How can I make sure am guaranteed a epidural?

[Rhea]

Hello ladies am 22 with my first and am nearly 16 weeks pregnant

I have had an horrendous pregnancy upto now I suffer with severe hyperemesis, sciatica and now my midwife thinks spd as am in agony any time I walk and feel like am grinding it's horrible,

I also suffer wi the depression, anxiety, anxiety attacks and the thought of labour petrifys me, I know I won't like the gas and air or the diamorphine shot as I don't like feeling woozy and I will get all panicky and have an anxiety attack so I want to make sure am guaranteed an epidural, is this available on the nhs? Or could I pay private to make sure I get one?

Am based In Liverpool and planning on having baby at Liverpool woman's hospital, should I Speke to Someone at the hospital about this or my midwife? I don't really know how to go about it,

Any answers would be highly appreciated thanks! Xx

 

[SunnySue]

Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time.

Epidurals are most certainly available on the nhs and your hospital should be able to offer you one. You need To speak to your midwife about it and make sure that there are no medical conditions that mean it would not be suitable.

Having an epidural usually means that you are not allowed to use the birth pools for water birth though so there may be things like that that your mw can talk to you about.

Good luck x

 

[Iwant3]

It may not be something your midwife talks to you about until you are much further along, but I would explain your anxieties at your next appointment and say that you want to know now so that you aren't worrying about it.

Sorry you're having such a hard pregnancy so far.....

 

[Rhea]

Thank you for the replys girls I feel abit if a wino n dnt want to sound demanding to my midwife I just know I won't like any of them pain reliefs with my anxiety and I am extremely scared about labour, av had a difficult pregnancy I bet I won't have an easy labour either really want the epidural! Ha gona mention it nxt time I see midwife xx

 

[SuffolkMum]

You won't be denied an epidural hun, unless there is a medical reason you can't have one (very rare).

Depending on the individual hospital, you may be offered something else first, or they may just give it as soon as you ask. Even if you're feeling nervous about labour, don't assume you won't be able to cope without it, you may well surprise yourself. If you go in feeling scared before you start, you'll make it harder on yourself. Try and stay positive and tell yourself you're going to have a fantastic birth and it's going to be a breeze. Don't think about the things that could go wrong, think of how it will most likely go right. BTW, I had SPD with my first, so bad that I was on crutches, and it was the last thing on my mind during labour. I also suffer from social anxiety disorder, but again, I was so focused on labouring that there could have been 20 people in the room with me and I wouldn't have cared a jot lol.

Gas and air is one of those things that will either work for you or it won't. The good thing about it is that you can give it a few puffs and if you decide you don't like it, it's out of your system as soon as you stop. I'd certainly recommend giving it a shot for that reason alone.

As well as informing your midwife, make sure you state what you'd like to happen in your birth plan. As it's unlikely your regular midwife will be the one helping you to deliver, this is the best way of ensuring whoever does attend your labour knows exactly how you feel about things. When you're in the throes of labour and trying to concentrate, it's not always easy to put across your needs to other people.

Best of luck hun, I wish you a pleasant and easy labour and birth. xxx

 

[cosmicgirl]

I had my last lo at the women's, they are amazing!!!
I asked for an epi quite early into my labour - why wait lol and the anaesthetist was in my room before I could blink!!
If I am ever lucky enough to have another I wouldn't have it anywhere but the women's. I was in with prolonged rupture of membranes for two days then gave birth on day three and went home 6 hours later. All of the staff were AMAZING!!

 

[loopylou83]

Wss^ try not to panic about it but write in your birth plan exactly what you would like! My birth didn't go at all to plan - I did do it all on gas and air and it was amazing stuff! I personally wouldn't have had time to have an epidural even if I wanted one as it was only 3 hours from first contraction to having baby so it wouldn't have had time to work! Not trying to scare you but just be aware that sometimes things happen differently no matter how well you plan them but by filling in your ideal birth on your birth plan it means that the midwives won't have to keep asking you so many questions whilst in labour xx

 

[iWitch]

My friend was given one on being admitted to labour ward. Not sure how far gone she was tho xx

 

[Rachel80]

I paid for a private delivery in an nhs hospital. This meant as soon as things kicked off (my waters went at 2am) I was able to call my private obstetrician on her mobile & she took control. She offered me an epidural when she put the pessary into induce me 26 hours after my waters went. I screamed like a baby & she said 'ooh you'll be wanting an epidural then!' Lol - I had 2 epidurals, the first didn't work but when it kicked in I slept 4-9cm, bliss. The private delivery was worth every penny, I had consultant care throughout & my own private midwife. When I asked for something I got it immediately so for me it was worth it & I have nothing to compare it against but I'd definitely do it again, made everything a lot less stressful x

 

[mummywanabe]

