Lewis'mummy
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With my ds i only had gas and air but am thinking about having an epidural this time. Has anyone had one and was their experience good or bad?? 
Epidural
- Thread starter Lewis'mummy
- Start date
had one with my 1st - wooonderful stuff - mw was great she only allowed the doc to put in minimum needed and then she topped it up - meant i still had control over my legs etc and could feel the sensation of the contractions but not pain 
- know some people do not have as positive an experience but i thought it was great.
Good luck
- know some people do not have as positive an experience but i thought it was great. Good luck
I didn't have one, and spent most most of it without gas and air thanks to my stupid midwife 
And I found gas and air did the job, I didn't fancy a needle in my back either, plus I'd heard horror stories about paralysis
I'm not going to have an epidural this time either.
And I found gas and air did the job, I didn't fancy a needle in my back either, plus I'd heard horror stories about paralysis
I'm not going to have an epidural this time either.
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I had a 42 hour "back-to-back" (i.e. excruciating!) labour with my first baby, so was persuaded, after a day in labour, to try an epidural. They gave me it and also tried to top it up (or whatever they were doing - they tried 2 or 3 times to get it to work), but although I couldn't feel my legs at all, I could still feel every contraction. It was dreadful. All that pain and unable to move from the waist down. They didn't fit a catheter and I couldn't use the toilet and I think a full bladder probably held up my labour even more! I let it wear off and had the rest of my labour without it, thank you very much! This is supposedly a very rare occurence.
Most of the women in my family - aunties, cousins etc - have ALL had an epidural and loved it. They've been sitting up in bed, reading magazines or watching TV during their labour. If it works, it is the only form of TOTAL pain relief. It just doesn't work for me
Personally, I would never try another epidural. I would rather rely on TENS, water and gas & air. I think that as soon as you start letting them intervene and mess around with you - with things like syntocinon, epidural etc. then the more likely you are to receive more and more intervention - such as fetal scalp monitoring, episiotomy, forceps/ventouse and c-section etc.
I would rather try and manage as much as I could on my own and try to do things as naturally as possible. Saying that, this little rascal will probably be breech and I'll end up with the dreaded c-section! My cousin was the opposite - she dreaded natural birth and wanted her 2nd c-section. Everyone's different.
I would recommend you ask for an epidural on your birth plan (because you have to book it in advance usually) and then see how you go first with e.g. gas & air. Give yourself the option and keep an open mind during labour, because no-one knows how their labour is going to go.
xxx
Most of the women in my family - aunties, cousins etc - have ALL had an epidural and loved it. They've been sitting up in bed, reading magazines or watching TV during their labour. If it works, it is the only form of TOTAL pain relief. It just doesn't work for me
Personally, I would never try another epidural. I would rather rely on TENS, water and gas & air. I think that as soon as you start letting them intervene and mess around with you - with things like syntocinon, epidural etc. then the more likely you are to receive more and more intervention - such as fetal scalp monitoring, episiotomy, forceps/ventouse and c-section etc.
I would rather try and manage as much as I could on my own and try to do things as naturally as possible. Saying that, this little rascal will probably be breech and I'll end up with the dreaded c-section! My cousin was the opposite - she dreaded natural birth and wanted her 2nd c-section. Everyone's different.
I would recommend you ask for an epidural on your birth plan (because you have to book it in advance usually) and then see how you go first with e.g. gas & air. Give yourself the option and keep an open mind during labour, because no-one knows how their labour is going to go.
xxx
I had an epidural with my cesearean and it's great at the time (though I hated the needle and was in tears with the aneathisit (sp) telling me to keep still and the nurse holding me.
however afterwards was the horriblest feeling ever, having no control over the bottom half of my body and they left the needle or line in so they could top up the pain relief after and gave me morphine which I reacted to and couldnt stop scratching which was horrible.
however afterwards was the horriblest feeling ever, having no control over the bottom half of my body and they left the needle or line in so they could top up the pain relief after and gave me morphine which I reacted to and couldnt stop scratching which was horrible.
Guest
OMG Tuck - I've just noticed that you gave birth to a baby girl 3 weeks ago!!! Where have I been?
Congratulations!
I'll have to look for all the details now
Where have I been?Congratulations!
I'll have to look for all the details now
OopsyDaisy
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I attended a Parentcraft class the other day on pain relief, and an epidural doesn't appeal to me. When it comes to writing my birth plan, I think I will opt for gas & air as first choice, pethidine/diamorphine injections as 2nd choice, and only have epidural if the pain is really unbearable.
My Epidural was H-E-A-V-E-N!!!!
I was same as most are stating, gas & air first choice (made me vomit), pethidine 2nd choice & epidural last resort.
But when they first offered me pain releif I was 6cm!! Had nothing up until then, gas & air made me vomit and if I had the pethidine then I wouldn't be able to have epi as would be too far dilated for them to do it, so I skipped Plan B and went straight for the Epi....I have to say it was brilliant!!
It doesn't work like that for everyone though, but I couldn't feel a thing and spent 5 pain free hours watching telly whilst I fully dilated, doesn't stop you feeling the burn though when baby crowns, but after 5 hours rest I couldn't really complain!
I'm booking my next epidural when I get my BFP
I was same as most are stating, gas & air first choice (made me vomit), pethidine 2nd choice & epidural last resort.
But when they first offered me pain releif I was 6cm!! Had nothing up until then, gas & air made me vomit and if I had the pethidine then I wouldn't be able to have epi as would be too far dilated for them to do it, so I skipped Plan B and went straight for the Epi....I have to say it was brilliant!!
It doesn't work like that for everyone though, but I couldn't feel a thing and spent 5 pain free hours watching telly whilst I fully dilated, doesn't stop you feeling the burn though when baby crowns, but after 5 hours rest I couldn't really complain!
I'm booking my next epidural when I get my BFP
