Hi! I'm almost 33 weeks pregnant with my first child and I am getting more and more nervous about labour and delivery. I have a high pain tolerance, but I'm leaning towards getting an epidural. I find that the people I know who had epidurals would recommend it and the ones that didint were happy with their choice not to have one. So...I'm just looking for some personal experiences from those ladies that chose to have an epidural. I'm not afraid of the pain, I just feel that having an epidural will allow me to relax and concentrate on listening to the doctor and pushing when told to. I'm worried that not having an epidural will just make me so anxious and tired that I will not enjoy the experience at all because I'm be concentrating on controlling the pain.
I also forgot to mention that I do try to be a very natural personal. This being said, I viist a naturopath and an acupunctutist. A chinese medicine woman also helped me to regulate my periods to get pregnant. This why the decision is so hard for me.
Then again, I know that it's difficult to make a decision until I'm actually in the moment and experiencing labour.
Any stories would be great!!
Thanks
(moved from Birth & Adoption Stories on 12/25/11)
Whatever you choose, you should not be embarrassed of your choice. You can be a pretty natural person and still go with an epidural. I personally, have my kids at home. I hate the idea of an epidural and the downward spiral of interventions it can cause. That's ME. That's how I choose to birth and just because that's how I do it, does not mean that's how everyone should. I highly recommend googling things like, "watch birth videos for free" and watching lots and lots of births of all sorts. You may find that the natural birth isn't nearly as scary as you think and that women concentrate just fine, or that the epidural really looks like the way to go. Also, start reading the birth stories people post on here. When I read them, I usually come away feeling like those that got an epidural wound up being just as uncomfortable as I was. Once again, that's how I read it. You may read it and think, 'Yes! That's exactly what I want!'. If you haven't yet seen The Business of Being Born, I highly recommend it to any person! The documentary is designed to show the "other" side of delivery--the natural one I am familiar with. Because of that, some people feel that it is biased, but the research and studies are sound and you can learn alot from them. You can watch it for free online and netflix has it too.
I personally believe that you CAN do it without an epidural, you really CAN! You were made for this and your body will know how to work and what to do inspite of the pain. That said, many hospital births wind up with a labor augmenting drug, (like pitocin) and those cause more painful contractions. I have never experienced that so I don't know what I would do in that situation. I don't think any decisions should be made out of fear. I really believe that this decision should be based on the knowledge that you have gleaned from research. Make this decision based on what you learn and what YOUR choice is for your birth, that way in the future, no one can make you feel like you should regret it. Don't be afraid of your body. It's powerful and yes, the power will hurt, but don't be afraid of what you are designed to do. And if/when you do get the epidural, don't feel afraid of failure. Just focus on being the wonderful mommy you want to be and make decisions based on what you feel is right for you and your baby. That is what good mommies do and it sounds like you will be a great mommy.
2924 (me)- Happily married since 12/31/05
-Thomas, (Tominus Minimus Cutious Maximus ) born 05-02-08
-Tommy's twin, lost (but always remembered) at 6wks
-Christopher, My sweet little angel, born too early on 09-02-09. I got to hold him for just a couple of seconds before he went home to be with my Savior.
-Evelyn (sweetie pie) Joy, born 09-06-10
Hi there, I did not have an epidural (or any medicine) during my labor. I was in a similar situation as you are in with having multiple views around me, but my instincts are to do things the natural way. So that's how I approached labor. I prepared for labor by taking Bradley Childbirth classes and reading up on why natural birth is better for both mom and baby. I also prepared a "plan B" for if something happened and I had to have a csection or I was in labor for days and just couldn't take it anymore, etc. Basically, I just wanted to be prepared for anything! I went past my due date by 10 days, but at 41 weeks they started to throw out the words "induction" and I knew that pitocin and other inducing drugs can cause fetal distress and much harder contractions. I decided to see an acupuncturist to see if they could help get my labor going. After my session I was so relaxed and less than 48 hours later I woke up in the morning in early labor. By mid morning I was in active labor and by early afternoon I had the urge to push. Because I could feel everything that was going on with my body I didn't need anyone telling me when to push and because I hadn't been induced the contractions were bearable, but still intense. My son was born after just 3 pushes. I would not have traded being able to feel my son being born for anything! Not only did I feel completely normal as soon as my baby was born, but I knew that my child had the best start to life that I could give him. It was the best moment of my life so far.
