[burnlie1]

Might try epidural for my July baby if the pain is unbearable, anyone has any postive/negative experience? In which stage you normally ask for it?

[Mrs Miller]

I also considered epidural through my pregnancy. My ds was born 12mths ago. I went in to be induced 8pm Sunday night. After being awake for days and the dr's trying all different methods to induce, my waters broke at 11pm Sunday night and I went into contraction overload. I was already exhausted. I called my dh to come to the hospital at 11pm and I told the midwife when he got there I wanted an epidural. She wanted to do an internal to check my waters had broken and I said "I know they've broken - you;re not touching me until I get an epidural in" lol. I was having 3 contractions every 5mins so she ordered me an epi. I had one about 1-2am and then an internal - I was 3cm at that point. It meant they could put me up much higher on the drip. Unfortuantely my ds's heart rate started dropping with contractions and I went in for an emergency c-sec (DS born 8.59am) but if I hadn't already had the epi in I'd have been under general (cant spell anasthetic) so I'm so glad I did.


Sorry that may not be much help. I do know it's best not to leave it too late if you want one. Mine was amazing. When I first had it put in, I still felt contractions on one side so a doctor gave me a recovery dose which put an end to all feeling. By the time I went in for the c-sect I felt like a head on a bed lol!

I don't regret mine. It saved my sanity. I was so glad to see the (also cant spell anaesthetist). I went public and the wait was a few hours so when you want one pre-order it. I had zero bad after effects. Tender back while recovering but the c-sect scar and stomach were more painful so I didn't notice it.

[bakesgirls]

Out of 3 children, I had epidurals for 2 of them.

With my first, the initial attempt to put in the epidural failed. I had 'patchy' pain relief, that was only partially effective on one side. The anaethetist came back and re-inserted the epidural. That time it worked, but was dense. I couldn't feel a thing and was unable to even push, so DD2's birth resulted in 3 failed attempts of ventouse, then 2 attempts at forceps, before she was born on the 3rd attempt. I required sutures after that. The epidural also took hours to wear off, even though it had been completely turned off about 2 hours before DD2 was born. All in all though, I didn't find it that bad, not perfect, but I have no issues with it..

With my second epidural, for DD3, it was inserted perfectly on the first attempt. I was able to feel all contractions, I was able to feel when I started needing to push and when it was time I was able to push, but I felt absolutely no pain at all. I though it was fabulous! It took about an hour or so to wear off, once it was turned off.

The only really uncomfortable thing I found was when they put in the local anaesthetic, I wouldn't say it hurt, but it stings a little for about 2 seconds.

I asked for both my epidurals when I felt that the contrations were getting to painful to cope with just gas. But with both, I don't think I had gone past 5-6cm dilated when I asked. I had no side effects with either. My back felt like it had a slight buise though for around a week after.

ETA- I had mine at a public hospital. For my first I waited around 45 minutes for the anaesthetist to arrive and put it in, with my second, I waited around 10 minutes.

This post has been edited by bakesgirls: 25/06/2012, 12:05 AM

[nicknick]

I have had them with my 2 births and love the epidural. With my DS who was induced I had it around 3cm and with my DD I had it around 6cm. I have never found any negatives with mine and have always had them in a low dose so I can still feel my legs etc but I find I has just taken the edge of the contractions. Re when to ask I think go with how you feel and don't plan too much until you are in labour.

[KRT]

I had an epidural that didn't really work. I asked for it when I was at about 2cm (had been in labour for six hours at that point, after being induced - total active labour 14 hours). I was really uncoordinated and couldn't manage to breathe in the gas for the contractions.

Initially it worked pretty well, except for a patch on my abdomen. I could move my legs and felt I could have laboured on all fours if I'd been allowed. However, it soon began to wear off and I found I had really bad back labour, even though DS was anterior. I had one that I could top up myself by pressing the little button but I was often getting breakthrough pain. I also had two bolus doses administered by the on-call anaesthetists, both of which only gave me about ten minutes of relief. The midwife and DH kept helping me turn from side to side to try to even out the area of numbness.

