How do you feel about epidurals/natural birth?

[DanielleM]

I have had 2 very different births;

My first son Evan I went into spontaneous labour at 35 weeks, my waters broke and from start to finish it was 4 hours I had no pain relief but only because I was too far gone and the wouldn't give me anything!!

My second son Jacob I was induced at 38 weeks due to gestational diabetes, from start to finish my labour was 11 hours, I was absolutley spaced out on G&A and in the end I had pethidine!!

I did not make any birth plans either time but I did tell them I did not want an epidural, I have nothing against them and I think if my labour went on any longer than 11 hours I might well of asked for one, for ladies that go for hours and hours of labour with no pain relief I commend but for me I have quite a high pain threshold but I just think why be in pain when you could be in less pain.

I dont know really I think it is more a case of weighing up the pros and cons of you as an individual!

 

[JMC82]

I think each to their own. If someone feels that they need stronger pain relief then there is no shame in getting it. There are no medals for doing it without anything to help!

 

[Kalah]

I think each to their own. If someone feels that they need stronger pain relief then there is no shame in getting it. There are no medals for doing it without anything to help!

I'm probably not going to make a birth plan for my 2nd and I didn't do one for my 1st either. I'll take it as it goes. If I'm struggling enough then I'll ask for an epidural and if I'm not then I'll try to get through it with gas & air. I ended up with a spinal tap with my 1st because we couldn't get him moving as he was back to back then stuck side on and they thought they'd need to do a section but they luckily managed to get him turned with forceps instead. Births are so unpredictable. x

I think you meant a spinal block? A spinal tap is a test of the fluid in your spinal cord

 

[JMC82]

LOL thanks Kalah, I'll blame it on my baby brain. I do mean a spinal block! xx

 

[Kalah]

LOL thanks Kalah, I'll blame it on my baby brain. I do mean a spinal block! xx

That would be awful if someone did have to get a spinal tap during labour, I've heard they are really painful! I had one right after I was born luckily I don't remember.

 

[hattiehippo]

I was very anti-epidural when I was pregnant - I didn't want a cathater put in and I wanted to be able to move around and manage the pain as naturally as I could. And I really didn't want to be stuck on a bed.

Unfortuantly I developed severe pre-eclampsia whilst being induced for high blood pressure and was recommended an epidural to drop my blood pressure. I already had to have a cathetar for the pre-eclampsia medication and as I was going to be stuck on my back for labour anyway due to 4 drips and continual monitoring I agreed.

It was by far the best decision I could have made...with it I went from 3cm to 9cm with virtually no pain whilst stuck on a bed with syntocin. It did then stop working on the left side so when it came to pushing I could feel the contractions and was lucky enough to have a unassisted delivery.

I don't believe it had any effect on my bonding with Tom...if anything all the other drugs I'd been pumped full of to save my and his life probably had more effect as he was pretty drowsy and not interested in feeding at all. But it also turned out that his thryroid wasn't working properly to start with so that wasn't helping either.

Maybe epildurals are pushed too soon in some cases but then no-one can judge someone else's pain threshold and I wouldn't like to think that we were still in a world where childbirth was seen as something to be endured by woman as some kind of punishment for original sin.

 

[tristansmum]

i have not read all the responses.

i didn't want pethadine or epidural and wanted a water birth. well unfortunately i was induced for medical reasons so the water birth was gone immediately. the beginning of the induction was so long (almost 24 hours before breaking my waters at 3cm) and i had not slept so i was exhausted before i even really began. i uused gas & air for a few hours but i think my total tiredness meant i couldn't cope with the pain... i was too tired to move about. so i had the pethadine... worked for me by allowing me to nap between contractions. i got to 10cm. then unfortunately after alot of pushing it became aparent he was stuck. so after beginning in established labour for around 11 hours i had to have a spinal block and EMCS (tried forceps but he couldn't be moved). so i have very mixed feelings. part of me is pleased i got to 10cm without the epidural (pethadine long ago worn off) as that is what i wanted. the other part of me feels that if i'd had the epidural early on i would have been more aware of what was happening and have memories of my sons birth. due to exhaustion, pain and total shock i cannot remember him being born. this makes me very sad.

i think you have to do what is right for you. no one else can judge.

 

[lizardbreath]

havent Read all the posts yet But
I never had an epidural with Jaymee I had Nubain and it just took the edge off my contractions,
With Katherine she was 100% natural. as I didnt have time for anything by the time I got to the hospital she was Pretty much born.
Its completely up to the mom and the persons pain levels .

 

[crossroads]

Haven't read the thread but I just wanted to say that the NHS regards women who have epidurals as still having natural births providing they did not have vorceps or suction.

 

[RedRose]

I very much wanted a natural birth but ended up having diamorphine, epidural and ventouse.

I'm very happy that I had an epidural as it took three days of intense contractions for me to dilate to 4 cm, and once I had the epidural I got to 10 cm within 1.5 hours! I think that the epidural speeded things up for me as I was very scared and tired from a back to back labour, and the epidural allowed me to relax my body. Lily was distressed during the birth and her heartrate went very low. I dread to think that if I had carried on without an epidural then she would have been too exhausted and distressed to make it safely into the world.

I had no problems breastfeeding or bonding.

I will try and go drug free next time, but if it's another long back to back labour then I will be very happy to have an epi again.

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

I had a natural birth but the way I see it is that aslong as baby is out in the safest possible way be by means of G&A..Epi...Whatever... That's the main thing