said though I truly believe the epidural effects each woman differently as I have friends that have had vastly different epidural experiences than me.

 

[Calif]

I won't have one because it decreases chances of breastfeeding success.

 

[d_b]

As for the comments that we should be able to have natural births because women have been doing this for thousands of years.. a LOT of women and babies used to die in childbirth so I dont think that's a very good argument.

You are very correct, however they didn't die because of lack of pain management, they died because of a medical emergency, which is very different.

Yes true. But I would say that it's linked, if you are too exhausted to push after being in labour for days the outcome may not be good.

 

[qpaulina42]

I just want to say I'm not against epidurals, in the sense that if someone wants one, she should damn well have one. For me personally, I was really hoping to avoid an epidural (and did) because I was worried about all of the below:
- increased risk of c-section (more terrified of c-section than pain, TERRIFIED I tell you)
- freaked out by the idea of being paralyzed or not feeling part of my body
- freaked out by needles in my spine and the possible (however rare) dangers of damage to that area
- worried about those head aches and itchiness side effects that can happen (more the headaches than the itchiness)
- also unclear about how pushing would work if you can't actually feel what's happening (though it seems from above comments this isn't really an issue?)
- a little worried about drugging baby but I'm not confident if this is actually an issue

In the end on balance I was more scared of the epidural than I was of the pain and thankfully my experience with labor was that the pain was bearable and I was on my own little planet most of the time and didn't actually feel like I needed any pain relief at any point. Now if someone could have just done the pushing for me, that would have been awesome... Don't much care for the pushing.

I'm hoping to go epi free this time too, though I'll admit to being slightly curious about what it must be like to get to sort of nap/watch tv/ chill out in labor as some of my friends did.

 

[Sass827]

I don't go to the dentist and skip the novicane when I get a filling. Ill definitley be having one, just not until I'm in active labor. I think it slows things down when you have one too early on. When you get it later on, it can actually help speed things up.

 

[summer rain]

I am not against them per se but every woman in my family who has had one suffered side effects either short term or long term and needed an assisted delivery or c-section. One of my sisters had an epidural 20 years ago and still suffers headache and back pain which started the day after having the epidural and has never ceased. My other sister her baby got stuck (shoulder dystocia) and the only option was to push him back into the uterus, a manoeuvre which is incredibly dangerous and carries a huge risk of death of the baby-thankfully he was fine but the outcome could have been much worse. When I had my eldest the lady opposite had the epidural and was paralysed for three days because of it, the midwives were unable to do their job properly because they were too busy helping women suffering after effects from the epidural. With an epidural not only do they put in pain relief opoid drugs (in the same class as pethidine, diamorphine etc) but they have to put in a cocktail of other drugs as well such as blood pressure lowering drugs, and some women and babies can have a bad reaction to these and have their blood pressure lowered so much that in the case of the mother they start passing out and in the baby their heart rate drops dangerously. It's not a minimal risk out of everyone I know who has had an epidural only one hasn't needed further interventions of some type. I also have a phobia of needles even in labour so even the thought of having an epidural would probably stop me progressing. I personally would rather temporary pain and discomfort but to feel totally normal once baby is out and being able to get back to normal life right away than to have sustained a lot more damage, feel awful because of the epidural drugs and possibly suffer potentially life long ill effects from it. Just isn't worth it IMHO xx

 

[Misslatino]

I don't go to the dentist and skip the novicane when I get a filling. Ill definitley be having one, just not until I'm in active labor. I think it slows things down when you have one too early on. When you get it later on, it can actually help speed things up.

Exactly what I was going to say! Personally I want one because many people have told me they were able to rest during long labor because they had the epidural. I don't want to be extremely exhausted when I'm given full responsibility of a newborn. Like others said, you don't get a medal for going through the pain. The baby arrives either way. And as for breast feeding success being messed up because of it, there are sooooo many factors that contribute to if you will be successful. There's a risk with everything. I'd rather my child be birthed into an environment that isn't stressed and I feel without pain medication that everyone in the room would be made stressed by my agony. Congrats to those that do without but I'm getting it!

 

[Mrs Bee]

I'm not against epidurals I think if a woman feels she needs one she should have one... Saying that, this will be my first baby so I have no idea how I will handle pain... I'm terrified of needles so I'd have to be in unbearable pain to be able to go through with an epidural!

So I'll be assessing my options on the day!

 

[77Tulips]

I've done both, Epidural with my first - hated it, could still feel the pressure, couldn't tell when to push, took ages for my milk to come in, got so itchy and shaky, I was still numb after and felt like I wasn't the one in control of my body. I decided epidurals and I are not a good mix.

My next two labours I went natural, very little pain, I actually coped easier than with the Epi as my own endorphins kicked in. No issues BF'ing and nice quick labours, 2nd labour 4 hours about 3 pushes, 3rd labour just over 2 hours 3 pushes.

What other people do is their choice but I am anti people saying they will just have an Epi without trying it without as my experience was so much better without.

Someone said about pain relief at the dentist, and I know after I've been to the dentist I hate the numb feeling, I want control of my body back. The good thing after a natural birth was as soon as labour was over that was it for the pain and I was just back to being normal me.

 

[doggylover]

I would hope to be able to get through without one, as for me, the chances that it means needing an assisted delivery, or slowing delivery down, making baby drowsy and interfering with breastfeeding are potentially not worth the pain relief.

