How do you feel about epidurals/natural birth?

[aragornlover8]

I noticed a lot of interest on the breastfeeding thread, so I thought I'd open up a new one to just discuss this topic. In short, the question is how you feel about the use of epidurals during labor. There are many suggested benefits of natural birth, and there are many who believe that the use of an epidural diminishes those benefits (ie, it can block the release of certain hormones and affect the initial bonding experience a mother can experience with her child). On the other hand, there are those who believe that the epidural is there for a reason and that the pain itself is what can diminish from a good birthing experience.

I'm looking forward to a good, friendly debate here. I think we can do it!!

 

[Blah11]

Hm.

Well, I think they are used a bit too often and are given before other forms of pain relief are explored. I think there is still a lot of miseducation about them and the problems they can cause.
That being said, they're obviously very helpful for some people

They have their place, I just think they're overused.

 

[moomin_troll]

im not sure about this thread but ile post anyway lol

when i got pregnant with zane my mum told me to have a epidural(shes a big fan)
but i knew i didnt want one, but went into labour with a open mind.

i didnt have one and very happy that i didnt as it wasnt for me.

ive been told this by someone whos friend is a mw and said it herself " a epidural is mostly there for the mw rather then the woman, if a woman can sit thru contractions without moving for the epi to be done she would actualy be able to be coached thru them by her mw" and that also mws use epis to "keep women quiet!"
i was very shocked to hear that.

with my second im planning a home water birth (my first was induced in hospital) so im very pro natural birthing even tho this isnt for everyone.

i do also believe that epidurals and other pain relief is there for a reason and should be used for those who need it, and not to be forced on women

 

[Lightworker]

I feel that epidurals should only be reserved for extreme cases. I believe they are pushed too much these days. A medicated birth is the norm now and I feel it shouldn't be. We spend 9 months ensuring we don't ingest anything that may affect LO yet it seems acceptable to do it at the most crucial point. I think moms should be encouraged to take up other techniques to aid with the pain but birth should be as natural as possible to ensure bonding, BFing etc.

 

[Laura2919]

Well I had a really bad experience with my labour and delivery. I had a blood transfusion and I had a general so was asleep.
I do also think they are given too quickly but I suppose when your in pain and you want relief you automatically think an epidural.

I would of had one if I didnt have to be put to sleep as I had a section but I was told by my hospital they would give me one anyway to prep me for theatre in case my girls needed to be out quickly which in the end they did have to be taken out quickly..

My SIL had plans for a water birth and no pain relief and as soon as she was in labour she asked for an epidural and when she was 4cm dilated she got one..

 

[Lightworker]

Also - epidurals tend to increase the risk of assisted delivery eg ventouse or forceps which IMO can be traumatic for the LO, traumatic for mom due to episiotomy and stitches, makes for an awful recovery. Not just epidurals though, they should severely limit their diamorphins etc.

 

[aragornlover8]

I guess I should also point out that I wanted a natural birth soooooo badly. At 36 weeks, though, I found out I had preclampsia so I had to be induced a few days later. I wasn't dilating, even though they had me on pitocin, put me on cervodil (I think that's how it's spelled) twice, and even manually broke my water. I did ask for a particular narcotic at one point, just because I could not take the pain anymore. My contractions were just a little over a minute apart and they were literally off the charts. I was in labor for two days (off and on, they stopped the pitocin at night so that I could eat and get some rest and give the cervodil a chance to work again). After all of that, I ended up have a c-section to prevent the risk of infection, as the doctor thought it unlikely my body was going to do anything on its own.

In the end, it wasn't the birth I had planned at all, but she was healthy and (screaming but) happy. I'm hoping that I'll be one of those successful VBAC ladies, and I'll have a little more experience with the epidural debate.

 

[moomin_troll]

i no women who had epidurals and didnt have anything go wrong after, they were able to bond and breastfeed ect.

also i didnt have a epi and still needed to be cut and have stitches due to lack of care from the mw and being on my back which they told me i needed to do.

 

[Blah11]

Also - epidurals tend to increase the risk of assisted delivery eg ventouse or forceps which IMO can be traumatic for the LO, traumatic for mom due to episiotomy and stitches, makes for an awful recovery. Not just epidurals though, they should severely limit their diamorphins etc.

diamorphine isnt quite the same though. It doesnt increase the risks of vaginal trauma or anything and its usually worn off by the time the lady is pushing.

I did have 1 shot at about 7cm and although it didnt really help with the pain, it did help me snooze between contractions and i really needed the sleep.

 

[Laura2919]

Also - epidurals tend to increase the risk of assisted delivery eg ventouse or forceps which IMO can be traumatic for the LO, traumatic for mom due to episiotomy and stitches, makes for an awful recovery. Not just epidurals though, they should severely limit their diamorphins etc.

