[sparkles30]

Hi. Not long until this bub is born and I'm starting to freak out about the pain. I didn't have and epidural with my first two, but considering it for my third.

I'm worried about epidural complications, but wonder whether they are less for a third labour as it won't be as slow etc. Can anyone tell me about problems they had?

Also, for those who have had a third labour, was there time for an epi? How long did you push for in your third labour (this is the stage I dread).

[ubermum]

Even if I had wanted one, there wasn't time. From start to finish my labour was not much more than 2 hours and I didn't push. In fact I had to keep sucking down gas so I didn't push and send the baby hurtling across the room. It was my shortest labour by far. My other two were both hours longer.

[BabyHopeful]

My 3rd labour was a fair bit longer than my 2nd. Plenty of time for an epidural but the thought never entered my mind. Gas and TENS machine were enough for me. I also had a doula with me for my 3rd who was an absolute godsend.

Pushing stage was 9 minutes! Although it felt like longer.

[PolkaDots]

Hi, i know you asked for experiences of 3rd labours but I just experienced my 2nd labour 2 weeks ago.

My labour was completely different, had 2 days of prelabour, so by the time my water broke and I could go to the hospital I was already 7cm. I couldn't handle the pain though, DD2 was posterior just like DD1, so I got an epidural.

My pushing stage was 1.5hrs, but overall labour was shorter (7hrs). I had an epidural for DD1 pushing stage 45mins but overall labour 13hrs.

[R2B2]

My 3rd was very fast. like you, my most dreaded part was the pushing. this time was a breeze. from telling the midwife I needed to push to baby being out was less than 15 minutes.

[sparkles30]

My first labour was 2.5 hours of pushing, second labour only 10 minutes of pushing, but I still dread that bit and contemplating an epidural. Guess I will just go with the flow on the day.

[againagain]

My 3rd labour was less than two hours, and I only pushed for 2 minutes. No time for an epi.

[katieface84]

My first was 23 hrs of posterior labour, 3 1/2 hrs of pushing, no drugs (not through choice, couldn't get an epi ) Episiotamy and very quick recovery, felt fine within 48 hrs (no panadol, etc needed).

My second was 9 hours. Got an epi within 45 mins of arriving at hospital. Went from 4cm to 10cm within 1 1/2 hours but had just had an epi top up so couldn't feel anything to push. Could literally not feel one contraction from having the epidural until it wore off enough to push. The pushing stage lasted just over an hour and I got a second degree tear.

What came next was not so good. About an hour or so after having my daughter I was back in my room and needed to pee. I struggled to walk to the toilet and started bleeding heavily and losing dinner sized plate clots ... was very scary and was looking at surgery if they couldn't stop the bleeding. Turns out I should have been given a cathedar as I was fully numb and wasnt able to empty my bladder properly. This caused my bladder to be enlarged and it stopped my uterus from contracting back down which caused the clots and bleeding. Once they drained my bladder and gave me drugs to contract my uterus all was good. I felt pretty shocking for a few days with tubes all over the place and bed bound, needing help to breastfeed etc. Just worth knowing as I had never even heard of that side effect occurring.

This post has been edited by katieface84: 02/02/2013, 08:44 PM

[sparkles30]

Yikes, Katieface, that sounds scary. I lost a lot of blood and had heaps of clots after my second and needed some drugs to help, but didn't have an epidural so maybe it is not necessarily due to that. Though I know they have to give you a catheter with an epi, so not sure why they neglected that with you. Glad you came through it okay.

[michellew68]

I had an epi with my 2nd. (my first was horrendous and I wasnt going through that again)
I didnt need to have a catheter so it is not always a rule. They let the epi wear off though so I felt the pain of him coming out. Had major tearing so wasnt good.

For my third It was the first thing I asked for when I got to hospital but they reckoned it was too late.
I dont know if that were true as DD wasnt born for another two and half hours.

I recommend it if you can have one. Not feeling those contractions with my second was fantastic!!
I was induced with him so I had it booked before I even got there and didnt feel one pain. Labour was about six hours.