If you choose to have the epidural you can as soon as you see your midwife you can tel, her your intentions, I was thinkinking last minute id want an epidural as I was so petrified of labour and pain but to be honestmy experience was nowhere near the horrific experience I was expecting, there where no beds at the maternity hospital so id only had 2 paracetamol up to the point they found me a bed I waz then 8cm, too late for an epidural I was told I really didnt want gas and air as like u I thought id feel out of it after having a few sucks on it I felt a bit woozy then that feeling went away but so did the pain, when I do have another baby im hoping I can just have that again but if I felt I needed it id absolutely demand an epidural and they cant refuse it to you unless youre too far gone, I honestly thought getting my lex waxed was more painful than giving birth and I dont to pain well

 

[Rhea]

Aw thank you everyone for the replys! Am glad that I should be able to get the epidural then! I have a midwife appointment in 4 weeks so will tell her about it and ask her to put it in my Birth plan xx

 

[mummywanabe]

I dont think they really look at your birth plan, mine just asked me what I wanted to manage pain so u can tell them or make sure the person who is with you knows too just incase you arent able, either way with or without your going to have a beautiful baby at the end of it, youll b surprised at your own strength, and its nowhere near as bad as they make out on telly, id love to do it all over again, my son is only 7 months old but its gone so quick, cherish that first little cuddle and kiss

 

[SarahCourtney]

Aw thank you everyone for the replys! Am glad that I should be able to get the epidural then! I have a midwife appointment in 4 weeks so will tell her about it and ask her to put it in my Birth plan xx

Hey hun,
Sorry you're having such a rough time of it. I empathise with that as my pregnancy has been horrible and I have suffered with depression and anxiety for years so am struggling even more in pregnancy, especially with being so unwell.

Have you looked in to hyno birthing? It's not for everyone but I have found that reading the book and listening to the CDs has calmed me right down and I'm no longer scared of the birth. I'm not saying it'll have that affect on you but for £8.99 it can't hurt to have a read through. You may still want all the painkillers in the world on the day but being able to be anxiety free throughout pregnancy definitely isn't something to just shrug off!

 

[luckylucky]

I paid for a private delivery in an nhs hospital. This meant as soon as things kicked off (my waters went at 2am) I was able to call my private obstetrician on her mobile & she took control. She offered me an epidural when she put the pessary into induce me 26 hours after my waters went. I screamed like a baby & she said 'ooh you'll be wanting an epidural then!' Lol - I had 2 epidurals, the first didn't work but when it kicked in I slept 4-9cm, bliss. The private delivery was worth every penny, I had consultant care throughout & my own private midwife. When I asked for something I got it immediately so for me it was worth it & I have nothing to compare it against but I'd definitely do it again, made everything a lot less stressful x

how much was that if you dont mind me asking x

 

[BunnyN]

If it is any comfort I had a natural birth with no pain relief and it was no where near so hard to cope with as HG. I'd go as far as to say labour was a good experience, HG on the other hand was weeks of misery.

 

[Rhea]

Hi bunnyn
A lot of woman with HG have said to me you have put up with HG for so long the labour is nothing in comparison, my HG is still here and am scared am going to suffer till labour I just thought with having HG and spd tha would make birth even more harder and painfull, I may well surprise myself but wud like to know tha the epidural is there for definite as I know il want it,

Congratulations on ur baba xx

 

[Sarah13]

Look into hypnobirthing as well, it helps during pregnancy to take some of the anxieties away and gives you time to relax properly. I thought it was amazing last time and had a very easy quick labour even though my baby was early so I was scared there would be something wrong. Im starting a birthing class this week which is all about breathing and relaxing, bit like a yoga class combined with relaxing and hypno by the sound of it!
You may still want an epi and that fine, anything that helps or works for you is great, but having other methods to help you relax and stay calm with the lead up to labour and very early labour could really help you. Also arm yourself with all the facts, just as you have with the other drugs so you know exactly what your getting, I've heard about ladies having back pain for years after caused by the epi and it slowing labour right down. The other drugs bother me as well and I wouldn't want them either, just the thought of some worry me more than labour pains!

 

[Rhea]

Hi Sarah13,
Yes av heard a few ppl Speke about hypno birth on here I wana try manage some of very early labour at home so think am going to buy a hypno birthing book or cd what one would you recommend? I do think il still defo want the epidural I just dnt want to loose control in labour and be in that much pain wer I just can't control myself, I do not like the gas and air or the thought of pethedine any type of drug or pain killer that has tha woozy out of it feeling makes me sick and panicky,

Aww that birthing class sounds great I think il look for one in the Liverpool area and try and get to one when this HG has gone, thanks for the advice xx

 

[Sarah13]

I used maggie Howell this is the hospital preparation one http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1905220537/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1390762433&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX110_SY165 you can probably get it cheaper on ebay.
But there is also the Mongol method as well but I wasn't so keen as American but maggie Howell is a British, both are good tho so probably personal preference.
A good class would probably be great for you too x

 

[Rhea]

Aw thanks Hun am going to order that yes when am abit eyre frm this HG am going to do a class, I want to be as calm as possible becoz Ino even if I get the epidural am gona hav to feel the contractions of early labour so I wana try and not be scared, but am really petrified I just dnt understand why like, I think coz av had such a hard pregnancy I think labour will be the same and av seen some terrible births on TV and been told really bad birth story's too I jut don't think i could handle the pain atall xx