Epidurals!!

[Lovisa]

I want to try and go through my labour with just gas and air but was wondering if anyone can give me some advice.....

If the pain is to overbearing is an epidural the best option? Can you still feel the labour? As I have heard it numbs you and I wouldn't want to numb the whole experience.
Has anyone been able to go through their first labour with just gas and air?
Sorry for all the silly questions but I'm totally clueless when it comes to epidurals and birth pains.
I know everyone is different when it comes to pregnancy and labour.

Thank you in advance for listening and for any replies that I may get.

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

Having an epidural means you have to stay on the bed, you cant move. I hated it, felt out of control even though for the first part I didnt feel any pain - I wont be having another, I want to be as mobile and as upright as I can this time. I think you have to have one to know if you want another - they aren't 100% either, mine failed twice and then they refused to top it up again so I was left experiencing huge contractions after not feeling anything. Just my experience though, you might have a wonderful time!

 

[Mervs Mum]

You will get various opinions on epidurals.

I've had one labour with and one without.

My first was an induction and TBH I panicked and asked for the epidural. IMO it was a big mistake. I spent the next 16 hrs on my back getting nowhere. To be clear the epi worked! I couldnt feel a thing, but I didnt progress much either. I started with strong contractions at about 11pm and once the epi was in I laid on the bed feeling nothing. At 3pm he next day I was still there.....at 4pm I had finally full dilated but was too tired to push and ended up with forceps delivery. I swore I wouldnt have another epi.

My second labour happened spontaneously. My waters went and I had the gradual build up of contractions. I used TENS for the first few hours then G&A. I was able to be mobile and spend time in the birth pool. I had 6 hours of active labour and pushed her out in about 3 contractions and she was back to back the whole way through. The whole experience was wonderful. I said to my hubby an hour after 'I want to do it all again now'.

 

[Mamafy]

I've had gas and air with all (first 2 with pethidine as well) and done well

I did have an edipural with my youngest son but it was after he was born so I could go to theatre

 

[ToffeePop]

This is probably a STUPID question and I could "Google" it but I don't want to Is an epidural the ONLY way to have a C-section? I'm terrified at the thought of a needle in my spine and I would have a full-blown panic attack, I know it. I have them at the dentist for crying out loud.

Any other anaesthetic available for a c-section!? I'd rather not have a general...

 

[Mervs Mum]

General or epidural/spinal block. If you already have an epi in they basically 'upgrade' it if you need a section. If you have a planned section you can choose general or spinal. C section is a MAJOR MAJOR operation. Nothing else would be enough.

 

[ToffeePop]

Didn't mean to deviate thread - just wondered.

Lovisa, I know a few people who have had epidurals and others who have gone without. Most would say that the epidural was handy but immobilising - as above - and others have said that they couldn't have done it without it. My SIL had an epi with her second and thought it was much better than her first, but then again, she had a very, very quick birth with her first child and had no pain relief at all and wasn't a happy camper about that...

Good query, though - I was hoping someone would bring this up! Can't wait to see the replies

 

[MrsRicho]

I want to try and go through my labour with just gas and air but was wondering if anyone can give me some advice.....

If the pain is to overbearing is an epidural the best option? Can you still feel the labour? As I have heard it numbs you and I wouldn't want to numb the whole experience.
Has anyone been able to go through their first labour with just gas and air?
Sorry for all the silly questions but I'm totally clueless when it comes to epidurals and birth pains.
I know everyone is different when it comes to pregnancy and labour.

Thank you in advance for listening and for any replies that I may get.

Hi sorry I haven't read the replies yet I wanted to reply before school run time, will read when I get back.

For my first I was really nervous and apprenhensive, I didn't make a birth plan said I would deal with the labour at the time, thought no point in worrying as we don't know what will happen. Probably the best thing I ever did.

