For moms who have already done this! Epidurals?

[notquite]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, wasn't sure to address mothers who already have been through a birth??

I am wondering about the epidural... I haven't decided yet if I'm going to get one and this is why.

I am really not good with pain, so that makes me think I should get one. But I am AWFUL with needles! Isn't it like a huge needle they put into your spine!? blink.gif My mother told me (a while ago, she still doesn't know I'm pregnant) that for her, she didn't even care about the pain of getting the epidural because it wasn't as bad as the labor pain she was in. But I don't know, I think I might freak out. I nearly lose it just getting an IV, I have to have a nurse/family member to hold me still for it!!

Did you get an epidural? What was it like, did you even notice the pain of the needle etc.? And if you didn't get an epidural, do you wish you would have because of how painful it was??

I know I still have nearly 8 months til labor, but I am starting to think about it now or else I'll freak out later!! Please help me, I would love to hear about others' experiences.

 

[AppleBlossom]

I wanted an epidural from the start because I'm terrible with pain. I ended up not being able to have one as I went to 8cm at home so had to do the whole thing on gas and air. And if I was to do it all over again I wouldn't choose to have an epidural. Yes labour was painful, I felt like I was dying (sorry!) but for me an epidural wouldn't be an option I would consider now. Maybe hold off until you get to the labour stage and then, if you really can't bear the pain then request one

 

[xJG30]

Hiya!

I have a huge phobia of needles to the point that I pass out for injections etc, I had an epi twice due to having no choice in the matter and also because the first didn't work. I didn't look at the needle which helped loads but I did feel it going in and it was quite painful imo.

 

[Rachiebaby24]

i never had one! I am a big wimp but was scared of having one.....and i didnt need one....the pain is bad but i kinda just got on with it....having said that my whole labour was only 4 hours....maybe ask someone who was in labor for 18 hours!! sorry im no help

 

[BlackBerry25]

I had an epidural and I am SO SCARED of needles. I couldn't see it and I did not feel a thing at all. My IV (for Streb B) was so much worse, this I honestly did not feel.
I actually was just printing out my birth story for my baby book so I will cut and paste my experience with my epidural.

"She suggested that I just take the epidural as it was a lot better. So I thought for a minute, and I knew I could handle the pain I was in at the moment, but I sure didn't want to suffer later on if I didn't have to. SO I TOOK THE EPIDURAL! The doctor came in and gave me it in my spine, and I did not feel him put it in at all. Emily stayed in the room and watched the doctor put in the epidural. He did not want her to watch as it makes most people quesy but she was very interested. I also had an IV because I had an infection and they wanted to clear it up before the baby was on her way out. The IV was more painful then the epidural. It was wonderful! Instantly I could feel no pain! I could still move my legs, and I could feel people if they touched me, but I couldn't feel contractions. I was very HAPPY with my choice." ... "
Unfortunately, because of the epidural I could not tell when to push. I had a contraction monitor on, but my contractions were getting weaker instead of stronger. The doctor came in and told me to start pushing. I was getting a bit frustrated because I couldn't feel if I was pushing. He left me with the nurse to keep pushing. I pushed for 2 hours. The nurse went to get the doctor because I wasn't making any progress with the pushing and the baby's heart beat was dropping. She was also facing the wrong way, so things really weren't going smoothly. The doctor told me he was going to cut me (I didn't care at this point) and that he was going to use the vacuum extractor (a big suction cup with a hand pump) to help me get her out. It seemed like there was a million people in the room staring at me. (I was at a teaching hospital) All of a sudden I said I NEED TO PUSH, and I pushed and the doctor did the vacuum thing and PLOP she came out. I didn't even feel her come out, but I saw the happiest look on Brian's face so I knew she was here. I saw a little arm reach up in the air and then some crying. She was whisked off with Brian and I was left alone to be stitched up. (I didn't know until 3 days later when the nurses came to my house to visit me that I had a horrible third degree tear as well as the cut the doctor made.) Thank god I had that epidural. I didn't feel a thing!

My mom was pacing the halls when she heard that first cry, and she barged right into the room. She saw my baby before I did! Finally I was handed my baby, after about 1/2 an hour of stitching me up. She was so small and cute. I had a hard labour, but in the end, it wasn't hard at all because I didn't feel a thing, due to the epidural. I didn't even break a sweat! (Not that I want to go through that all again, haha)"

I loved my epidural so much, I would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[Pyrrhic]

Although you say you dont cope well with pain, you might surprise yourself My OH always ripped into me for having a low pain threshold, but we all manage it in the end. You forgot the pain as soon as you hold your LO for the first time.

 

[ryder]

I had an epidural... I went into labour with a plan that I would do what needed to be done. I would try the pain out etc...

But when you are in labour for a long time, it gets really stressfull and even more painful. I ended up with severe nausea etc... And the epidural was suggested to help with my BF too.

It was great, I requested that I not have tons of the drugs because I wanted alot of control... And it was great, took the edge off, I was able to walk and pee right after birth

 

[BlackBerry25]

Same with Ryder, I felt amazing after giving birth and had no problem walking around.