I guess my advice to any mom who is contemplating going natural or getting an epidural is to try it natural first... your chances of having a csection or your baby having any complications from labor are dramatically less. If you end up getting the epidural then at least you tried and didn't just give up on something that you have never experienced before. Each woman is going to have a different labor so you could have a super easy labor or it could be extremely difficult, but preparing for a natural birth will always pay off since you will have to be in labor at least until they give you an epidural or you could have a super fast labor and end up giving birth in a car! It's just better to be prepared in my opinion.
I hope you have a smooth birth whatever way you choose :)
Also, I just wanted to add that you will be able to push just fine, lol. With my first, there was no force on earth that could keep me from pushing and his birth was very painful. My second, was a much harder birth. I had lost a LOT of blood, (my m/w has attended over 7,000 births and said that mine was the bloodiest she thinks she's ever been to.) and I was tired. I didn't feel the urge to push. The pain was there and BOY did I notice IT! But it seemed inconsequential to what I was doing. I was able to listen to my mw and push the baby out, (her heart rate was far from good) because I was able to feel everything. I could feel my mw gently pushing on me and saying, "Push against the pressure you feel." and I could feel her moving down and out. Also, if pushing when you're told to is one of the things you're anxious about, remember lying on your back, which is the most likely position after an epidural, is the very most dysfunctional way to push out a baby. It actually makes your pelvis smaller and puts your tailbone right in your baby's way. Also, you won't be able to wiggle and help the baby navigate the pelvis.
Now, with all that said, one of the things you want is to enjoy the experience and not be so focused on controlling the pain. I will freely admit to you, that the pain did keep me from relaxing and enjoying the whole thing. I just wanted it over. But the moments afterward are worth their weight in gold to me! My baby and I were together, in our own home! Nobody took them away from me, nobody poked them or prodded them. They got to lay on my chest as long as they want and start nursing, and my DH and I were in our own bed, lying next to eachother in bliss and rapture because we had DONE it. We had faced our darkest hour and come through it! I felt like *I* had done it! I had really DONE it! The fulfillment was something that just can't be described. I think that many women who have hospital births feel this same feeling, although I don't think I would feel the same. Afterward I fell asleep in my own comfy bed with my little angel next to me, breathing in only his/her family's scent and afterward I ate delicious food that my mom had made and put in my frige.
That was MY birth experience and I am so proud of it. Whatever happens with your birth, I just think you should be so proud of it too! Getting an epidural isn't "cheating" somehow, (or whatever people think). It doesn't take the difficulty out of it or give you any less reason to be super proud of all the amazing work you just did.
I have had 4 children and only 1 birth with an epidural. I did not necessarily want it but the Dr. refused to deliver my breech baby without it. My 3 DD's were all natural in the hospital. One was even a surprise water birth as I was trying to relax in their big bath tub. My 4th, DS, was breech and I did not want a C-sec and because I had proven I could deliver, they were willing to go for the breech delivery. The epidural was the agreement, that way if an emergency C needed to happen I was ready to go and if they needed to basically stick a hand up in me to help get DS out, I would be more cooperative.
I have never had the desire to have an epidural because I wanted to experience birth for all it was. When I did get it, it was a very weird feeling going in. I remember feeling the cooling sensation go down my back and that made me scream, I wasn't sure if it hurt or was just cold. Then my blood pressure dropped and I almost passed out. They gave my oxygen and some other drug to stabilize the BP. DS was sitting above my left pelvic bone and they gave me a small amount of Pitocin to get my contractions to regulate, as they did he began to slam down on my bone and that really hurt. I had to get another dose of Epidural to take that feeling away. DS was born with a very purple and bruised bum! Then I was numb for like 6 hours after his birth. After delivery my nurse asked if I needed to use the bathroom. I said I didn't know because I couldn't feel anything. She decided to catheter me. I asked at what point does your body tell you you need to pee, she said around 300cc of urine. Well after the catheter, I had 1700cc of urine. My bladder was half way up my abdomen. It was a miracle I didn't pee on myself!
