To Mummys who choose not to have epidural

[Steelgoddess]

Hello girlies!

Just wanted a wee bit of advice really...

My finding out I was preggy and having to write my birth plan I decided I did not want an epidural pethadine etc... i think mainly for the reason that I want to be able to stay mobile and I don't like the thought of confinement...

Im hoping to have a water birth and in early stages use: Bath, paracetamol, tens and massage and g and a if i need it as natural relief.

What got you through the pain?
what other pain relief did you use?
Would you have an epidural next time?

Cant think of anything else...

 

[daftscotslass]

I said I didn't want an epidural (and was pretty adament I would go without) but said in my birth plan I was open minded. By 4cm (though I was induced and had no build up of contractions) I was whinging constantly for one until they caved about 5 hours later. Anaesthetist couldn't site it so I went without but still had the joy of the side effects. If there is a next time for me I will absolutely NOT be having an epidural though I'm told what happened to me was pretty rare (2-3%). Not all epidurals will make you immobile, though. Keep an open mind if you're in any doubt at all how you'll cope with the pain.

I used a TENS (which was OK in early labour but useless thereafter) and G&A (they should SELL that stuff). I had put massage down and OH was trying (bless him) to rub my lower back but I kept slapping him away . Didn't like to be touched!

I was also adament about the pethidine (though it was diamorphine at ours) and stuck to that. Be *really* sure about what you want because I found them VERY pushy with regards to the diamorphine and think I'd have caved if my OH hadn't stepped in and backed me up.

I am holding out on a next baby until at least 2010 until our new maternity unit opens up which will have 4 birthing pools!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if *I* can do it on just G&A then there's hope for everyone else, lol.

 

[fran_23]

I didnt want an epi because i was scared i wouldnt be able to feel myself pushing- I think seeing as it was my first baby i
didnt know how painful it was going to be- i started asking for an epidural when i thought i could not take anymore
pain and was tired- they checked me and said i was fully dilated and the head was coming down so there was no epidural for me..i was glad i got through without one as i then didnt have the whole catheter and numb legs to deal with after.

But i will say this Sharne- don't be a martyr and never say never! I'd still keep an open mind on the issue next time because you never know how things will go and how you will feel! I would just have a rough idea of what you want and try
to go with that as much as poss but keep an open mind and don't get too upset if your plans change and its not quite what you had hoped for..as you might have noticed on here not everyines birth plans go 100% i know my plan kinda went out the window once i was in labour!

 

[Manda&Thomas]

i had a homebirth so i only used gas and air and tbh i found it more then enough pain relief i found breathing worked wonders,
also try not to use the g&a untill you really have to as it does start to become slightly less effective as you use more of it
xx

 

[SarahH]

I didnt have one and never will have one no matter how bad the pain is. I had several lumber punctures when I was younger and the last one went horribly wrong, signed off work for 6wks, stuck on the bed the whole time only being able to walk from bed to the bathroom without either being sick or fainting as the fluid was leaking and wouldnt stop..... needless to say, that has gave me the worst fear of anything going near my back!!

The gas and air made me sick everywhere (poor midwife ) but I had the pethidene and was fine with that.

 

[cloud9]

my birth plan said i wanted to manage with gas and air but if i couldn't i would have an epidural...i thought of the contractions as another step closer to meeting to my son but i was in labour 2 hours so i guess i might of felt differently if i had a long labour

 

[kalia]

In labour I forgot such a thing as an epidural existed! OH says I seemed very focused but I would describe it as being opposite to that. Not so much spaced out as off in my own world.

After 55 hours they nearly had to do a caesarian so I was given a spinal block and I remember being scared about how much that would hurt I'd been in labour for 55 hours, baby was stuck, I was on no pain relief in theatre because the gas and air was back in my room in the midwife unit, you'd have thought that would be 10/10 for pain - but I was genuinely scared! I didn't feel it at all!!!! Due to lack of sleep I kept falling asleep and so my daughters birth was a weird experience for me - I only know I was awake at the time because I must have been pushing at the time for them to get her out. For a while I didn't really feel like I'd given birth to her, more that she had been born without my actions because I was not aware of her being born. But that is to do with exhaustion as much as the spinal block.

I know a spinal block is different to an epidural but I would definitely consider an epidural next time if I felt I couldn't cope. Just go in with an open mind and take things as they come. Stay at home as long as possible - I went in after 40 hours Actually, I'm just saying that because it's what people say - I quite liked it in the midwife unit, it was a nice adventure. Eat when labour starts - for most of labour I really wasn't interested in food so eat early to keep your energy levels up. The more positive you feel the less pain relief you will feel you need. But if you feel you need it, take everything you want!