 

[PitBullMommy]

I did NOT want one, but after feeling contractions for a bit...well...I wanted one RIGHT AWAY! I did feel pressure, but not really any pain from the epidural. It was kinda funny actually cause he kept hitting a nerve and my right leg would kick out and twitch uncontrolably! Sadly...it only worked for me for an hour and they ended up doing ANOTHER one a few hours later....which I didn't feel at all (and honestly don't even really remember getting!)....sadly again...that one didn't work for longer than an hour and no amount of boluses would help. I will be getting another one this time around though! Those two hours of no pain really helped me to get the rest that I needed to push for 8 hours! Good luck!

 

[ColtonsMom]

*without reading the above posts*

I knew I wanted one from the start as I am horrible with pain. And like you, I hate needles. But they give you 2-3 little pricks which are the numbing ones and then really there is nothing but pressure. Honestly, I was soooo scared of the epidural that I was SHAKING! I even kept asking the nurse if I was going to mess her up because I was literally shaking that much! But if was NOTHING! Didn't hurt at all. I didn't look at the needle though OH said it was huge! And I probably would have freaked if I saw it.. lol.

It was amazing afterwards, I got to enjoy it until I had to go for my csection.

Also, I should add that the IV hurt like 20x worse than the epidural! I have bad experiences with IVs, only had them twice: first time it took six times for them to get it right. the second time it took twice (thats when I was in labor!). I hate them

 

[ryder]

I totally agree about the IV... The night nurse who started mine was crap, she had to get another nurse to come do it... I love my day nurse though, who did the actual labour... She was AWSOME!!!

 

[notquite]

Well I don't know if this all made me feel better or not!! I appreciate all your responses I guess I may just have to leave it up in the air, because it may get to the point where I don't care and just want the pain to stop.

 

[MoonMuffin]

You shouldn't go in in saying that you are definitely going to do one or the other. Just learn as much as you can and leave the option open, because you don't know what the pain is going to be like until you experience it. For me getting the epidural sucked. Don't get me wrong, once it was in and I was getting the fluid it was great! But the guy had a hard time getting it in, and it didn't hurt but it took almost 1/2 an hour to get it in, and I could feel everything (not painful though, just pressure and weird), and being hunched over yet relaxed that long with such a big baby tummy was so hard. Also a problem for me was that after a while I was feeling the catheter and then it was hurting me with every contraction, and I'd push the button for more pain relief but it didn't do much, the catheter pain was so bad I couldn't even sleep. It's not supposed to hurt so if you get en epi make sure they put it in right (same thing happened to the woman in the room next to me, the nurse who put it in was not very experienced or something).

 

[Aussie Jen]

Here's some info, including pros and cons about the epidural:

https://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10190

I'd find out all you can and make sure it's a decision that's right for you. IMO it's a pretty big decision to make.

Perhaps you could explore other methods of pain relief (including natural methods!) and see if there's something you like better.

The thing that drives our choices is generally fear - have you thought about doing some childbirth classes that equip you with some coping tools (such as Calm Birth, Hypno Birthing or something else of the like). These can seriously lower feelings of fear and increase your own coping mechanisms.

All the best.

 

[alice&bump]

i did it naturally, but had a spinal after cos i had to have stitches. i was sayin beforehand that i wanted to do it naturally and everyone was like, no you're so soft you'll never manage it. well i had g&a and pethidine, both of which had worn off by the time i came to pushing!

i couldnt stand the spinal. i got the shakes really bad and couldnt get showered til the morning. ad the cathetar was awful!!

at the end of the day eevry labour's different and you might just find you suprise yourself xx

 

[princess_bump]

i was of the opinion just wait and see, and so wanted to do it all naturally! in the end i was in labour for 40hours, and i only had the epi around 5 hours before i had maddi, tbh i was practically forced it as it had been going on so long and i was just so tired. i have a terrible phobia of needles, but tbh, i didn't care at this point! i was on the gas and air which helped loads, but as i said i was just so tired and still wasn't progressing. am so glad i did have the epi in the end as maddi was born by emergency c-section so they top it up to fall spinal block and i was awake as they delivered her! wouldn't change anything about it now! i think the best thing about my labour was i was very relaxed to wait and see what happens, open to all pain relief etc, don't worry i was terribly scared beforehand but now not so much for when we have no 2

 

[XKatX]

I had an epidural. I wanted to cope without, but personally couldn't. It's really not that bad - they use a local anaesthetic in your skin, so you just feel oushing after that. I work in theatres and see this every day and I have to say that I was a little put off by it! But like I said, a walk in the park. Seriously, don't worry yourself too much about it, or it will be a huge issue come 8 months time.
Good luck by the way!!

 

[Blah11]

I was open minded and decided to try diamorphine before the epi and if i needed one in the end I'd have one. I didnt feel I needed one an im glad I didnt in hindsight.

 

[Michelle100]

The epi was great for me...I am terrified of needles but aside from a little sting, the epi didnt hurt. Maybe because the pain of labour was much worse. But I'd definately do it again.

 

[xKimx]

I had a spinal for my emergency C-section? If that's the same as an epi? i dunno lol , anyway i am not scared of needles but i did not feel it at all i would say the contractions are more sore so that will take your mind of it lol (to me anyway) and you cant see the guy doing it, well for me he told me to sit up on the operation table facing away from him.. OH wasnt allowed in at that point, took around 5-10mins