I will say with DD 1 & 3 I reached the points of wanting drugs, but that meant it was too late. There is some pain, but my body always new when to push. I never had to be told. It just starts pushing and there's no way to stop it. I've heard so many stories of women pushing for hours on end and still having C-sec, it just makes no sense. The epidural must block that feeling. I didn't have the automatic push when I had the epidural but I could feel DS bulging out down there. I think he would have slowly just come out with the contractions but the DR. told me to push. I did a bit too hard and ended up with hemorrhoids because I had no feeling.
The decision is yours to make, you will know the right one. I have seen the movie, The Business of Being Born, it was very interesting. I would recommend it. Always good to understand both sides of the story when making a crucial decision. Good luck to you!! It will be wonderful no matter what because the end result is your baby in your arms.
I had an epidural with DD and while I wouldn't have said it was oh-so-comfortable, given the choice again I would still go for it, personally. However, I'm probably less "natural" than the PPs (I knew going in it would be a hospital birth, likely with an epidural). Also, however, I was induced at 42 weeks exactly, so I did have pitocin induced contractions. I was induced in the evening and didn't give birth until the next night (actually, ended up with a c-section for completely different reasons). While the epidural wasn't completely comfortable, it was weird feeling a bit and a portion of it wore off on my tummy eventually, it did allow me to sleep overnight. Without that sleep, I'm not sure I could have pushed for 2.5 hours like I did.
As the others have said, the decision is definitely yours and that decision is different for every person. Taking or not taking an epidural does not make you a stronger or weaker person - every birth is different, and you don't have to make the decision now!
Nicola (35)DH(38)Samantha (3)
12/24/11 - BFP!01/20/12 - Heartbeat 146 on ultrasound!02/23/12 - NT scan - everything looks good!03/16/12 - Early anatomy scan. Everything looks good and looks like a !!04/13/12 - Still a girl and everything progressing great! Now if only we could agree on a name . . .
I have had two children, the first with an epidural and the second without. With the first I was scared and anxious and I think that had a lot to do with getting the epidural. I had no idea how long the pain was going to go on for. Also, DD1 was sunnyside up and WOW did that make a difference in the amount of pain. DD2 was a full pound heavier but even when crowning I did not have the kind of pain that I had with DD1 at 6cm. However, if anyone had told me that it would only take 90 minutes to go from 6cm to pushing, I probably would not have had the epidural.
Honestly, it is your decision, but if you have a high pain tolerance I believe that you will be able to make it through just fine without the epidural. Talk to your mom about her labours. Not just the total length, but the time in transition (6cm to pushing). I found out afterward that my mother always knew that she just needed to power through about 2 hours of transition and then would be pushing. It turned out I am the same and most women I talk to have the same pattern as their moms when looking at the transition period.
If you do choose to get the epidural, make sure that you get it at a low dose. I could still feel all my contractions and intuitively knew when to push, etc. However, if you are fully numb, you may be able to concentrate on what the doctor/nurse is telling you, but may not be able to do much in regards to directed pushing.
I found that I didn't really need to focus on controlling the pain, but instead not getting anxious when it hurt. Fear is what made my labours hurt. Even with DD2, I had a few times when I would get scared and automatically the pain got 10x worse. My husband and midwife then calmed me down and all was good again.
Best of luck in whatever you choose
My short answer is this... while it might be nice to push when the doctors tell you to, sometimes it is better to push when your body tells you to. I have done both a delivery with an epi and without and I felt so much better after delivering my 10 pound baby with no epidural than I did after delivering my smaller baby with one but it is completely a personal decision. Good luck to you!
Maria-35 DH-42, 2 Sweet Boys and 6 Teeny Angels make that 7 Teeny Angels Waiting in Heaven .
