Epidural

[krystal&jack]

itll be a case of epidural ... COME TO MAMMA!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tina & Gabs]

I really didn't want one, I wanted a natural water birth but I was open minded.

The water birth went out of the window as I was 9cm when I arrived at hospital.

I ended up having a spinal as I was prepped for a section as baby didn;t want to come out but baby came with the help of forceps in the end.

Just go in with an open mind

 

[mrsT]

i love the idea of wearing funny socks, i'll def do that. esp as I hate my feet being cold, will have to warn my OH he'll think I've lost the plot.

LOl -get him to wear funny socks too!
He will probably lose the plot too!!

PLease don't get down by everyone elses experiences of having an epidural. If you feel you need one them that's fine, but if you really don't want one, then you CAN cope without. Just be positive and have faith in you and your body.

One of the midwives I had before having Ellie basically told me that I would end up having an epidural as I didn't seem realistic about how painful labour would be! This annoyed me so much that I was determined to do it.
I am not being down on women who have had epidurals, but I do believe that they can be too widely promoted.
Your body is made to do this, and if you let it, it will do a good job!

 

[Alfiesmummy]

ooo

(Told you I would go on and on and on....)

* Pull funny faces - contractions will naturally make you pull all manner of daft faces - with your birthing partner get a little competition going on who can pull the funniest / stupidest / ugliest face during a contraction, this will help make you laugh - which aides labour, but also encourage you to open your eyes and relax a little (where possible) during a contraction, making you come out of it quicker!

* The mantra - pain is good - helps
Try and remember that the more painful the contraction the closer you are to meeting your baby.
Also during a contraction - imagine your cervix opening. A bit daft and pregnancy books usually recommend this. You may laugh at me suggesting this, but it really really helps - it makes you think of positive things during your contraction, and you will be helping your body during the contraction rather than fighting it!

* Moan - don't scream (where possible) moaning is less of a negative mood - screaming puts your body in panic mode and you will struggle to regain your composure!

haha i didnt pull faces but it made me laugh reminding me of when i took the gas and airr into the bath and ian said my head was rolling round and round and he asked if id had enough and apperently i pulled the most stupid face and said NOPE and carried on rolling my head ... so sexy i bet he never wanted me more

I wont lie hun child birth is the most painfull thing ever, there is no pain like it, but it is such an experience and i love knowing iv done it. I had an epidural and still pushed him out myself ... without any intervention, the best feeling in the world is when that baby comes shooting out and they pick it up and literally throw it onto your chest, god what an experience. the pain goes in a second, in fact i didnt even have any problems pushing my placenta out and that was the same weight as alfie (they weighed it as it was so big) one push that was gone. i would say dont do a plan as it will all go out the window, itll be as your in labpour you will know what you want. birthing balls are also great although standing up after youve bounced is painfull, get some lavendar oil and have your OH rub it in, there are a few things you can try if you are dea set against it but theres no shame i dont regret having an epidural.

 

[mrsT]

I would recommend having an epidural or spinal if you need a c-section though.
No ones that brave

 

[Alfiesmummy]

lyndsey had her c section whilst the epidural didnt work poor lass.

 

I never intended to have one and when my waters were broken the midwife asked if i'd like one and I said yes but when I was pushing (before I had the C-section) she said she didn't think i'd need one as I was doign brilliantly without one so I didn't have one

 

[budge]

I would recommend having an epidural or spinal if you need a c-section though.
No ones that brave

ROFLMAO!!!! such words of wisdom!

 

[mrsT]

I agree with alfie's mum - the pain goes as soon as you see or hold your LO

However I would recommend a birth plan - it shows your preferences but as long as you know it could all go out of the window! I'm going to dog out mine to let you know what I put.

 

[krystal&jack]

I would recommend having an epidural or spinal if you need a c-section though.
No ones that brave

I'm definately NOT that brave

I'm definately gonna have faith in myself, I think I can do it even though it's gonna be horrendous, like u said, it's the end product i need to focus on. And if i do have one i won't beat myself up about it.

can't believe I'm thinking about labour so much already! still 18 weeks left to go.

I just keep thinking how fast it has gone since I found out at 6 weeks though. I can;t wait until I'm holding baby Jack in my arms.

