Thoughts- Natural birth vs Epidural

I had the epi. For one thing, my water broke but I wasn't having contractions, so I was on pitocin which I understand speeds everything up and thus makes it hurt more. I did hold off on the epidural until the pain was getting pretty bad, although I was still only 1cm dilated at that time. Turned out, after hours and hours of not dilating more, that it was because of scar tissue on my cervix. My doctor had to manually break up the scar tissue. Thanks to the epidural, all I felt was an odd "popping" sensation. Had I not had the epidural, my doc says he may not have been able to do that because of how painful it would have been and I suspect I would have had to have a c-section.
Also, I could move my legs the whole time!

I wanted an epidural but the doc waited too long and i wasn't able to have one. I must say it hurt like hell but i felt great once the baby was born. I had a lot of energy right after and was kind of happy i didn't have one afterall. I literally felt like running about 5 miles.

I was much younger back then so I am not sure this time around.

I am sure the drugs are much better now that was 11 years ago. LOL

I had an epidural and thank goodness! I actually have a pretty high pain tolerance, and I rarely take any drugs, not even for cramps which can get bad. I labored for a while until I got one- the difference was striking. I was more relaxed, I could still move though I couldn't feel it, and it was harder to push because I couldn't tell if I was or not, but luckily she was out with three pushes. I would certainly get another. I think natural is one thing, but I felt better after. It wore off really fast after the birth. Within two hours I was up and able to walk to the bathroom. I felt little to no discomfort while they put it in as they did numb my back with the really powerful cold stuff! Just a few thoughts. 

Carrie  

From the diagram they showed in our "Preparing For Childbirth" class they insert the catheter below the spinal cord so the odds of becoming paralyzed are very very low. (But when I just looked at a diagram online I am not sure if that is true so don't quote me on that!) I was also on the fence about it because sometimes the epidural can slow things down and then they have to put more drugs in you to get things going and I just thought "Well that's kinda stupid!" But depending on how long my labor is I might need the epidural just so I can allow my body to rest and when you are rested and relaxed you have a better chance of progressing and dilating. I suggest you just be open for anything and the more prepared you are for anything to happen the less stress you and your baby will be under when the time comes. I would like to hold off as long as I can but I am not putting anything in stone. I am open for anything to happen and I will deal with all of it as long as baby and I come out ok in the end.

-Ashlie

I've had 4 completely natural births and one horrible induction that led to a stat section under general and a baby born not breathing.

You have to go into natural labor mentally prepared. Just get through each contraction and don't think about the next one, rest in between and remind yourself over and over that it will start to lessen in pain in about 30 seconds. Practice relaxing your lower body and don't tense up. Read up on hypnobirthing and ways to relax. My quickest labor was 25 minutes and I owe it all to relaxation and mind over matter.

while yes sometimes an epidural can slow things down, sometimes it can speed things up.  the body relaxes when its not forced to fight the pain of contractions as much and it can begin to progress faster.

I was induced with my son and completely against an epi.

I went in at 10pm and was all hooked up at 11.  I went until 5:30 am without an epi and was only 5 cm at that point and was told it would be early afternoon at that rate and I knew I couldn't handle the contractions that much longer.  so I gave in around 6 am and had the epi, let them drain my bladder and began to progress more.  it wore off one side almost all the way but my body relaxed enough that I had him at 9am that morning...just 3 hours after my epi.

in defense of the epi for csection emergencies...yes its great if you already have one but they can do a spinal in 10 minutes (at least it seemed like mine was only about that long) so unless you or baby are in a life or death situation it woudln't be necessary for you to have the epi already in place.  the downside would be that if you ARE ina  life or death situation and do not have one, one option they may go with that is the fastest is general anethesia...that would suck.

I had an epidural with my daughter and I planned on getting one. The epidural I had was controlled with a button, so if I needed more pain medicine in it, I pressed the button. By the time I was ready to deliver and push the baby out, I had pushed on the button so much that one of my legs was numb and I couldn't lift it up. I couldn't feel where to push and didn't make hardly any progress. They ended up having to do a C section. While I was having the C section, my arm was also numb on the same side as my numb leg, apparently the epidural wasn't exactly centered. I had to have someone help me hold the baby cause I thought I was going to drop her. If I was having a vaginal birth again, I would probably get the epidural but I wouldn't get it as strong as I had it, cause I think it prevented me from feeling where I was supposed to be pushing.

My first two babies I had naturally.  Then my third was an emergency c-section which I hated and had an epidural but could not tell you it was good or not because of how awful the c-section was.  With my fourth I had an epidural because I am old and I  have done the natural childbirth thing and thought I just did not want to this time.  It went fine although once I was fully dialated and he was dropping I felt everything and the epidural seemed to do nothing.

This time will be a c-section due to the triplets and the previous c-section.  I am scared of the c-section and the pain afterward more than anything.

Try it natural, let yourself experience it.  When you are in the moment and if you change your mind then change it.  You do NOT have to be set in one way.  Natural is not the easiest thing but it IS doable and if it is what you think you want to do then try it.  Go with your gut and you will be happy, doesn't matter if anyone else is.

I stayed on the fence up until I delivered. Here was what my doctor told me. Tell them you want one, so they will have it ready. You decide when you want it. The nurse always ask you, if you are ready for it. Then if you decide the pain is to great they just have to all the doctor, instead of waiting for the order to go through. 

I wanted my epidurals.

I made certain I had the orders for them both times.

I didn't need them until way way way into labor ("are you sure you don't want me to get the anesthesiologist?  you're contracting at a blah blah blah and most women are screaming by now..").

Am glad I got them.  Until Kaitlin dropped her sats and I had to be lifted bodily onto my hands and knees since it was the best epidural known to man..  but it was great since I felt nothing.


If I were to have a 3rd child, and no way in hell is this happening unless the Mirena fails we would have a 3rd epidural.