Epidural

[JustTrying]

Ladies, have you had it in your previous pregnancy? If so, did you get any bad effects post birth?

Ive heard lots of bad stories and cautions to stay away but want to hear from personal experiences before I make an informed decision.

 

[cossie13]

I had one. I’m actually really glad I did. I remember in my birthing plan that an epidural was a not under any circumstances thing and I was dead against it but god they’re good. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the fact that you have to have a catheter which upon removal postbirth you have to pee a certain amount within so many hours. I did that with ease. Other than that, no bad effects at all for me. In the end I was really glad I agreed to one.

Everyone has different experiences and people always like to tell their horror stories. Maybe you’ll decide you need one and maybe you’ll be fine on gas and air. Or maybe you won’t need anything at all! But until you get there you won’t know. I was adamant that I was going to do it on gas and air alone but ended up having 2 doses of pethidine, gas & air and an epidural!

 

[Mayflower85]

I just wrote out a long reply and then lost it ��

I went into my first labour with an open mind, I researched the options beforehand but wanted to see how I coped and what I felt I needed at the time.

After 24 hours of labour, I asked for an epidural. Unfortunately for me it took another 8 hours for the anesthetist to be available to do it. I've no memory of it being done or how I sat still through the contractions. Unfortunately for me again, it only lasted 20 (blissful) minutes before it stopped working and they couldn't get it back. They tried 3 or 4 times.

I ended up having an emergency c-sec with a spinal block, again they tried the epidural but it wasn't having any effect. I wasn't up walking until the following morning, but other than that had I no lasting effects.

I'm now 35 weeks with number 2, again, I'm going into it open minded and i'll see how I'm coping, but if I feel I need an epidural then I'll ask for it.

 

[Selina13]

I had no problems but I think I had spinal block. Not sure what differences are but I was prepped for section just incase so maybe they just did that. No issues though.
The only thing that bothered me after was that hc assistants had to wash me and my catheter came out in bed so wee went everywhere and I didnt know until I felt the wetness up my back- embarrassing but I didn't know! Lol. I would have one again x

 

[JulyBug]

I opted for one but sadly had a horrible experience, by the time my little boy was born I'd had 10 epidural attempts! first of all they gave me a spinal block instead which made my whole body numb, this lasted about an hour, they then tried to top this up which failed so they tried to re-insert the epidural a few times which all failed, by this point i was 10cm dilated so couldn't give me any other pain relief.. I eventually went into theatre where they attempted a spinal block which failed again so I ended having an episiotomy and forceps delivery..

The doctor reckoned the anotomy of my back was 'unusual' and thats why the epidurals failed.. however somewhere amongst all the failed attempts I suffered a dural rupture which caused severe headaches and back pain the day after I gave birth.. this resulted in me being back in hospital, I had a blood patch done by the head anaesthetist which involved another epidural which of course failed again, they offered to carry out another blood patch but I refused.. I ended up suffering for about two weeks with these severe pains..

Although i had an awful experience i would recommend an epidural if its something you want, mine was a very rare case apparently!

xx

 

[TORino]

Mine didn't work properly when I had it either.

I could still feel the spray they put on you. Spinal blocks though.. well they rock!!

 

[millielaura]

I had one and I do get a lot of lower back pain now and sciatica. Not sure if that's the epidural or just what pregnancy did to me lol! I couldn't of coped without it though xx

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[Foxy24]

I had one and it was brilliant. I'll definitely have another one. The guy that done mine said that they can't cause harm and the stories are not true but, who knows if that is true or not. X

 

[PeanutButter]

It's amazing!!! I got to 6-7cm and was screaming holding on to the rails I never expected it to be so painful, sounds stupid ikno but fk me.
I didn't want it when I was doing my birthplan but the midwives said because I had trouble with being examined down below itd be best to have it. LOL I would have been begging for it anyway.
Anyway I didn't feel any pain after I had it, I couldn't walk around but I wouldn't have been able to anyway. They said it would take longer to push baby out but I pushed her out within 10 mins of saying I was fully dialated.
I didn't have any bad effects. Even if I did I'd still want it again next time heh. X

 

[candymycandy]

I had one and was fine and though I don't want one this time for other (medical) reasons I'd deffo have one again in Normal circumstances. It wasn't in my plan but I was induced which made the contractions unbearable after half a day of them. Had no problems pushing (20mins) and could feel enough to know what was going on without the pain. Seems like a mixed bag of experiences but with the best will in the world I don't think you can make that decision until you're in the throes of labour but totally agree it's a great idea to be informed xx

 

[Firsttimemumx]

I had one but it took 5 attempts before it finally went in. It enabled me 45 minutes sleep and 100% relief from pain which I needed after contracting every 5 minutes or less for the past 40 hours with just gas and air for 6 of those. I genuinely don’t know if my body would have coped any longer without it it was my saving grace even if it took that many attempts. I was totally against it initially I wrote in my birth plan I just wanted gas and air at a push but I needed it so I had it. No one gets a special medal for giving birth without pain relief they get a baby just like those who do opt for pain relief! In terms of afterwards I had a huge bruise that was sore and tender to touch for about a week or two and I do still get an ache in the area now (16 months after giving birth) I’m pregnant with my second now and would 100% have it again if I felt the need. I have heard it increases risk of episiotomies as you loose feeling from waist down so when pushing may need intervention. In my case I did need intervention but that was because my daughter needed to come out quick as due to being in labour so long and my body becoming exhausted I was feeling urges to push before I was 10cm which lead to her twisting sideways and her heart rate dropping as she was becoming distressed. Not to do with the epidural so I’m not sure if I’d still have needed one if it wasn’t an emergency. It’s worth baring in mind epidurals have come along way and you are in control of the medication. Once the initial dose has gone in you are giving a button which you can push once every 30mins or an hour to administer more pain relief so if you don’t feel you need it you don’t need to push it. It wears off quicker after birth than it used to back in the day as I understand too. Everyone’s different and reacts differently to everything I’d just say be open minded as you may need it to get through. Hopefully you have a lovely experience and are one of those that feel minimal pain but remember we are fortunate to have these options to help us through.

 

[lisey]

I have had 1 babies. Epidurals with both. First time was almost 16 years ago had to have epi as contractions coming on too quick. I couldn't feel anything, couldn't move, didn't know when to push apart from midwife telling me. Some back pain after.

This time, went through most of labour on gas and air but when I heard the midwife say to my OH that it could be another six hours I knew I wouldn't cope. I had the drip for induction and the contractions were so painful, I loved gas and air and coped well, I didn't make a sound during any of it so they didn't think I would go for the epi but I knew I would be too exhausted. (It turns out I was fully dilated 45 mins later). Anyway, this one was much better, I could still get up and go to the toilet, with little help from OH, could feel pressure (but not pain) to push and if I was to have another I would most definitely have an epidural again, from much earlier on!! No Ill effects after, I did have backache for a while but I had it in pregnancy and I think it just continued for a bit xx

 

[KHTW]

I had one and it was the best decission as I ended up with forcep delivery. I can't say a bad word about how it was administer, it was quick and pain free. However now I do get a bit of pain in the lower back at night but I am not sure if this is to do with having epi or if the big pregnant belly (my bump was huge) did that x

 

[Crinkles90]

I had one with my youngest and ended up needing ventouse assistance and I had a 2nd degree tear and lost quite a lot of blood after. My labour from 1.5cm to birth was 75 hours so having the epi allowed me to sleep I also couldn't feel my contractions so relied on the midwife telling me when I needed to push...Because of this with my second I was adamant I didn't want one and actually had a beautiful textbook labour with her. After my oldest epidural for me is for emergency situation only.