How painful is the spinal / epi?

[Indigo77]

My CS is tomorrow morning. I'm getting scared.

 

[kls9503]

I've had both and to me the epidural was worse than the spinal. I could only feel the initial stick with the spinal. On the epidural I felt the stick and a weird crunching sensation. Do you know which one you are having?

 

[calypso5]

Well, I don't want to scare you so I won't say too much but I had a spinal with my daughter (planned c-section) and let's just say I don't wish to have another one ever again.

Good luck to you. Many women say they don't feel them at all.

 

[purple_kiwi]

mine felt just like a electric shock down my spin. it was weird but bearable.

 

[Arisa]

I personally found it horrible, well the local anaesthetic was that they give you first, they inject that into your spine then give you the spinal which is just like tons of pressure. the worst part for me was the IV drips being put in my hands since the intern doing them could not find a vein and I needed to have them in my arm in the end but that is rare and should not happen to you. most women find the spinal easy to handle and the IV is painful but very quick, it was just worse for me since it was emcs and all rushed. The best thing about the spinal is it kicks in so fast and wears off really quick too, i mean you are not lying in bed numb for eight hours or anything, mine wore off within the hour lol and I could feel tingling and that was it.

 

[DJ987]

The spinal was fine for me! Am still nervous about having another though.

 

[kimandbump]

I had a spinal, it was totally fine. I was really terrified about getting it done. I didn't even really feel anything and couldn't believe it when they told me it was in. It really not that bad hun x

 

[sticky bean]

I have had two spinals and thought they were no bother.3rd one booked in 3 weeks and I am not nervous at all.My friends who have had a natural labour laughed at me when I said I was nervous about the spinal.One friend said that after 12 hours of labour she never even felt the spinal.She said the contractions were 100 times worse.If it helps what I did was focus on something else.I took a deep breath out as they were doing it and relaxed my body and also thought of what my daughter was doing at school at that exact moment.By the time I had done that the spinal was complete.Just distract yourself with a nice thought and it will be over in a moment.

 

[skc22]

It didn't bother me at all, but I was having pitocin contractions at the time every 2 minutes (plus a 5 day induction) so I wasn't really focusing on the epi. It took her over half an hour to get it it - I managed to sit perfectly still, god knows how, and then the midwife finally told me to relax and shake my shoulders and back. Then it went in straight away. I must have been sitting slightly crooked. I had it put in when I was 8cm, and then they just increased the dose for my c section.

 

[tu123]

I had both with my daughter because the epi fell out but both were totally fine and over with in minutes

Good luck tomorrow

 

[littleANDlost]

i had an epi but felt nothing - i had been in labour for 2 days though and was just out of it by then

 

[ChezTunes]

My spinal was fine. I'm not bothered by needles though so that helps. It feels like a scratch then a bit of pressure then sort of a pins&needles feeling. Hardest part for me was keeping still as I was really nervous and I have anxiety anyway... There really was nothing to be afraid of! All the best, everything will be fine.

 

[BintUmmi]

I didn`t like it but it wasn`t painful, just uncomfortable.

 

[victorial8]

I didn't feel it as I was having contractions at the time and was trying not to move whilst dealing with them x

 

[x__amour]

I think it felt more painful to me because I was SO terrified but now when I look back on it, it wasn't horrible. The numbing shot hurt more than the epi insertion itself!

 

[amygwen]

I'm probably too late!

So - to the OP, hope your CS went OK!

My epidural didn't hurt at all. I have to be honest though because I don't mind shots AT ALL. So the thought of an epidural didn't bother me at all. I was really shakey because of the risks people have gotten from epidurals, but either way... it wasn't that bad. If I had to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 pain, I'd give it like a 3 or a 4.

 

[heathersa]

I was really scared about the spinal (Infact I was terrified and shaking like mad!) but it honestly didn't hurt at all. Just like a sharp scratch. Im a total wimp too so please bare that in mind! Hope all goes well x

 

[Melissa_M]

I've had two epidurals and a spinal....never felt anything more than a pinch

If you get to request which one go for the spinal. I found it numbed me WAY BETTER than the epidural.

 

[Misstrouble19]

which one works quicker?? i was in theatre and they injected spinal/epi in my back and it really stung

 

[Melissa_M]

I'm not sure which works quicker....my epi's took about 5-10 min to kick in....I think the spinal was only a couple min but it's hard to say because I already had the epi