That said, I am 90% sure ill be screaming for the damn thing about 5 minutes into labour as I have a very low pain threshold. I'm going in with the mindset "take what you need" its everyone's personal choice, and if I end up having a horrendously long delivery and am exhausted, I can't see any other way I would be able to do it. All a means to an end really.

 

[sophie22]

I have a very low threshold for pain, so with my first I knew I was going to need pain medication. I tried Stadol (I'm not sure if that is how it is spelled) first and all it did was make me groggy, and still in pain as I still felt every contraction. I waited until that wore off and then I got an epi. My labor was very long as I had a very big baby. It was the best decision for me, and I plan on getting an epi with this delivery as well. The only side effects that I had was uncontrollable shaking, and I had a numb patch on my upper thigh that remained numb for 6 months afterwards.
I think it all comes down to what you know you can handle, but if you want one don't let other people try to talk you out of it because that is just being counterproductive.

I had the shaking too but I've read that just happens in labour anyway for a lot of women, and my numb patch the dr said was more likely from the injection in my leg, was the stadol an injection in your leg?

 

[pebbie1]

I'm not against it at all, but that needle scares the hell out of me! A friend of mine had hers and after an hour she needed to pee so she got up and walked to the toilet. The midwife couldn't believe that she was walking after the epidural. Turned out they put it in the wrong place!
But when I went into labour with my daughter I was very open minded. But I didn't once think I needed an epidural. Gas & air did the perfect job for me. This time I'll go in open minded again

 

[_Lexi_]

I'm really hoping not to need one and go natural. After having to have a c section last time, I hated not being able to feel my legs and the sensation really creeped me out. My sil gave birth last week to a 8lb 13oz baby, after a 69 hour labour, with just has and sir, so hoping if she can do that, so can I!! Obviously I know every woman is different. I've told my oh I'm not against one, but to encourage me not to get one for as long as possible if I can go without. Only time will tell though. I'm terrified at the thought of a repeat c section or assisted delivery, so I'm wary of anything that might increase those chances. I am open minded to it though, and if I really feel that I can't do it without, then I will, as others have said, you don't get a medal for not having one! x

 

[sophie22]

I think a lot of it is in the mind, I was in so much pain and if I could have just got my head into the right place I probably could have done it without. I mean the bad pain only started after they broke what was left of my waters which was at 5cm and I had the epi within half an hour to an hour of that and then I think they said I was 7cm so thinking logically now I probably wouldn't have been that much longer if I'd stuck it out!!

 

[lily28]

I haven't read the whole thread but I wanted to write why I'm against it:

1) ask a pediatrician's opinion on epidural. Most of the women talk about the epi with their obgyn & anesthesiologist, never with a pediatrician. When babies are born after an epi they are significantly less energetic than "natural" born ones, and the long term effects of epi on kids are still unknown. To have a solid proof that it is not harmful we have to wait at least 50 years. The pediatricians that I have talked too are very against it.
I didn't take a single aspirin during my pregnancy, why would I drug my kid at the last minute???

2) I heard too many women developing multiple sclerosis after the epi in my circle, and I doubt it is a coincidence. It is proven that it can cause nerve damage anyway.

3) I really need to "feel" everything, if I'm in some control I can co operate with midwife and doctor. Why would I ever want to numb myself during the single most significant moments of my life?

4) Epis are notorious for delaying the birth and then start the domino effect that leads to c section. I'd rather hurt a while during labor and pushing, than suffer for weeks from an abdominal section

5) I have a heart condition and low blood pressure, so I'm not the best candidate for such a practice as it causes heart-rate changes.

Here's a summary of the "cons" of getting an epidural from the Mayo Clinic's website, which seems to otherwise encourage women to get an epidural during birth:

"An epidural might affect one side of your body more than the other. An epidural might decrease your blood pressure, which can slow the baby's heart rate. If the anesthesia affects your chest wall, you might have the temporary sensation of difficulty breathing. Because epidural anesthesia can block the ability to empty your bladder, you might need a catheter. Fever, soreness at the injection site and itchiness are possible. Even if you have a walking epidural you might need to remain in bed during labor. Rarely, you might have a severe headache when you're upright in the days after delivery."

Nice huh? I actually want to be upright the days after I give birth so I can take care of myself, and most importantly my baby.

 

[xsadiex]

I wouldn't have an epidural as its impossible to have one at home I rather have a home birth than a hospital birth. I like the way at home you are less likely to have intervention and therefore youre more likely to have a healthy mum and baby.
I don't like the fact with an epidural you can't get into good positions and use gravity to get the baby out either, they are more likely to he stuck which can result in awful things happening.
I feel empowered that I did it without an epidural, it was so hard but so worth it.

 

[xsadiex]

P.s. I'm not against epidurals at all, if I needed one (if we had to transfer to hospital and needed forceps or a C-section then I'd say yes. But in normal circumstances I will always try and avoid it.

 

[amjon]

I won't have one for several reason: 1) there is a risk of paralysis or long term damage that can cause pain that doesn't go away 2) they have to stick a needle in your spine 3) it prevents you from being able to move in labor and can lead to more problems/ tears 4) I didn't find labor all that painful and actually had no idea I was in active labor when I delivered (until I felt her crowning).

 

[weffi82]

I hate needles and that is a big ass needle, no thank you. I also hate hospitals so i home birth so no choice of epi.