The pushing isn't what I needed the epidural for--it was the extreme back labor pain from pitocin. My epidural didn't take right away and they had to come and add some more to the mix and the extreme pain while laboring before it was working and after was night and day. It still hurt, but I could concentrate much more on what was going on instead of the excruciating back pains. I still felt the baby come out and I will tell you that it felt good and a relief! My epidural kicked in full gear after I gave birth and that was actually welcome to help with the pain from the tears and such.
If I have a #2, I will choose an epidural again. It just wouldn't be worth the stress to me to go all natural. But, I have BP issues and was having pre-e and HELLP signs and I was in major pain from my liver, so maybe I just had higher amounts of pain than the average mom to be due to my medical complications.
Good luck! Whatever you decide is perfect for you!
Me (31) and Him (31) and DS, Luke Patrick (3)
Battling autism one day at a time. And we're winning. ST, OT, PT, ABA, and ESE Pre-K. Absolutely broke, but absolutely seeing progress.
"perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim," which means, Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.
Onebabysofar: My short answer is this... while it might be nice to push when the doctors tell you to, sometimes it is better to push when your body tells you to.
My short answer is this... while it might be nice to push when the doctors tell you to, sometimes it is better to push when your body tells you to.
This. SO well said.
Have you done any birth preparation classes or reading about labor and birth? The pros and risks of epidural? Pain management techniques?
The PP suggestions to watch lots lots and lots of birth videos is an excellent one. It might take some of the mystery and fear away. There are many books to read that explain how hormones and labor work, what the risks and benefits of interventions can be, etc, etc.
Choosing to become informed and make decisions about how you want to labor and birth your baby is an entry into empowered parenting. Whether you choose to have an epidural or not, making an informed choice that works for you and your baby is a great first parenting step.
Good luck with your decision. C
“Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body.” ― Ina May Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Me 39 DH 39
DD February 2009 with IUI/Femara
our all on our own surprise baby March 2011 at 10wks3days
DS March 2012 again all on our own surprise
My friends had all convinced me to get an epidural (after all, that's what everyone was doing). I was pretty much convinced that it was the only way I'd get to enjoy my labor and birth. Then I took a lamaze birthing class, and that's where I learned that my body was designed to birth my baby, that it was better for me and the baby to try to go natural with no drugs. I did a complete 180 in my birth plan, and I'm so glad I did.
As one PP said, it is better to go in with the plan of going natural, with the mindset that you can do it, and then possibly have to get the epidural. Had I been planning for an epidural, I would have had a very rude awakening when I found out that my first baby would be born in just 4 1/2 hours from when my water broke. There would not have been time to give me the drugs if I had wanted them, so I am glad that I was already planning to go natural :) I loved being aware of when my body naturally wanted to push -- I hear you can get this with a low-dose epidural as well.
My big deciding factors: the increased likelihood of interventions (pitocin, episiotomy, forceps, vacuum, etc) if you get an epidural... possible side effects to baby... and having to be catheterized (ugh). Once I learned more about the epidural procedure, I knew I didn't want it. I was more afraid of the catheter in my spinal cord and the catheter in my urethra than I was about going through a natural labor.
A good friend of mine recently had her 3rd c-section and the anesthesiologist screwed up her epidural. It took him 10 minutes to place it correctly, then it didn't take so she could feel them making the incisions during the surgery and they had to knock her out completely (so she wasn't conscious for her baby's birth), and then she suffered from a spinal leak afterwards which caused massive spinal headaches and required a blood tap. Yes, that's only one story out of tons of successful epidurals, but it was enough to make me never want one if I could help it.
Another friend of mine planned to go all natural, but she was aware that her mom had a history of long labors. She went 36+ hours, but then decided to give in and have a low-dose epidural done. She was disappointed, but very proud of herself for having tried to go the natural route.
Have you thought about hiring a doula? They can really help you boost your confidence, help keep you calm and focused during labor, and help your DH support you better. I did not have one with DS, but we had a great midwife who acted as doula it seemed. This time around I'm delivering with an OB so hired a doula as soon as I could :)
Good luck with whatever decision you make - as PPs have said, the best thing you can do is educate yourself so you can make an empowered decision. Don't feel pressured to choose one way or the other, and don't feel ashamed about whatever decision you make... but to make the decision without educating yourself about both paths first would be a disservice to you and your baby, IMHO.
