epidural or no epidural??

[RowdysMom]

Originally Posted by JeanieK

NO NO NO epidural. By the time they give you the epidural the worst of it is over. With an epidural you miss the best part. LOL

I have to respectfully disagree - waaay back when I had my daughter (30 years ago), I only got the epidural when I was fully dialated and ready to deliver. The pain of labor was the worst experience for me and I remember every contraction to this day.

Now however, (my daughter just had a baby 3 weeks ago), they give you the epidural when you are about 3 cm dialated and so you HAVE the epidural during the WORST part of labor. It helped my daughter so much, she could be relaxed and even slept some. Also, when she was sleeping was when she dialated the fastest - because she was more relaxed.

I know some women prefer natural childbirth - but I believe that women who want an epidural, should have them and not be talked out of it. I know it made for a much better experience for my daughter and I am glad that she opted for it and didn't have such a horrible painful experience as I did.

[doortego]

I have to agree with Rowdy's Mom. Having been in the room with my daughter during her labor & delivery twice, I have to say that she seemed much more comfortable than I remember the experience.

[TootiesMom]

HAVE IT!
I can tell you it hurt to get the needle, but a few seconds and it was easy street after that.... I was able to pay so much more attention to my daughter being born than stressing over the pain... my second was a c section but if she hadnt been, I would have had the epidural anyway!

[mdcote]

With my 1st child, I wanted to do a "natural" birth - but after 52 hours of labor pain, I said forget it and wanted drugs at the end!! (but didn't get the epidural!!). My 2nd child I had complications, so no epidural, LOADS of pain. My 3rd child, I asked for the epidural - what a MAJOR difference in labor. Don't know why I didn't do this in the first place.

[TatumsMom]

I've done it both ways. First daughter (12 years ago), I got the epidural real early in the labor stages. I was so relaxed and comfortable and even napped off and on. Yes, they had to tell me when to push because that sensation is taken away with the epidural (in most women's cases - depending on how strong they have it on) but I only pushed three times to deliver her. With my second daughter (10 years ago), we got to the hospital too late to get the epidural and let me tell you, I will NEVER forget that pain. Not only the contractions, but the actual crowning and delivery.... WOW! The only thing that saved me was that time it was only two pushes to get her out. I know everyone has to choose for themselves but..... I ALWAYS recommend the epidural to my friends. And in the big scheme of things, that needle pain was worth the couple seconds it lasted!

Another thing though.... I really went back and forth on trying to decide the first time but after I finally "gave myself permission to NOT try to be superwoman" (LOL) and signed the consent form, I felt so much better. Signing the consent form during your pregnancy doesn't mean you are bound to your decision.... it just made me feel better that if I wanted it, it would happen. So much of the anxiety about giving birth was washed away for me then.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[YorkieRose]

I had my girls in the 60's, so things have changed...I actually picked my OB DR because he was known for "pain free" deliveries...he told me I could have a "cocktail" when I wanted to go to sleep...I had a couple very strong contractions and asked the nurse how much longer she thought before I delivered..she said about 8 hours..Cocktail please, see ya in the morning.."...LOL

[KristiC]

LOL Pat!!!!!!

[yorkieangel]

WEll I'm guessing with 7 kids I 'm an expert. Do the freaking epidural

I have done BOTH and let me tell you... all this adrenaline stuff is hogwash. The truth is it feels like a mass murder is ripping your insides out from the front and back at the same time. Basically you will just lay on the table wishing your were DEAD, for the moments you have any sanity.

By baby 6 and 7 I was smart enough to learn to have the Dr. write ALL meds aloowed and exactly what they were AHEAD of time in the Dr's notes. That was because I knew by then sometimes he Drs. are with other women and I was doing no waiting. Every time a nurse said NO I would instruct her to open the notes and tell her do as the notes said or I would have her job. HAHAHA I also had intervenous Demoral for the last one. The Nurse said NO they never give that they give the cheapo weaker stuff nowadays.,. I said... BET ME.... LOOK in the notes and DO IT. HAHAHA I made sure the Dr. wrote Demoral was allowed.

