Did anyone just know they wanted an epidural?

[Christina1979]

This time will try and go without one again, I don't really want pethidine either cos it made James sleepy for the first couple days. Might try the dia-something injection this time round.

Dia-morphine (its derived from morphine) as far as I am aware, and I have had morphine and pethidine many times for years due to medical condition, the dia-morphine will also make the little one sleepy, it certainly knocked me out waaayyyyy more than pethidine ever did (but then that was morphine and not dia-morphine). Its also not offered at all hospitals, think its used more in USA than here....

Just thought I would let you know....

 

[X5OT]

I've got a low pain threshold, so knew I wanted one way before I ever went into labour. My consultant knew I wanted one, and I was given it as soon as I asked for it (when the gas and air were no longer effective in reducing the back pain during labour). As it happened, the epidural made no difference to the awful back pain I was having with each contraction as baby was back 2 back. They even took out the first one and re-inserted it higher up, but still didn't hit the pain. No idea how dilated I was at the time, and had been induced as hind waters had gone about 36 hours before. Ended up having a c-section as they just couldn't control the back pain and I was stuck at 7cm for 3 hours, even with the syntocin as high as they could risk putting it.

So, yes, I had already decided (very early in pregnancy) that I would have an epidural, but unfortunately it didn't do the job for me

 

[Urchin]

getting to 7cms was fine, it was when drugs were administered (drip induction) things went to painful and I got stressed, so in my case the epidural was called for as a reaction to drugs, had I not had the induction I believe things may have played out differently.

Both my other births were induced, and with Brody it was very very intense I think this is why I am planning ahead now

 

[nikkif]

I didn't want an epidural but i ended up having a horrific birth ending in an emergency C-section. I had to have an epidural when i was given a drip to try and force the baby down (back to back and head pointing up not down) but none of it worked anyway.

I think its great if you can have as natural a birth as possible which is what i wanted but nobody knows what is going to happen during labour and it sometimes pays to be openminded!

The epidural ended up being fantastic to me after going through 2 days of labour at home without dilating!!

 

[Eveadel]

Sort of, I had a C section booked as I was terrified of labour, I ended up deliverying naturally but always knew I would have one, no doubt about it. Im hopefully gonna have one when I have my next baby - for me it made labour a really nice experience

 

[Redshoes]

getting to 7cms was fine, it was when drugs were administered (drip induction) things went to painful and I got stressed, so in my case the epidural was called for as a reaction to drugs, had I not had the induction I believe things may have played out differently.

Both my other births were induced, and with Brody it was very very intense I think this is why I am planning ahead now

I think that's very wise Urchin, regardless of what happens on the day I can empathize with the effect of the induction and long labour, personally its made me go the other way and hope to not have an epidural, I do hope you have a great birth, I'm sorry I don't know if you're expecting a girl or boy but 3rd time lucky as they say, very best wishes

 

[Babylicious]

I just went in with an open mind, didn't know what I wanted and ended up practically having everything

 

[muppetmummy]

This time will try and go without one again, I don't really want pethidine either cos it made James sleepy for the first couple days. Might try the dia-something injection this time round.

Dia-morphine (its derived from morphine) as far as I am aware, and I have had morphine and pethidine many times for years due to medical condition, the dia-morphine will also make the little one sleepy, it certainly knocked me out waaayyyyy more than pethidine ever did (but then that was morphine and not dia-morphine). Its also not offered at all hospitals, think its used more in USA than here....

Just thought I would let you know....

Thanks for that info! Will have to re-think that. I really want to give breast feeding a go this time so need a baby interested in feeding. James just wanted to sleep for the first couple days and had to be woken up for food!

Also don't like the fact there are several hours of my labour with James where I can't remember a thing, don't know if I was asleep or just off my head cos I was on my own in a room on the labour ward (they kicked my family out cos it was night time and all the delivery suites were full! )