My Charts
DH Me, and
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. ~Romans 12:12~
Merry Christmas!
I just wanted to put in my 2 cents. I would not consider myself at all someone who handles pain well, but I knew early on natural childbirth was the way I wanted to go. My birth plan was a waterbirth in a hospital.
Well, after over 24 hours of labor and over 36 hours without any quality sleep, with a broken water at 8 cm dilated (had been so for at least 14 hours), I transferred to a hospital in need of pitocin. I knew that pitocin could make contractions AWFUL and I was beyond exhausted at that point, so I consented to an epidural. Long story, the epidural did NOT come but they did give me nubain (sp?) which is a light pain killer. It really didn't do much for the pain, but did make me a little loopy and let me pass out for about 30 seconds at a time between contractions.
I pushed my baby out pain and all. I will tell you the funniest thing - I remember that the pain during was awful, but I don't remember how it felt at all! I am sure it was the wonderful hormones that my body produced caused this. I would do it natural again, even though I know I wanted to give up, because I know my body can!
I went in saying: "no one ever died from pain," knowing I was meant to push my baby out and my body would find its way of dealing... and in the end, that was true! And it's cool to know I did it!
Your choice is a beautiful one, whatever it is, because in the end you'll have your beautiful baby! Best wishes to you!
myTCOYF WebCharts™
TTC for 3 months
First BFN on January 19, 2011!
I didn't read all the replies, but I saw a little. I agree with those who recommend at least preparing to go natural. Even if you figure you'll get an epidural if it gets back, it doesn't hurt to prepare. For one thing, there are lots of situations where you might be unable to get an epidural or your epidural might be less effective than you expect. In those times, especially, having some coping skills might be the difference between looking back at your birth as traumatic and looking back on it with joy or at least acceptance. A doula is something to consider too - she can help you evaluate your own wishes and form a plan of action. :)
Susan - 30 married to Chris - 32
Catherine Anne born via c-section June 30, 2008
Rebecca Marie born naturally April 18, 2010
John McNary born naturally January 9, 2012
You also might consider asking the Drs to turn down the epidural towards the end if you feel you need an epidural.
With my first, received an epidural, but, I was on pit and unwilling to do that without something, However, because my labor was so long, they didn't get the dosage quite right..I felt the ring of fire, and I could also feel my contractions, though obviously not at full strength. I was also able to get up and around rather quickly afterwards. I found that with #1, also, having an epidural allowed me to relax enough to sleep for a few hours, which I needed after being awake/in labor for a long time (My labor was over 24 hours, and I slept for maybe 3 or 4 of those hours.)
I also had epidural with my second, and I was able to tell my husband to wake up from napping, as the baby was coming. 20 minutes later, #2 was born.
I've had three epidurals. I've been very happy with them. During labor with my 1st, I was so numb that I did not feel the urge to push when I was 10 cm and complete. I was able to rest for a while while the contractions continued and the baby descended further - mostly likely shortening the time that I needed to push. I had an OP baby and was able to push her out within 50 minutes. With my 2nd and 3rd babies, the epidural did not make me quite as numb. I could not feel the pain of the contractions but I could feel pressure when it was time to push. In this case, I did not need a doctor or nurse's direction as to when or how to push. It had a very strong and clear urge.I also wanted to wait until I was in labor before I made the decision, but I was open to having one if necessary. Back labor (as is common with OP babies - and I've had three) helped me make the decision. With DD #2, I did have to wait until I was in transition before I could get my epidural. The anethesiologist was tied up with a c-section. I had to wait, and I figured out how to cope in the meantime. No one could have told me how I was going to do this. (In my case I wanted absolute silence - to be left alone completely.) It was something I figured out at the time and in the moment. Still, I was very happy once I had my epidural. It made labor a much more pleasant - even relaxing - experience.
- 5 years ~ - 3 years ~ - 1 year ~ Brand New!