HAHAH it was actually funny by number 7 because the nurse came in and said( you know the baby is part way out...why didn't you call. I responded...WELL I didn't want to rush anybody since I knew the lady in the next room was having difficulties and needed the Dr. more then me. the nurse just laughed and gloved up incase the baby flew out and she had to catch while we waited for the Dr.

[carolina yorkie]

OK, I have to express my opinion here, the good and the bad. I am a high-risk labor and delivery nurse and we do epidurals like handing out Motrin. There is a small risk doing anything invasive...infection, spinal headache, decreased ability to breathe (VERY RARE and due to the epidural going too high) however, the benefits I have seen from epidurals FAR outweight the risks. One minute you have a woman in the throws of labor screaming her head off, vomiting up her toenails from the pain and threatening to kill everything with a pulse and shortly after the angel of anesthesia arrives, they are laughing and watching TV, or better yet taking a much needed nap. Labor is exhausting and anything that can help you to better cope and ENJOY the birth, the better. My colleagues all agree and I cannot think of a single person I work with that has gone natural. You want to be able to enjoy and remember the birth experience as a pleasant one, not at something miserable. You will still feel pressure and an urge to push, but not the intense contractions that accompany labor. Furthermore, God forbid, but if something should go wrong and the physicians need to use a vacuum extractor or forceps for the delivery, or if you have a tear that needs repairs, you don't feel it!! My vote, epidural all the way!!

Good luck to you.

[TatumsMom]

Originally Posted by carolina yorkie

OK, I have to express my opinion here, the good and the bad. I am a high-risk labor and delivery nurse and we do epidurals like handing out Motrin. There is a small risk doing anything invasive...infection, spinal headache, decreased ability to breathe (VERY RARE and due to the epidural going too high) however, the benefits I have seen from epidurals FAR outweight the risks. One minute you have a woman in the throws of labor screaming her head off, vomiting up her toenails from the pain and threatening to kill everything with a pulse and shortly after the angel of anesthesia arrives, they are laughing and watching TV, or better yet taking a much needed nap. Labor is exhausting and anything that can help you to better cope and ENJOY the birth, the better. My colleagues all agree and I cannot think of a single person I work with that has gone natural. You want to be able to enjoy and remember the birth experience as a pleasant one, not at something miserable. You will still feel pressure and an urge to push, but not the intense contractions that accompany labor. Furthermore, God forbid, but if something should go wrong and the physicians need to use a vacuum extractor or forceps for the delivery, or if you have a tear that needs repairs, you don't feel it!! My vote, epidural all the way!!

Good luck to you.

Great post!! I agree! And it's good to hear from someone in the profession that sees what us women experience and give an opinion from that angle.

[TatumsMom]

Originally Posted by yorkieangel

I have done BOTH and let me tell you... all this adrenaline stuff is hogwash. The truth is it feels like a mass murder is ripping your insides out from the front and back at the same time. Basically you will just lay on the table wishing your were DEAD, for the moments you have any sanity.

LOL!! I got a kick out of your post because I have tried to explain how giving birth to my second one without an epidural (by NO choice of my own) actually felt. Not to scare anyone so if you don't want to hear it, click off now! I described it as a fire-hot bowling ball with spikes coming out! And the only thing that saved me from "leaving my body" from the pain was that the nurse insisted that only one more push was needed to complete the job! After the first push when she crowned and I felt what I just described, I looked up at my husband and said (very seriously!), "I'm NOT doing that again." The look he gave the nurse was priceless.... like uh-oh, what now?? Luckily, she told the truth and all was over in a matter of seconds but I will NEVER forget that feeling.

I hope by now the original poster has gotten enough advise to decide whether an epidural is for her or not but I think the consensus is.... DO IT! And I think if our "experience stories" aren't enough, the nurse's post above says it very well too!

[Jenn218]

Okay, thought I would jump in.....

I had "all natural" and my labor (from start to finish) was only an hour and 45minutes. It was no where as bad as people said it would be - honestly!

