Totally Random Question (Mainly For Ladies Who Have Had Babys Already!)

[MummyNovember]

Just a random question to those of you who have had a baby already and have had an epidural.

What does it feel like to get an epidural?? I am not planning on having one unless i really need it , but i was just wondering!

 

[Emx]

It doesnt feel of anything really as they numb the area before putting it in.... I got to control the amount of anesthetic I was having (after the initial amount) by using a little button - so by the time Lani was born I actually had most of the feeling back and could get up and walk about afterwards... I didnt enjoy the completely numb legs feeling as I had no control over them - I also had a little patch on my tummy that the epidural didnt work on so could still feel my contractions..

Nothing wrong with having an epidural, if its your first baby you wont have any idea what to expect so keeping an open mind on pain relief is a good thing and then you can decide if and when you need it x

 

[MummyNovember]

Thanks! I am going to keep an open mind & dont see anything wrong with getting one. And yea i have no idea what to expect! I dont know how high my pain barrier is either, but will find out in 5 or so months =]

 

[princess_bump]

For me, i found it nothing more the uncomfortable, because i was having back to back contractions, and was 38 hours in to my 40 hour labour (ended with em. c-section).

as you have to lean over and keep still it just makes it uncomfortable, but not painful or anything, as Emx has said, your numb before so you don'f feel anything. i never wanted the epi, but it was suggested quite a few times by the mw's and doctors and am super glad i went for it when i did, as it meant that i could have it topped up when they finally decided i needed a c-section, so i was awake for the birth of our daughter

 

[Emx]

You will be fine - I was being induced and that can make the pain a bit more intense so had one... The pain of contractions themselves isnt so horrendous you feel you cant cope, its usually more to do with how much longer you have to go on having them for which depends on your stage of labour.

If you let them know in your birth plan you are open to all pain relief, you will then have the option to have it... it doesnt mean you have commited yourself to it xx

 

[luvmyfam]

I didn't feel to much of anything.

 

[x-TyMa-x]

I had an epidural with my son, i was induced so my labour was long and i was in alot of pain so decided to opt for the epi, At 1st i got told they were only giving me a small amout as the dr still wanted me to be able to "take part" in the birth of my child as he put it, anyway time passed and i could still feel everything, so they topped it up and after the top up i felt no contraction pain, and at the pushing stage i only felt a small amount of the "burny" sensation.

I would say keep an open mind about the epidural, dont rule it out altogether and if u feel like you need one.....go for one , you never know you may cope fine without one

 

[lesleyann]

I did not have an Epi however i will say the contractions are worse than pushing the baby out, so dont worry to much if it wears off right before your ready to push

 

[tweedy]

i had one and would go for it again, meant i was awake for my emsc. my sister was a trouper and went through 12 hours of labour progressing from gas and air, water, to remi phentanol (which is patient controlled) everything got stopped for her to push then she was given a epidural after the birth, for surgery as she had 4th degree tears, she said she would never go through it again, epi all the way.

 

[Clover Jane]

I'm curious about these references to "gas and air".
I'm in the US, and granted, it's been 20 years since my last child was born, but at that time there were only two options for pain relief: Demerol or an epidural (I had neither, either time).

I know gas was used back in the 1950s, but I didn't think it was used any longer.
Do you know if this is something new that just started being offered recently, or if it's only offered in the UK, or what?
I've delivered two children at two different hospitals, and in both cases, the only options for pain relief were Demerol and epidurals, and that was also the case with every other woman I've ever spoken to about labor and delivery.

 

[catfromaus]

Epidural felt awesome- and I went to sleep afterwards I was 3 cm dilated when I got the epi (had been in labour about 10 hours), but got all the way to 10 cm really fast once the epi was in. Loved it.

 

[AmyR]

I had an epidural....I went into labor at 8:30am and about 10:30 the contractions were SO bad that I asked for an epidural....but cause its a small town the doctor couldnt get there to do it till 2:30 so I suffered like heck with back labor, back to back contractions.....URGH!

