Experiences with epidural

[Colourmeblue]

Thanks ladies - reading your replies has been great. Am still in a dilemna about whether to opt for it or not, leaning more towards not though. Spoke to midwife yesterday, whose advice was to keep an open mind. Said if on the day im at say 4cm and really struggling and not coping with pain, then to go for epi. But if can manage to get to 7 or 8, then will be able to do without.

For those who have had it, how does the catheter thing work? - and for how long after are you immobilised? - Also does the not being able to feel or move your legs not freak you out?

 

[Mrs N]

Yeah they pop a catheter in when u are give ur epidural (after its in I guess can't quite remember!) and I prob cud have moved after 30 mins or so but was up having a shower within an hour or two!
Xxx

 

[Nutsyputs]

I had one after 16 hours of labour and when they decided to put me on hormone drip as I'd stopped progressing. Unfortunately it didn't work so they put another in which also didn't work. I ended having emergency c-section with a spinal block. Apparently I have a strange shapes back which meant they couldn't get it in the right place. They didn't put a catheter in until I had spinal block. They took my catheter out about 6 hours later. Some epidurals
You can still move with. I would keep an open mind. I was sure I didn't want one but was so tired I needed a break before pushing (not that I did anyway)

 

[Nicnax]

I had hoped for a nice drug-free birth, at our local midwife led unit, with just gas and air. However, I was induced, which led to a very fast onset of labour with a back to back baby. I tried on gas and air for as long as I could (I knew I didn't want drugs that would affect baby), but all the pain was in my back, and baby was in distress, so I had the epidural. It put me right back in control, and allowed me to rest before starting to push. I did end up needing help with forceps in theatre, but I had quite a large back to back baby, so I don't think the epidural played any part in this.

I was very glad I had mine- I felt out of control in gas and air, and the epidural allowed me to keep calm. I was up and about the next morning, but I list a lot of blood, so probably would have been yp before, apart from th hat.

 

[Corrinne37]

I had an epi with my son, it wasnt a great experience.
Anesotis (no idea how to spell!) was horrid, I was shaking as in so much pain with induced contractions, she said if you dont keep still I will paralise you for life! Nice! I wasnt shaking on purpose!!
I still felt the pain in one side.
Horrid women came back and gave me some more.
This worked and couldnt feel a thing
Then they told me to start pushing but i seriously could not feel anything that I wasnt pushing at the right time etc that it took nearly 3 hrs of pushing (most draining thing of life, as already been up all night and totally exhausted)
Dr had to cut me in the end and pull the baby out, I dint feel this either, but it was so horrible as I felt so out of control.


This time I will try my best to go without the epi, as it really slowed my labour down, but on the flip side I was in excruciating pain from being heavily induced and it did eventually take that away.

This time im hoping i dont have to be induced so can manage the pain better with a steady build up!!

I think the advice of if in total pain at 4cm then have one, but if can make it to 7, then dont .
As for me it was so horrid trying to push and really not knowing what i was pushing!!

I didnt like losing the use of my legs for quite a while after also, and I have suffered with lower back pain ever since.
If that was down to the epi or just pregnancy I will never know

xx

 

[Colourmeblue]

I had an epi with my son, it wasnt a great experience.
Anesotis (no idea how to spell!) was horrid, I was shaking as in so much pain with induced contractions, she said if you dont keep still I will paralise you for life! Nice! I wasnt shaking on purpose!!
I still felt the pain in one side.
Horrid women came back and gave me some more.
This worked and couldnt feel a thing
Then they told me to start pushing but i seriously could not feel anything that I wasnt pushing at the right time etc that it took nearly 3 hrs of pushing (most draining thing of life, as already been up all night and totally exhausted)
Dr had to cut me in the end and pull the baby out, I dint feel this either, but it was so horrible as I felt so out of control.


This time I will try my best to go without the epi, as it really slowed my labour down, but on the flip side I was in excruciating pain from being heavily induced and it did eventually take that away.

This time im hoping i dont have to be induced so can manage the pain better with a steady build up!!

I think the advice of if in total pain at 4cm then have one, but if can make it to 7, then dont .
As for me it was so horrid trying to push and really not knowing what i was pushing!!

I didnt like losing the use of my legs for quite a while after also, and I have suffered with lower back pain ever since.
If that was down to the epi or just pregnancy I will never know

xx

Yeah thats what im afraid of if i do have an epidural - not feeling in control and i think losing the use of my legs will make me feel like i am not in control and im sure it will freak me out x

 

[Lynds77]

being on the drip I think makes an epi a bit worse. You cant move your legs, and if you need to move, you only really have one free arm as there is a cannula in the other so you cant put any weight on it. This made things quite difficult for me.

but I wasnt even aware they had put a catheter in me, or when they took it out? they must have though. When you get to ward you get a few hours to go pee, if not they pop a catheter back in you for 24hrs!!!