My doctor went over all the options w/ me and my main concern w/ the spinal tap was that if you have a contraction or a slight movement, it could cause problems, like hit your spinal cord and paralyze you, etc. Now, I don't know if that is true, but when I had my daughter (almsot 13 years ago) that was one of the downsides to it.

Plus, it depends on how far dilated you are too! (I think)....I remember at one time, I asked if I should go ahead and get something and the doctor said it was too late for anything....course, I had really told him to keep me off anything, so I don't know if he was being serious or not.

I watched the whole thing on the big mirror they had.........I have to admit, it was very neat! I even show the needle that they used for stitches, I had to have two (darn), but I won't tell you want it looked like.

I only wish that my DH could have cut the cord and helped more, but he couldn't because my daughter was stuck in the canal too long and had to have oxygen, so we couldn't even hold her for awhile. But that happened because of my bone structure and her being a "big" baby (for then anyway, she was about 8lbs, but it seemed like the average size was 6-7lbs). Or, I guess that is why it happened.

Sorry for rambling and going into details. Just talk to you doctor and family and you will decide what is right for you and your baby and body! Good luck!

[LitlbitRanch]

My turn...
Ok - I had both boys wth a epidural. It's better to let them know you will want it and then say never mind if you think you can handle it. That was they are ready for you (if it's not too late. LOL)
I do remember being very VERY iritable (sp) with everyone before it and then after I was laughing and we were all making jokes.
The boys were both very alert (i was worried they wouldn't be) and it was a much more calm situation.
I also had an episiotiomy on both and the drugs helped me not notice the "issue".
The shot was done very nicely for both and the nurse was there to make sure I was in the correct position. She had me kind of lay my arms on her shoulders and it only stung for a short breath. Well worth it for the enjoyment of the rest of the time.
I could still feel the contractions even before they were registering on the monitor and could thell the Dr. when I was ready to push.
I just wanted to share my experiance w/you since my boys were born so recently. They are 1 and 2 now. And their ittle sister will be joinin us within a month. I will deff. be doing the epidural again.
Good luck with your decision!!
Blessings,

[pixiepooh]

I remember trembling because I just couldn't take the pain. I never took any breathing class but I started doing this breathing technic that you normally see on tv when the woman is about to give birth LMAO. When the anesthesiologist came in, he commented that I had good breathing technic(yeah sure!). He just said I would feel a little pressure...and then VOILA!!! The pain was gone! I kept thanking the guy until he was done. I slept for 4 hours until the meds wore off... guess what happened then

[chloeandj]

Originally Posted by carolina yorkie

OK, I have to express my opinion here, the good and the bad. I am a high-risk labor and delivery nurse and we do epidurals like handing out Motrin. There is a small risk doing anything invasive...infection, spinal headache, decreased ability to breathe (VERY RARE and due to the epidural going too high) however, the benefits I have seen from epidurals FAR outweight the risks. One minute you have a woman in the throws of labor screaming her head off, vomiting up her toenails from the pain and threatening to kill everything with a pulse and shortly after the angel of anesthesia arrives, they are laughing and watching TV, or better yet taking a much needed nap. Labor is exhausting and anything that can help you to better cope and ENJOY the birth, the better. My colleagues all agree and I cannot think of a single person I work with that has gone natural. You want to be able to enjoy and remember the birth experience as a pleasant one, not at something miserable. You will still feel pressure and an urge to push, but not the intense contractions that accompany labor. Furthermore, God forbid, but if something should go wrong and the physicians need to use a vacuum extractor or forceps for the delivery, or if you have a tear that needs repairs, you don't feel it!! My vote, epidural all the way!!

Good luck to you.

I want YOU for my next labor and delivery nurse!! I SWEAR the nurses were in a big conspiracy not to let me have drugs with both my pregnancies. AFter my second was born and I was finally smiling, and breathing a sigh of relief my nurse said sweet as pie, "see you did it without the drugs" , I just wanted to kill her because I wanted them and I was told I couldn't.