I couldn't feel the contractions but I knew somehow when one was coming and could coordinate pushing pretty well. The midwife helped me initially and showed me the monitor so I could get an idea of when to push, but quickly I was telling her a contraction was about to start!

I ended up with a forceps delivery, which I don't think was necessarily due to the epidural, but which I felt an awful lot of. I don't want to know what it would have felt like without an epidural. I also had to have the placenta manually removed, and an hour's worth of stitches. I ended up needing another two injections of local anaesthetic for the stitches, so I don't know how well my epidural worked... I was still pressing the top up button at that point.

About two hours after the delivery, I could walk to the shower. I was as mobile as you could expect with all the stitches!

I think I was just really unlucky to not have it work well.

[Mrscoolcoolpants]

Ask for it as soon as you walk into the hospital I have had 2 out of 2 births. Loved them and as someone told me once ' you don't get a medal for how much pain you go through'.

Good luck as I found giving birth a really wonderful experience both times with both babies posterior, I think this was helped by the fact that my epidurals worked and I got them at the right time.
My OB said asked for one when you are a 5/10 for pain so then you are 7/10 by the time it goes in.

[ausmumof2]

OK, I asked for it as soon as I arrived in hospital for my first bubs - at around 5cm dilated. Partly because I wasn't coping that well, partly because of all the horror stories about 12 or 15 hour births etc. The pain relief was patchy - I could still feel contractions on one side so was given another dose. Maybe the midwife didn't assess it properly as it was too close to the end of the labour and I ended up with a vacuum extraction and episiotomy due to foetal distress and not being able to push properly. 2nd birth was drug free 3rd was gas. I would go the drug free or gas all the way if you can - the pain of the actual birth is difficult to cope with but an episiotomy is pretty painful afterwards, bubby was slow to start feeding and I felt really dopey for ages, with the others I felt heaps better, had minor tearing (compared to a major cut) and was able to get up and around and enjoy my baby.

That said if you end up needing it to get through its not the end of the world - there's no "hero status" for achieving a drugfree birth, and some are more painful than others - eg for my second smaller girl I felt calm and in control for the 3rd bub who was a lot bigger I was really struggling to cope. Its just that you feel better afterwards I think.

Also whether or not you are induced may change your decision, thankfully I haven't been but friends who have had inductions seem to have had longer more painful labours, so if you are already having a drip in may as well go the epidural you know?

[Shirley Sue]

I had an epidural after enduring 16 hours of labour (she was born after 25 hours ). I don't think I could have lasted those last 9 hours without it. I gave birth in a private hospital- was given the epi within 40 minutes of asking for it. It was a great relief and I was able to sleep on and off after being given it. I did have a few side effects though. It made me feel ice cold- they mid-wives put heaters on my feet and gave me extra blankets which helped a little. (When I had my wisdom teeth out and other procedures I had the same reaction to the anaesthetic.) I was also nauseous and physically ill. But I am a chucker anyway . It took a while for me to feel my legs again- this was due to having a higher dose as I had an episiotomy.

I used the gas early on in the labour- I didn't like it at all. I felt like I wasn't there. With the epidural I felt at least I was more in control and lucid. I had an episiotomy and forceps delivery due to pure exhaustion. They later told me she had her hands under her chin so she probably wouldn't have fit through anyway. The cord was also around her neck. She took a minute or so to breathe and needed oxygen at first. She is now a happy and healthy10 month old.

In the end it is your decision. Everyone has a different experience and challenges. Everyones pain threshold is different. I would go in with an open mind but after researching all the risks and benefits.

[Steggles]

I had one with my twins and will never again unless absolutely needed. I labored with a posterior DD3 with just gas and loved being able to move around, explore different positions. It was a much more peaceful and 'natural' birth. I hated being stuck on my back and continually monitored, having a catheter, stuck on back while birthing.

Eta - I also felt ill and vomited after birth with the epi. Not sure if it was the drip drugs or it, but was fine after birthing with neither of those.

This post has been edited by Steggles: 25/06/2012, 02:39 PM

[Rainbow Brite]

I got mine as soon as I arrived in hospital

I loved it, however for the next birth I would like it to not be as strong as I did 'damage' myself a bit due to not being able to feel anything at all. I did vomit whilst pushing but happy with my choice.