Needless to say, didnt feel the epidural go in at all and was in HEAVEN afterwards! I got to visit my family and smile, and then push her out at 4:30pm that day in 30 minutes pain free..

Im going to TRY again for no epidural...but we will see.

 

[Thistledown]

Can I stick a question in here? I've heard that epi's make you numb form the waist down, but can you still move? Or feel pressure if, say, someone squeezed your ankle?

 

[queenv77]

I was scared to death because I hate both needles and pain, but it turned out to be relatively nothing. A quick sting and that's it! Nothing at all to be scared of! Only thing that was weird was not being able to feel or move my legs for a couple hours afterward, but I had a c-section, I don't think they dope you up quite as much for natural, so you probably won't have to worry about that part of it!

 

[heather91]

Ohh I'm glad there's some nice stories on here about them. I'm planning on having one with this baby. I did it with just G&A with DD, but the pain really exhausted me and seeing as I'll have a toddler as soon as I get home, I want as easy an experience as possible! x

 

[Clarina1980]

I'm curious about these references to "gas and air".
I'm in the US, and granted, it's been 20 years since my last child was born, but at that time there were only two options for pain relief: Demerol or an epidural (I had neither, either time).

I know gas was used back in the 1950s, but I didn't think it was used any longer.
Do you know if this is something new that just started being offered recently, or if it's only offered in the UK, or what?
I've delivered two children at two different hospitals, and in both cases, the only options for pain relief were Demerol and epidurals, and that was also the case with every other woman I've ever spoken to about labor and delivery.

It's a UK thing and was shocked to hear ladies in the states don't get it.

It's 50% Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) and 50% air. Makes you high and takes the edge off during the beginning stages.

 

[MummyNovember]

I was scared to death because I hate both needles and pain, but it turned out to be relatively nothing. A quick sting and that's it! Nothing at all to be scared of! Only thing that was weird was not being able to feel or move my legs for a couple hours afterward, but I had a c-section, I don't think they dope you up quite as much for natural, so you probably won't have to worry about that part of it!

I know what you mean! I have a fear of needles and have a tendency to faint lol least if i did have an epi and i did faint i wouldnt be concious of the injection if they did give it to me still lol

Everyones posts are very reassuring. I have done research on epidurals an its one of those things where it sounds worse then it actually is! So thank you all =] i am actually more nervous about the stingy Anti-D injection i have to have at 26wks, then i am about even the thought of a possible epi hehe

 

[babyhopesxx]

I had an epi with my DS and although i initially decided i would rather not have one it wasn't as bad as i thought. They numb your back before giving you the epi and i didn't feel much of that injection either. I went on the drip to re-start my contractions (sorry, cant remember the name of the drip) & i had an epi at the same time because the contractions were pretty intense. Although the epi didn't work straight away so they had to up the dose and then i didn't feel a thing.
Because your completely numb your midwifes instruct you when to push because you can't feel the contractions so you don't really feel in control of the pushing but i managed to push out DS with the instructions from mw and my mum, lol.
Although i would prefer to push without an epi, because i want to experience everything (maybe i'm crazy) but if i really need it this time round then i will consider it again, but would prefer to do it without.

If it's your first baby then you need to go in with an open mind regards to pain relief because you dont know how you will cope with the pain

 

[Lara310809]

In regards to pain thresholds; you have NO way of knowing until you get to the labour. People always told me my pain threshold was really low, because other procedures and injuries have hurt me more than they hurt most people. But in my labour, I was labouring really well without and medication, and by the time my waters broke I was 10cm, then it was too late to have any pain relief. I had to do it all on gas & air. It hurt like a bugger, but I did it. I was totally up for getting an epidural though, lol. Just see how you go, and ask for it if you need it. Don't let anyone tell you you don't need it though, if you know you do.

 

[nervouspains]

I had two and they didnt work on me AT ALL!
I ended up with a c-section and had to have a spinal block x