I was popped back down to the ward, hubby was told to leave and i was lying there, unable to move with my crying baby too far out of my reach. Had to call for a midwife to pass her to me.

but I guess its a much nicer experience if the thing works, and if you dont have a cannula in your arm!

 

[Cantstop]

I had an epi both times. First one was amazing, stopped pain right away and could still feel to push. Second didn't work at first and needed topping up but then was fine. Couldn't feel contractions to push but just listened to the midwife so no issue.

Both labours were induced early 38-39 weeks, first was 12 hours from breaking waters, second was 7 hours from breaking waters so worth bearing in mind that second labours are usually shorter than first anyway.

I would definitely have one again - while the second one wasn't working right I was just having to have gas n air to get through the contractions and there's no way I would willingly continue like that!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Colourmeblue]

Still keep going back and forth on whether I will consider it - had a scare last night when my waters leaked a little and ended up in hospital on a monitor. And I found myself getting panikcy thinking that they may keep me in and induce me....it turned out ok, they sent me home, but if im panicky like that on the actual day, epidural may be a good idea.

 

[mrswoody]

Try not to get yourself worked up before labour has begun lovely. Enjoy the last few weeks as much as you can.

I had an epidural but only because I was rushed to theatre to have a ventouse as LO was back to back and everything slowed down.
I didn't want want an epidural EVER throughout labour but I had no choice as if ventouse didn't work then it was an emergency c-sec for me.
As soon as it started working it was instant relief and while it was great to not have the pain on the contractions I couldn't feel anything only tugging where the consultant was pulling, so a little disappointed. The mw told me when to push and to be honest I think I was pushing harder in the theatre as I wanted LO out naturally.
I couldn't move my legs for a good while after and couldn't feel the urge to "pee" and had to really concentrate on doing it lol
I managed on diamorphine, I gave up on G&A as for me it was useless.
If I am blessed to ever have another baby I still wouldn't get an epi.
x

 

[Constantstar]

I always said I wouldn't have one. But I did. I would again if needed. Down side is the catheter, not being able to walk and I couldnt feel contractions. Plus side was pain free and worth it! X

mummy to ds 11/7/11
pregnant *team pink* due 12/9/13

 

[positivity :)]

Good thread! I didn't have one last time as I was induced and it all progressed too quickly, DS was here too fast. I tore really badly so was taken to theatre after and given a spinal block whole they 'sorted me out down there'

I really did not cope with the pain first time round - I totally lost control so this time I'm very tempted to go for the epi just one thing stops me and it's the thought of slowing it all down

 

[Jellybeanjen]

I went in adamant I didnt want it and then when I wanted to push I screamed for it...they said the baby was stuck and in wrong position as well as a lip of cervix that won't budge over her head which is why I'm having so much pain. They told me I couldn't push but the urge is overwhelming! So they tried 5 times giving me epidural but each time I felt the needle even after all the local anesthetic. Plus I couldn't stay still with the massive urges to push like every 30 seconds. In the end I had to go to theatre and they managed to get spinal block ( apparantly is the same as an epidural just wears off quicker) and delivered baby with ventouse.
I would say to keep an open mind. If you truly are in pain then ask for it. I personally was crying with relief when I couldn't feel from boobs down. I had SPD during pregnancy and it was just the best and confused I'd felt for ages! The recovery is a bit odd, takes a whole to get a little bladder control (like full control...leaks kept happening) and can get headaches and a bit of back pain but if you are in sooo much pain, then go for it. Xxx


Tapatalking so I can't see sigs x

 

[Colourmeblue]

It's great to hear so many of your stories. I think keeping an open mind is the best option. Last time I managed on gas and air and pethidine before screaming and begging for an epidural, but by this point I was almost ready to push and was told it was too late for an epi. So hopefully if i can get to that point again, then I wont need it. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes. They say every pregnancy and every labour is different, I guess thats the scary thing, cos you just dont know and cant really plan for it. x

 

[mummywanabe]

I think I might take a wee photo of my granny into hospital as inspiration, she had 9 babies at home and no pain relief, im thinking if she can be so strong it might give me a bit of a boost if I need it when im starting to think id want one lol I will off course be having gas and air, and possibly diamorphine if needed (who am I kiddin ill probably need it) but im going to keep an open mind and if I really feel like I cant cope il, have an epidural its not that im trying to be superwoman or anything its more just the after effects of the epidural I dont want.
(Hands up who thinks im getting the epidural and I wont give a hoot during labour about the after effects hahaha )

 

[Wilson28]

I defo say youll opt for the epidural or u wouldnt have asked and u wont care lol xx

 

[Chezza]

I had 8 failed epidural attempts It only numbed me on the right hand side...I could still feel everything on the right. It was a horrible experience x