I didn't read through all of the replies, sorrry. I had an epi and had an open mind about it. I went into the hospital at 4cm, labored at home until then with back labor which left me feeling like I could not breath.
The epi for me was great. I could still move my legs and even urinate in a bed pan! I had a vaginal delivery but was very drowsy from the epi and my skin itched like crazy (which can be a side effect). I felt just enough pain to push dd out (in about 45 minutes of pushing which isn't bad IMO).
I did have a long labor however (but I think with in normal ranges for first timers). Went into the hospital at 11pm and had dd at 4pm the next day.
HTH, best of luck with which ever way you chose.
Me 36, borderline low progesterone, light endo & fibroids removed 10/6/09.... Dh 37, borderline low morphology TTC#1 March 2006 TTC Charts TTA Charts
Me 36, borderline low progesterone, light endo & fibroids removed 10/6/09.... Dh 37, borderline low morphology
TTC#1 March 2006
First BFP 1/09/2010 wild yam root 500 mg cd 1-9, maca root 900 mg until 11 dpo, clomid 50 mg cd 5-9, NPC from 3 dpo, procheive suppositories 1st trimester
16 dpo beta 397, 18 dpo beta 863
9/26/2011
I had an epi and it was a great experience. My story: I was planning on a drug-free birth. But when I got to the hospital, my blood pressure (which had been high the entire pregnancy) was 150/109. Additionally, even though I was only at 1 cm, I was feeling significant pain from contractions that were very close together. Initially I was able to work through it ok by walking around the room, sitting on an exercise ball, etc., but after a couple of hours my BP was climbing and I also started to get a fever. Because of those two things, the doctor required me to lay down and I had to stop moving around unless I had to go to the bathroom. At that point it became very difficult for me to work through the pain because I could only lay in bed, so I requested the epi. I had been at the hospital about 4 hours and was 3 cm at this point.
Getting the epi was a fantastic decision. My doctor/nurses later said I had the "perfect epidural." It worked quickly, there were no hot spots, and I was able to relax. When I reached 10 cm, 6 hours after they administered it, they turned it down so I could feel when to push. I pushed for 45 minutes before my son was born.
I went into labor so worried about the potential downward spiral of interventions that could be caused by the epi, but none of that happened and afterwards I wish I hadn't been so worried about it. I would say that if you end up with an epi, just talk to your medical staff ahead of time and make sure they turn it down at the end so you can feel when to push. I realize that my experience was different than a lot of people's, but I will absolutely get another epi if I need to.
One thing I think helped me was drinking tons of red raspberry leaf tea in the weeks before my son was born. Even though I was prone on a bed with an epi during most of active labor, my contractions were really productive, and, like I said, I only pushed for 45 minutes.
Whatever you do, do not feel guilty if you get an epi. Seriously. You will be fine either way! Your body is perfectly capable of delivering without interventions, but don't waste energy during labor feeling bad if you decide you want some pain meds. Like some PPs said, prep yourself ahead of time with some techniques for managing labor without drugs and get a doula or midwife if you're really serious about it.
I think it's a hard decision! I wanted to go all natural too, but my body was just not up to the task. To make a long story short, my labor was 36 hours (after prodromal labor non stop for two weeks and having been on bed rest since 21 weeks for constant contractions) long and even with the epidural I was in intense pain! I was so exhausted and was afraid I wouldn't have energy to push. That's why I got the epidural in the first place. But then it didn't work until the end when they gave me a huge bolus! I still felt the intense urge to push when it was time and I could feel the pressure of the baby the whole time, but no pain. My OB commented that I was so controlled with my pushing and that totally helped me not tear and I let my body do most of the work and it only took 30 min! I feel like if I didn't have the epidural and I was as out of it as I had been I may have had a lot longer and harder delivery! This time I want to try again to not have an epidural, but again, I just want to be flexible because apparently things just don't go how I plan them with having babies I also remember the nurse taking my birth plan and saying it looked great, but then when I said I am totally flexible because I didn't know what to expect she had said that's the best way to be because not all labors and deliveries go as planned and the more stubborn you are about your birth plan, the greater potential for let down and disappointment you have if something goes wrong. I know so many people who have had babies in the last couple years and each birth story is so different. I will say, though, that my delivery time and recovery were by far the easiest, shortest and best of all my friends who had an epidural or who went without. And I tore the least of each friend who didn't have or did have an epidural. I don't know why that is, either!