 

[daftscotslass]

I didnt have one and never will have one no matter how bad the pain is. I had several lumber punctures when I was younger and the last one went horribly wrong, signed off work for 6wks, stuck on the bed the whole time only being able to walk from bed to the bathroom without either being sick or fainting as the fluid was leaking and wouldnt stop..... needless to say, that has gave me the worst fear of anything going near my back!!

The gas and air made me sick everywhere (poor midwife ) but I had the pethidene and was fine with that.

I remember the spinal headaches well.. put me off epidurals for life.

 

[Sherlock]

OK I know I had a homebirth and an epi was never an option but I managed with breathing techniques, a short burst of TENS, water and for pushing stage a bit of entinox and gravity.

What got you through the pain?

Not having pain relief too soon. It allowed me to build up a level of tolerance and my body adjusted to the waves of pain. I also remembered that although it hurt it would pass soon enough each time. It was only a minute or so on average when at the worst but it wasn't the kind of pain to make you cry, more a slow intense deep down pain. It never got so bad I wanted any other pain relief.

I stayed very mobile and used a pool. I breathed through the contractions and relaxed into them as much as possible and tried not to tense up when they happened. Open palms and face up when lying in the pool. Eyes closed and breathing in one way, out the other. Don't focus on the pain, focus on your body relaxing and opening up for your baby.

Also used the stairs to lean on and position hips apart etc to ease pressure.

What other pain relief did you use?

TENS for about an hour in actual first stage. The got into pool after about 5 hours of labour and stayed in for 4 hours.
Got out, walked around, found a position I liked for pushing and went with it. Used entinox then as each contraction peaked then breathed down off of it.

Would you have an epidural next time?

Never wanted or needed one in my labour and I'd certainly feel happy going through that sort of labour again without any IV drugs.

 

[Jade&Evie]

i had a quick first labour (6 hours from first contraction to Evie being born) but didn't have the Epi.

Stayed at home for first 3 hours and used paracetemol nd the bath. The water really really helped.

Got to hospital at 6cm and used the pool there too. Had a few puffs of Gas and Air but made me sick so didn't use it.

Evie was born on just a couple of paracetemol and a long bath.....I was well chuffed and the my Nan came out with "You shouldn't take paracetemol when you are pregnant!"

FWIW I was the girl who said she would DEMAND an epi the moment she stepped into the hospital!

You'll be fine. A lot of the time labour is the most natural thing you will ever do and if you do have any difficulties then you will be in safe hands. Don't be a matyr and refuse the epi if you want it!

 

[ASD123456]

I was like you too and wanted to avoid an epi at all costs.

The advice I would give is to stay at home for as long as possible, I'm a firm believer that you are a million times more relaxed at home which helps heck of a lot with the pain. If I had arrived at the hossy an hour earlier than I did I would have probably ended up with an epi regardless of my feeling prior to going into labour.

I used a TENS and water (bath) until I was about 9cm and only then did I get the G & A which looking back did really help to take the edge off the pain, only rubbish thing was I was sucking so hard the mouthpiece kept falling off.

Good luck with it all and I'm sure you'll manage it without, if not, that no failing on your part- I was begging anyone who would listen for an epi- luckily I was too far gone by then!

Alex xxx

 

[clarey]

I managed with paracetamol and G&A, bouncing on a ball and OH massaging my back through contractions and I was coping really well, until the pushing started and after 2 1/2 hours of that I was just too tired to take the pain of assisted delivery so they gave me a spinal for the forceps bit and my god what a relief!

I would still try and do it the natural way next time but the most important thing is to keep an open mind and accept that your plan is just a plan, I was really disappointed for weeks afterwards that I 'gave in' but at the time there was no way I could have done it without the spinal. Good luck hun

 

[BabyMagic]

What got you through the pain?

WATER, WATER and MORE WATER!!!! First a shower at home (for about 2 - 3 hours) and then a birthing pool in the birthing centre at hospital (for about 20 minutes and the baby was out), hard massage on a lower back on the way to hospital, breathing (I found 20/20 breathing from Hypnobirthing particularly useful, makes contractions feel shorter).

Also at home I listened to hypnobirthing and meditative music CDs (which I had been listening from about 34 weeks). I wanted to be on my own at this stage. I kind of went to myself...

What other pain relief did you use?

None.

Would you have an epidural next time?

Nope, but like Fran said don't try to be an martyr. Just go with a flow. You'll be allright, just don't have too high expectations of yourself!!!

Good luck

 

[Jollypops]

I didnt have time to research before i went into labour but knew that i didnt want any needles if i could help it. Luckly i only had g&a and my labour was pretty short, but would say that i found it funny how i just seemed to cope with it and it wasn't as bad as i'd thought. I think you may pretty much want to keep all options open and use them if you need it. Everyone one copes with it differently.