Now I think about it most of the ladies I know that had an epidural had an assisted birth, my sister had everything with my niece and she was finally born via c section.

 

[indy and lara]

With both births I had pethidine. With Emma aromatherapy and G&A did nothing. I decided on epidural when in labour but wasn't able to sit still for it. Pethidine made all the difference to me.

I probably think differentlu about the 'ideal birth' than most of you because of my history. The ideal birth for me resulted in me getting to bring my baby home this time. I really did not care what had to happen to get us to that situation. I had a very medicalised birth and I spent the whole labour flat on my back attached to monitors. However, I only look back on it positively. I don't have regrets or wish it was different. If we are ever brave enough to try to have another baby I would do it all the same way again. It certainly wouldn't be many people's ideal birth but it was mine.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I dont really have an opinion, I guess you do what you have to do. I had 2 natural births, pain relief free and they were both under 2 hours long. I cant comment on it really, I dont have enough information on it all but I know people do what is best at the time xx

 

[Lightworker]

Oh yeah totally. I had an epi with my first but my postnatal recovery was awful although I still managed to BF her - but I think it may have been easier had I had the type of recovery I had with my second IYKWIM. OT but does anyone think there is a correlation between medicated births and baby blues?

 

[buttonnose82]

I think often the jump too a epi is too quick, like gas & air then straight too epi, I wish MW's would encourage the use of other pain relief first and build up too the epi ...... like tens, gas & air, water, pethidine, epi.

I never wanted a epi, I did however end up with a emergency spinal for a forceps delivery which they discovered the cord round Little Man's neck twice and he was looking sideways

I won't lie, it was amazing too suddenly be pain free as my contracts were ontop of each other and right in the base of my spine, however I still wouldn't choose too have one next time, I still struggle emotionally with how my labour ended and I am actually scared of the birthing part of labour for next time.

I don't even remember being asked if I wanted the spinal, I just remember a consent form being put under my nose too sign saying if the forceps failed then I consented too a section.

 

[Blah11]

I think often the jump too a epi is too quick, like gas & air then straight too epi, I wish MW's would encourage the use of other pain relief first and build up too the epi ...... like tens, gas & air, water, pethidine, epi.

I never wanted a epi, I did however end up with a emergency spinal for a forceps delivery which they discovered the cord round Little Man's neck twice and he was looking sideways

I won't lie, it was amazing too suddenly be pain free as my contracts were ontop of each other and right in the base of my spine, however I still wouldn't choose too have one next time, I still struggle emotionally with how my labour ended and I am actually scared of the birthing part of labour for next time.

I don't even remember being asked if I wanted the spinal, I just remember a consent form being put under my nose too sign saying if the forceps failed then I consented too a section.

I agree, there doesnt seem to be a very good progression. I got paracetemol and co-codamol in early labour and didnt use g&a until i vomitted in the toilet, haha. Anyway that was fine until the contractions got more intense so we buzzed for a MW for more pain relief. She automatically said 'epidural?' and I had to suggest diamorphine myself

 

[moomin_troll]

Oh yeah totally. I had an epi with my first but my postnatal recovery was awful although I still managed to BF her - but I think it may have been easier had I had the type of recovery I had with my second IYKWIM. OT but does anyone think there is a correlation between medicated births and baby blues?

i believe the way i was treated had alot to do with how i felt after zanes birth. i was flat on my back, ignored, scared and i had no idea what i was doing. my mw was horrible.

so for me the whole experience but a downer on how i felt. so that has made me 100% sure that my planned homebirth is the way for me as i wont be under their rules and i will be in my own home

 

[aragornlover8]

I agree that they push for it too quickly. I also feel like, especially here in the US, a lot of mothers don't know how many choices they have for delivery. Everything we see in popular tv and movies shows us that labor is going to be horrific and scary UNTIL that point where we ask for the epidural. It is presented in a lot of cases as an inevitability, not an option. I really don't remember ever seeing a brochure about pain relief during labor weighing pros and cons. In fact, my doctor kind of shrugged off my initial request of not even being offered an epidural (this became a moot point later, as I had to have an epidural for the purpose of the section).

 

[jennie_78]

I had an epidural due to being diabetic and needing various drips ( insulin, glucose, fluids, and another 1 i cant think of).
Mine was so none of them would dislodge.

I had no problem bonding with my LO.

 

[Blah11]

What do you get in the US? I know you dont get gas and air!

 

[Blah11]

I had an epidural due to being diabetic and needing various drips ( insulin, glucose, fluids, and another 1 i cant think of).
Mine was so none of them would dislodge.

I had no problem bonding with my LO.

Its the initial hormonal bond we're talking about. The same one breastfeeding helps with