Mrs T and everyone else - thank you so much I lost my mam last year to cancer and the things I wish I could ask her about I can't so it's fab to know I can come on here and ask and get advice

 

[mrsT]

This was my birthplan:

I would like as active a birth as possible using a variety of positions based on what feels right and what the midwives suggest.
I would also like as natural a birth as possible. I would like encouragement and support to use relaxation and breathing techniques without resorting to drugs. If I am struggling then I would like to try Gas and Air but am keen to avoid all injected drugs unless absolutely necessary.
On the same note I do note want to be put on a drip at any stage (unless in an emergency situation) as this is due to a phobia.
I wish to avoid any interventions but am aware that they will sometimes be needed. If it becomes apparent that they may be needed I would appreciate the situation being explained to me (if, of course, the situation allows it) and await my consent.
I do not wish to be cut unless absolutely necessary.
I would like a natural 3rd stage (where possible) and as a compromise would at least like the cord to stop pulsating before it is cut.
I do not want drugs administered to speed up the delivery of the placenta.
I would like my baby to have the vitiman K injection after birth.
I would like to breastfeed and so want my baby put to the breast within 20 mins of the birth (where possible) and want support in feeding my baby myself.


I made sure that they knew what was what in any situation - but also made it clear that I understood things don't always go to plabne.
I made a note of pointing out my phobia - especially as my OH wasn't there and I would have gone psycho if they had come at me with a needle!

I liked having what I wanted writted down as it meant I couldn't be bullied! It was very important to me as my OH was out in the Falklands at the time and I wouldn't have him fighting my corner.
Thankfully the mw's I had were perfect, but I just wanted all bases covered.

Sorry for long post!

 

[krystal&jack]

I'm gonna do the same as you and write down a birthplan. I've let my OH know what I want. I'm also taking my nana in with me for a bit of female support. She had 13 kids ( 4 sets of twins)

 

[mrsT]

Mrs T and everyone else - thank you so much I lost my mam last year to cancer and the things I wish I could ask her about I can't so it's fab to know I can come on here and ask and get advice

Aww hunny

we're always here to help

Please pm me if there is anything you need to chat about.

 

[mrsT]

Wow - kudos to your nana!!!

I bet she will be a massive help! She'll probably know more than the midwives! Your mum will be there in spirit too - I bet you'll breeze this labour lark and wonder what we were all fussing about!!

 

[SarahB]

I didn't have an epidural and I really didn't want one. It takes away a lot of the natural urges to push. I found that the pain wasn't actually as bad as I thought it was going to be anyway.

 

[nathanmum]

i really didnt want any pain relief, but when i transferred in to hospital and was on a bed hooked up to a monitor i had some gas and air. i think epidurals have their place and if i had a really long long labour i might consider one but otherwise i think exhaust all the other options first. ie gas and air, pethidine, water.
labour is hard going i just kept telling myself that is going to get worse and worse and that seemed to help??!! i have no pain threshold at all im a real whimp but i managed it.

 

[Misslarue]

But don't feel bad if you change your mind.

This is a good thing to remember. I finaly 'gave in' after 14 hours. My labour was only 18. For few days after I felt like I had failed in some way, as if I didn't give birth properly. But I really couldn't take the pain anymore.

It didn't help that my trainee midwife told me that her mother gave birth under a tree in African, to 10 babies without any type of pain killer!

 

[krystal&jack]

It didn't help that my trainee midwife told me that her mother gave birth under a tree in African, to 10 babies without any type of pain killer!

sounds a bit like my nana!

 

[mrsT]

 

[Mrs_Jay]

I was just wondering what everyone thought of epidurals?

I really want to keep my birth as natural as possible and hopefully a water birth. Problem is everytime I say this to people they laugh and say just wait till you feel the pain. It's like everyone enjoys telling you the horror stories of birth.

I'm really bad with pain and I know it's gonna be hard work and I'm not wearing rose tinted glasses about it.

I really don't like the idea of epidural and possible side affects. I've told my OH that if I end up asking for it during labour I want to be encouraged as much as possible not to have it but he doesn't seem that confident in trying to support me with it.

Can you have a good labour without going down that route?

hey

i was like you and defently didnt want an epidural ( i dont like needles) and the idea of that freaked me out more than the pain of labour. and i managed labour on just gas and air and i was in labour for 15 hours. but i defently recomend gas and air thats great stuff