I had said i wouldn't have any drugs and would use the birthing pool but i had to be induced so my plan went out the window, i started panicing from the pain, there's no way I'd have managed without it!
My body is weird so it was too successful - i have a medical condition that means i don't respond to aesthetics like "normal" people. The local they put in before hand wasn't left long enough to work even tho my body needs longer to go numb from it, so i felt more of the epidural going in than i should have. The epidural itself though, i respond to much much quicker. I was told 10 to 20 mins to take effect, mine worked in 3! 2 hours after it went in, they realised i couldn't feel anything below my boobs as i had responded so well. They had to turn it off before my heart and lungs were also numbed. After another 2 hours it had worn off enough that i was just starting to feel contractions so it got put back on, in time to examine me and for me to start pushing.
I could still feel a lot of pressure so i was able to push effectively (40mins) but had no pain except the head crowning. I think its a pity that labour isn't more predictable as id happily have it that low towards the end again!