Me (30) DH (31)
(2)
-EDD June 17
Very early (4 weeks 3 days)
]
http://tcoyf.com/members/britta/charts/default.aspx
I had a great epidural experience. During pregnancy, I thought I wanted a natural birth. For no other reason than it was something to brag about, right? Everyone online talked about having natural births and I wanted to be able to say I did too. My husband kept telling me to have an open mind, and I slowly started thinking about what I actually wanted out of my birth, which was pain relief. I prepared myself for a natural birth though, just in case (My brother in law was born about 15 min after my mother in law got to the hospital, so I knew it was a possibility). My water broke when I was at 1cm and 100% effaced and my contractions started shortly after, and they were strong but weren't dilating me. I puked from the pain 4 times while waiting for an epidural. The tub was amazing, and took away so much pain! The ball wasn't so great for me, even though I loved it during pregnancy. My back killed when I was on it. Walking around made me puke the first time, but the second and third times were nice. I labored in the hospital for about 6 hours before getting my epidural. I was given pitocin, but it was after my epidural because while I was still having contractions at the same intensity, I had stalled at a 4 and they just werent dilating me.
I asked for an epidural, but the anesthesiologist was in another procedure. So while I waited I had some IV pain killers. I got to nap a little at that point. By the time I got my epidural, I had been awake for more than 24 hours (water broke right as I was going to bed after a LONG day of cleaning). The epidural took most of the pain away and I could finally get some sweet sweet sleep! Also, I could move and feel my legs just fine. I requested a catheter though, because I didn't want to use a bedpan. I felt nothing when it went in or came out. I was given a button to push to give me an extra dose of epidural if I needed it, I used it occasionally, but mostly slept. I woke up and after a while started noticing that I was pressing the button more and more frequently. I looked over and my bag was totally empty! I called a nurse, and as she came in to hook up another bag I found out I was ready to push! So I pushed for a little less than an hour with no epidural. Everyone is going to hate this, but I pushed flat on my back. I had wanted to try other positions, but I was still so exhausted that I didn't care at that point, I was just so excited to be meeting my baby. I also did directed pushing, but only after I had the urge to push (if that makes sense). I did directed pushing, but I happened to feel like pushing at the same time and was able to rest when I didn't feel an urge to push. I had a very small tear that wasn't very deep (she debated on stitching me, but decided to put 2 stitches in). My daughter nursed right away (although we had some problems due to my not being able to figure out how to hold her, a LC fixed us up though ) and I was out of bed walking around about 45 minutes after I finished delivering the placenta.
I could have done it naturally, I'm sure; I mean what choice would I have had if I had been born 100 years ago. But it took me a long time to realize that I didn't want, or have to. I'm still a good parent, and actually a pretty natural one too (co-sleeping, breastfeeding on demand, I wear my baby most of the time and when the time comes I'll be making our own baby food). I just wanted to tell you my story. Good luck with your own birth! My advice (after that long story) is to plan for a natural birth, but don't hate yourself if you need (or even want!) an epidural.
Michelle & TJ - est. 8-23-08 - Alice Rose born 8-28-11 38w0d. 7lbs 15oz, 19 in Exactly 3 years and 5 days after we started TTC!
- March 2010 - October 2010
I had an epidural and would have one again.
When I arrived at the hospital I was dilated 3cm and by the time I actually got the epidural I was dilated to a 6. (Not by choice, but the anesthesiologist was in surgery so I couldn't get it before then.) My labor was really quick but the contractions were extremely painful. The epidural allowed me to relax and focus on my breathing. I still felt pressure but no pain. I was able to move my legs and feet. The only side effect I experienced was the chills.
Good luck on whatever you decide. And like other PPs said, it's YOUR decision!
Danica (29), DH (31), Married Oct. '08
Adelyn Mae born July 8, 2011