Epidurals - who has had one...

[Shaz]

How how much do they actually hurt when they are being done?

We had our antenatal "pain relief in labour" chat this morning and there was an (albeit old) video film of a woman getting an epidural about 10 years ago. I know they are more advanced now but she was making an awful fuss about it!

I'm not great with needles - I can just about take the blood tests and all the other bits and pieces that us preggers ladies get jabbed with, but the thought of it going into my spine fills me with dread - so much to the point that I think the fear of that is overriding EVERYTHING else I think about the birth.

So - to those ladies who have had them - what are they really like??

Going to post this on the "New Mum" site as well........

 

[kirlykird]

I didn't have epidural but I had the spinal anasthetic when I had my c section... it was slightly uncomfortable but I was more concerned about the birth!

My friend had an epidural after a long long labour and she said that the discomfort was a lot better than the pain that she was going through

 

[Em78]

Mine didnt hurt at all! the place it goes into is a bundle of nerves but no nerve endings which you need to feel pain so you dont feel it at all. so it really shouldnt hurt other than the initial breaking of the skin.

he said you'll feel a scratch and it was like someone scratching your skin with a pin not actually like an injection at all.

all my blood tests etc hurt way more and the drip thing (venflon?) was def worst!

i wouldnt hestitate to have it again
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Sassyminx]

ive had 2, and tbh it wasnt like a pain, its more like really intense pressure til it kicks in, just felt as though the anaesthetist was pressing my back really hard, and the relief far outweighs the so called pain of getting it done.....

the drip definitely hurts more

 

[Jaidy]

Know how you feel about the venflon that is so sore!!

 

[kellie80]

I had one and i didn't find it that bad. It was nothing compared to the contractions. It was more of a strange feeling and i didn't like having to stay still but it was worth it.

 

[sarah113]

ive only had gas and air, but my cousin had a epadural and after having her daughter she had really bad back pain, dont know if everyone gets that or not.

 

[Jade89]

It diddn't hurt.

They make u hug a pillow so u keep still, then this is the horrible part, they spray cold cold cold cold cold spray on ur bare back which makes u jiggle around coz its soooooooo cold! then the rest i forgot coz I was falling asleep, I dont think it hurt but i also diddnt like that i lost the feeling in my bum!

 

[Londoner Claire]

I had one and was told it can cause long-term back pain. I already had had a bad back for years so it didn't worry me. Instead of causing more, it cured it somehow!

 

[x-kirsty-x]

I had one and compared to the pain of the contractions it was painless! Saying that, I was high on gas and air as well so I wasn't fully aware of everything going on

It was great afterwards though, me and OH just sat there doing puzzles and talking!

When it came to pushing I couldnt do it properly as I couldnt feel when to push so I had to be cut and forceps were used

I couldnt get out of bed til the next day either which was crap.