Anyways onto your question about gas and air, I was induced with my eldest so my contrations were coming really thick and fast but for some bizzare reason I managed to sleep through most of my labour, even the midwife was shocked. At that time I didn't feel I needed anything as it was all under control, sleeping the pain off was doing me some good. When it came to pushing my attitude started to change slightly, I needed something to take the edge of the pain, (looking back it wasn't that painful though) midwife told me it was too late for anything major, don't do needles or drugs so the best and only option available was gas and air. Was really good stuff, didn't block all the pain out, I could still feel when my body wanted to push but I was still in control of the birth. My little boy came out not long after I started pushing so in answer to your question yes I had my first with just gas and air. Also had my second with gas and air again during the pushing, hoping to have a homebirth with this one with no pain relief but we will see lol

If you are unsure of what you want when it comes to giving birth just follow what your body tells you, you will know if you wqant that bit of extra pain relief. Good luch x

 

[Laura_C]

I had an epidural when I had Grace, I had a horrendous time though and I don't actually think the epidural helped the situation. If you want strong and effective pain relief then it is great, I wasn't really given much of an option I was pretty much told you need to have this sooner rather than later and I agreed, Grace was first baby and I was scared. Looking back I think it slowed my labour even more which resulted in an emergency c section. Grace got distressed and was in an awkward position and was basically stuck - she had been trying to come for 7 days and even once I got to the delivery suite I never progressed past 3cms dilated in over 24 hours! I am very petite so I don't think that helps, not really got child bearing hips!

My epidural kept needing to be topped up also, didn't work properly and feeling returned down my right side. It was so weird no pain down my left side totally mumb and then painful contractions down the other! I could move my right leg but my left was totally numb!!

Oh just thought I would add that I can't remember feeling any pain when they were putting the needle into my spine, I had been on pethadine prior to that so don't if that had anything to do with it but I didn't feel anything except pressure.

Laura x

 

[Toonlass]

I delivered my 1st with an epidural. I was tied to monitors, stuck in a bed the whole time. I was completely numb but it failed a few times and had to be topped up loads. It slowed down my labour and gave the shakes really badly. I had to have an episiotomy in the end and in took over an hour to push him out. I don't ever want one again.

I delivered my second with just gas and air. To be honest, it doesn't touch the pain but its a distraction and after the contraction you feel as high as a kite for a few moments, its great lol. I was mobile and felt in control, and i was able to relax in the hospital bath for a while. My labour was fast and i went from 5cms, waters burst to pushing all in seconds, a few pushes and out he came. I did 'loose it' for a while at the end as i was in shock at how fast things happened but i regained composure and all was good. He was laying back to back so all in all i think i did ok.

I plan to use gas and air only this time too xx

 

[Piglet10]

im having a planned c-section and am nervous about epidural and section. i had epidural with my m/c last year but dont remember much as i had went into shock and wasnt allowed out of bed for days anyway so the immobility didnt really affect me but i didnt have to get up to a lo. im scuurrreeddd!!! altho the 'bag' was hilarious i didnt realise i had a catheter in till the next morning and i heard a trickle pmsl weirdest thing ever!!! lol xxx

 

[Lovisa]

THanks to you all for replying.
I will post again tomorrow as I'm very tired just thought I'd pop on to say thanks and didnt want to come across rude if I didnt at least show my face and put a reply

 

[berit87]

I had an epidural with Brandon and I absolutely hated it. I didn't feel like it helped at all. Got quite a lot of it as well! I am just wondering if without that the labour would've been even worse... I doubt it though! It slows the labour down as well so I ended up being in horrendous pain even longer! But everyone's different and it has a different affect on everyone! xx

 

[poosmum]

I had an epidural. I never thought of having anything else to be honest..lol, i am a baby and hate pain. Not being able to move didn't bother me, but about two hours before delivery the stupid midwives, checked to see how numb i was with that cold spray stuff and realised that i was in fact numb to my chest, which i now understand can be quite dangerous. They immediately stopped "topping up" and in fact, i felt the pain of childbirth because the epi. had worn off... I felt the forceps, the stictching and the cathetar being removed....ALL that said...i would DEFINITELY go for an epidural again

 

[splash]

I had a bad Labour with my little boy, my waters broke on a saturday morning and i had him the tuesday. I think i would of passed out if it wasnt for the epidural, I tried everything going. Looking back i think i should of had an emergency c- section as forceps and vontouse was used to get him out and he was left with a horrible open wound which covered half of his head,( it was heart breaking to see). Anyway back to the epidural, i could just feel a little sting when the needle went in and it had to be topped up loads. i also could feel the pains down one side of my body and not the other which was arwful. Would also like to add that my OH had to shout at the mid wife to let me have one (she was horrid). Would definatly have one again though. And dont worry about having one, i think the adrenalin and excitement takes over your fear and you just keep telling yourself your going to meet your beautiful baby after all this is done. A bit of pain is well worth it.