For those who had an epidural

[feisty_filly]

hi i was planing on trying with just gass and air but the midwifes advised against it as i was enduced by a drip due to my pre eclampsia.
i went into active labour at about 6 and had just gass and air for a couple of hours, then i had a shot of diamorphine. at about 3am i had an epidural an i can honestly say at that moment in time it was the best thing ever! i deliverd at 6am just befor i was due a top up and i didnt feel a thing. i didnt have any side effects or anything, appart from a small tear (obviously nothing to do with the epidural though).

i will be having one again next time.

 

[polly78]

I had planned to have a fairly natural water birth, unfortunately nothing quite went to plan and i was induced initially on the wednesday and therefore couldnt have the water birth, by early morning friday my contractions had started with a force and i was fine with the tens & gas and air until they manually broke my waters and oh my god i was begging for the epidural lol i was in agony, it didnt work particularly well initially and i had a spot under my ribs that was agony even after 2 top ups, this pain was getting worse when they examined me and realised i was already 10 cm dilated and after leaving me an hour it was time to push and low and behold i felt nothing - the epidural had kicked in properly about 15 hours after first getting it so i had no idea when my contractions were without feeling my stomach!!
As it was i was then taken in for an emergency C Section and gave birth 21 hours after my contractions started so was very glad to have the epidural as there was no way i could have put up with the pain... although the midwife did say not many women who are induced go natural as their body doesnt have the time to adjust to the contractions kicking in like they would if labour had started naturally - well thats my excuse for wimping out on my natural birth plan anyway