 

[LisaJ1986]

In my birth plan i said i just wanted G&A and was open minded to pethidine. But when it came to it i couldn't stand the G&A and they gave me pethidine. I begged for any drug to take the pain away. But they refused anything as my labour was so damn fast! Even the pethidine was too late so hadn't kicked in before baby was born! I was begging for an epidural just before i needed to push! Lol

 

[lisa282]

I also chose not to have an epi for similar reasons. I didnt like the thought of being confined to bed and lying on my back for hours on end. I also wanted to experience labour and not float through it without knowing what my body was doing.

I never regretted the decision and managed my labour with mostly just g&a. Dont get me wrong when things get hard, you do consider most things, but by that stage its usually too late anyway. I also said I didnt want pethidine, as I know how powerful it can be, but I caved when in pain and totally regretted it. Just a few minutes after the injection I was violently sick several times and hated the feeling of it, but luckily being so sick made the effects wear off pretty quick. I would personally NEVER have this again, it didnt suit me and I hated how it made me feel...also did nothing for the pain.

In the end I managed on G&A alone, and it served me well. It doesnt take the pain away, but kind of detaches you from it so you can manage it better. Plus it makes you breathe in a rhythm, which is ultimately what will work better than anything else. I did get a little bit TOO attached to it though at times and had to have it taken from me at the end, I was getting really out of it, but only because I kept breathing it without a break.

This time I intend to have just g&a, but also have booked for a waterbirth so hoping that will also help. I coped well last time and believe it or not had a really good birth experience, so hoping this one is the same! However, Im not a martyr and will take things as they come on the day, if Im struggling then will consider something stronger x

 

[Mrs_Jay]

I just used gas and air, and i found it took the edge off the pain, and tbh it mainly helped just because it gave me something to concentrate on rather than just having the pain to think about iykwim. I always was terrified of an epi coz i didnt like the idea of a big needle in my back so i think that was enough for me to manage withour it. My labour was quite quick tho (7 and a half hours) so prehaps if it has been longer i would have changed my mind. But so far im still thinking no epi again this time

 

[lea m]

I had diamorphine and I really dont recommend it! My options were G&A, diamorphine (pethedine makes me sicker) and an epi!
I was scared of the epi tbh and I tried just G&A and I couldnt do it! So my only choice was diamorphine!
This time however Im considering a water birth, an epi, anything BUT diamorphine haha
The best thing to do it be flexible and do not be disappointed in yourself if you choose to take something! Its not a contest! I feel a lot of women feel bad that they had to have pain relief and that is silly! People react to pain in all sorts of ways! Some have higher pain threasholds etc if you choose a water birth with G&A but find it too much and want something else then do it! Go with it hun!
I think it was midna who said " keep an open mind"

 

[Steelgoddess]

Wow girls thanks so much for all the info and feedback!!!!

I have in my birth plan that I do NOT want an epi however if it becomes too much I may have one.

I guess I used to take anything and everything I was always drugged up, oo my head, take tabs, oh a tummy ache, take a tablet, oh i have a cold have a lemsip, and I have asthma so used to take my inhalers so much!!

Now I cut that out, if its a continuous pain then I will have medication but i found not taking it helped my body deal with things in different ways and within 20mins whatever i had would be gone, if not i knew for sure I was ill or needed a sleep...

I guess with labour I kinda see it as that pain is there for a reason and although I won't know how long it will last I know it will end so I guess I will bare it for that reason, deffo won't be a marter, never come on here and thought oh she had an epi or pethadine thats so weak, because everyone deals with pain differently...

I also think like someone else said that I want to experience it however it is, it could be great or a nightmare who knows...

 

[trixipaws]

i had a natural birth with no drugs or epi, and i would do it again without them
the water really really helps with the pain (to some extent!) do u no what tho one main thing that got me thru the (im sorry but it is- u need to be prepared) horrendous pain was being in my own home with my boyf. i cannot imagine being in unfamiliar surroundings possible to the sound of other women screaming while ur going thru labour must be hideous!
and the breaks in between contractions, u do want them to last longer but looking back they are just enough to make it all bearable.
i had a tiny bit of gas and air which was lovely as u feel all detatched (kinda off ur head tbh) but its doesnt make the pain hurt any less. and i had to do the worst bit without it so i wouldnt say that got me thru it at all

if im honest tho right at the end i WOULD have "given in" and taken drugs/epi/even a c-section wouldve been welcomed but they werent available to me as i had a home birth and besides i was literally speechless from the pain i could not hav asked for them if i'd tried! but i can TOTALLY see why if mums are offered them at 9/10cms they would just nod their heads and get it, possibly regretting it later. i wouldve probably!