What does an epidural feel like?

[x_PlaceboDanii]

Im talking the whole thing from start to finish, as this is my first baby i dont know what to expect?

Its about the only pain relief that sounds favourable to me as i dont really like the sound of gas and air as ive watched one too many 'One born every minute' programmes and always seem to see woman throw up everywhere when they have the gas and air!, im a puke-a-phobe incase no ones noticed yet ..Ive also got a bit of a phobia of needles but seem to be completely fine when im not shown the needle or told what I can expect to feel, i dont want diamorphine or pethadine as im not keen on the drunk and forgetful feeling either!

Im also not that big on pain so im hoping an epidural will help me deal with it a lot more because im a wuss..There i admitted it

So what was everyone elses experiences like with an epidural?

 

[JJ Mum]

I have only had the spinal version, where they give you enough via your back to get through a C-section rather than the one for labour, but they must be very simular.

They sit you on the edge of a bed leaning forward and put a needle into your spine and leave a flexible end in so they can top up, it does hurt a bit and I always cried at that bit, more nerves really. they lay you down pretty quick as its fast to take hold. They lay you on a slant in a section as can't lay you flat on the bit in your back.The back bit doesn't hurt at all after that!

Mine always numbs me a bit too well, and end up not feeling much of my arms and up to middle of my boobs, all leg feeling will have gone too.

Just to warn you , the stuff in the epidural can make some people sick just the same as the others you have mentioned. I was always sick before the baby came out, last time I was sick after and oh had to hold baby for the first hour in theatre as I was far too busy being sick! They can give you antisickness stuff when they find out you feel rough

I didn't feel a thing! so its fab....

 

[titch]

Ive got to say I hated having the spinal put in. He kept catching a nerve and it literally shot pain down my leg. *shudder*

OH had one lol for some surgery he had and hes a proper mans man, he broke his hand and left it48 hours before giving in and going to hospital, then hid has cast under a sleeve so that he didnt have to call in sick to work BUT he nearly fainted having the epidural and had to be laid down on his side

 

[Froslass]

I was on the drip with no break between contractions, so didn't even notice them.putting it in...

The relief was amazing, could still feel the tightening but no pain x didn't feel it coming out at all cause it hadn't worn off and I was still.a bit.numb feeling x

It was a biy bruised for a week or so where they'd put it in but honestly it wasn't that bad Xxx

I didn't need pain relief until the drip was.up full and only had the epi cause there was no break and i was.in so much pain x

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[titch]

I had the drip and they told me I had to have an epidural before they started it cos the pain is unaturally strong, you mustve done so well to cope without it. I do feel a bit gutted I wasnt allowed to try.

 

[Mrs. KM]

I had an epidural and it was heaven! Barely even noticed it being done compared to the contractions I was having! It was the only pain relief I had. I did still puke though, a lot! Between every push for two hours. The nurse said it is common to vomit when you reach 10cm. Good luck! I would never do it without an epidural

 

[cosmicgirl]

Epidurals rule! Sharp scratch when the local goes in and then you don't feel anything else, it's great x

 

[Froslass]

Tiny uneasy dying I really was - was coping soooo well until it hit max and got to the point I was being sick with pain - the epi was the best thing ever but I honestly.think it stopped me progressing fast enough x

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[Laineeb]

It felt like a few little electric shocks when it was going in. It was a weird sensation rather than pain to me. It works instantly though. I was getting induced by drip so no break with contractions and the epidural was such a relief. It let me get some much needed sleep. It did wear off a couple of times down one side but they just topped it up.

 

[ISH]

I was in so much pain from contractions, I didn't feel a thing when they put it in. Not that I would have cared if I had felt it, by that point I'd given them a choice: epidural or mercy killing! LOL!

 

[JoJo79]

Epidurals rule! Sharp scratch when the local goes in and then you don't feel anything else, it's great x

Mine felt like this too altho after the sharp scratch it just felt like someone was pushing on my back but no pain and the relief is amazing xx

 

[katie_lou]

Im talking the whole thing from start to finish, as this is my first baby i dont know what to expect?

Its about the only pain relief that sounds favourable to me as i dont really like the sound of gas and air as ive watched one too many 'One born every minute' programmes and always seem to see woman throw up everywhere when they have the gas and air!, im a puke-a-phobe incase no ones noticed yet ..Ive also got a bit of a phobia of needles but seem to be completely fine when im not shown the needle or told what I can expect to feel, i dont want diamorphine or pethadine as im not keen on the drunk and forgetful feeling either!

Im also not that big on pain so im hoping an epidural will help me deal with it a lot more because im a wuss..There i admitted it

So what was everyone elses experiences like with an epidural?

Have you thought about dimorpine it's brilliant and it really helped me xx

 

[kaz1983]

This sounds like it could be the thing for me. MW has referred me to anaesthetist just to have a chat about things like this in advance

Cos, you see when you say you dont feel a thing after it goes in do you mean like you dont feel as much pain etc?xx

 

[Mrs. KM]

This sounds like it could be the thing for me. MW has referred me to anaesthetist just to have a chat about things like this in advance

Cos, you see when you say you dont feel a thing after it goes in do you mean like you dont feel as much pain etc?xx

I felt no pain at all! Had a third degree tear and stitches took an hour, and didn't feel a thing. You are supposed to feel pressure though and I didnt which made it hard to push because I didnt have the urge to push.

 

[x_PlaceboDanii]

Im talking the whole thing from start to finish, as this is my first baby i dont know what to expect?

Its about the only pain relief that sounds favourable to me as i dont really like the sound of gas and air as ive watched one too many 'One born every minute' programmes and always seem to see woman throw up everywhere when they have the gas and air!, im a puke-a-phobe incase no ones noticed yet ..Ive also got a bit of a phobia of needles but seem to be completely fine when im not shown the needle or told what I can expect to feel, i dont want diamorphine or pethadine as im not keen on the drunk and forgetful feeling either!

Im also not that big on pain so im hoping an epidural will help me deal with it a lot more because im a wuss..There i admitted it

So what was everyone elses experiences like with an epidural?

Have you thought about dimorpine it's brilliant and it really helped me xx

I have thought about it but im needle phobic so the slightest thing about needles makes me feel so uneasy. If i dont see the needle im usually fine!, but with diamorphine injections going in your thigh id see it and get a bit freaked .

Thanks for all the comments ladies it really has made it a bit easier for me to decide my medium of pain relief x

 

[titch]

Epidurals rule! Sharp scratch when the local goes in and then you don't feel anything else, it's great x

Mine felt like this too altho after the sharp scratch it just felt like someone was pushing on my back but no pain and the relief is amazing xx

I think he mustve done mine wrong...

 

[AugustMum]

I had a spinal and they had to do it very quick (OH was told if they couldn't get it in quick enough I would of been put under) but I didn't even feel it go in! I just remember my legs strating to feel weird and then feeling like I was going to fall asleep because I couldn't feel contractions anymore so all the tiredness hit me lol.

 

[Dustbunny]

I was induced and had excrutiating contractions from the get go so didn't feel the needle go in at all. I did however feel it when he hit a nerve, poor midwife got kicked between the legs lol.

They taped the tube up my back so it could be topped up easily. They made me stay flat for half hour, something to do with laying on one side could cause just that side to go numb. When they topped my epi up I felt nothing other than cold running down my back. After that I could have forgotten I was in labour as I couldn't feel a thing. They insisted on letting it wear off quite a lot before I pushed so I could feel what I was doing but after the induction part of labour the pushing was easy hehe.

Oh one funny thing, I knew my legs were numb but forgot that my stomach muscles etc were numb so when I tried to sit myself up I came close to slipping off the end of the bed. OH and midwife couldn't stop laughing.

 

[JoJo79]

Im talking the whole thing from start to finish, as this is my first baby i dont know what to expect?

Its about the only pain relief that sounds favourable to me as i dont really like the sound of gas and air as ive watched one too many 'One born every minute' programmes and always seem to see woman throw up everywhere when they have the gas and air!, im a puke-a-phobe incase no ones noticed yet ..Ive also got a bit of a phobia of needles but seem to be completely fine when im not shown the needle or told what I can expect to feel, i dont want diamorphine or pethadine as im not keen on the drunk and forgetful feeling either!

Im also not that big on pain so im hoping an epidural will help me deal with it a lot more because im a wuss..There i admitted it

So what was everyone elses experiences like with an epidural?

Have you thought about dimorpine it's brilliant and it really helped me xx

I have thought about it but im needle phobic so the slightest thing about needles makes me feel so uneasy. If i dont see the needle im usually fine!, but with diamorphine injections going in your thigh id see it and get a bit freaked .

Thanks for all the comments ladies it really has made it a bit easier for me to decide my medium of pain relief x

Totally understand your fear hunni i have an irrational fear of needles to the point of having no bloods taken in any of my 3 pregnancies,

Ive had 2 epidurals and a spinal, trust me your fear goes away if your in that much pain!

With my first they were gonna give me a section if the ventouse delivery failed (luckily it didnt) so my epidural was topped up that much they had to tell me when to push as i had no feeling at all,

With my second i had no pain at all but could feel my stomach tightening with the contractions so knew when to push and felt baby being born, which was strange but good iyswim.

Think it depends on you they can take the pain away but your still in control.

Hope this helps xxx

 

[Loula]

hmmm this is what ive always wondered and i see them being done everyday...A spinal is a one off injection in the back that lasts for up to 4-6 hours and an epidural is one they can top up...

Not sure if either appeal to me as im also needle phobic and have seen the biggest of men pass out from these.

Think i shall see what pain is worse a sharp scatch or a contraction lol xx