Needle Or Not That Is The Question?

I had my son naturally so can't give any advice on what it's like to have an epidural. He was actually two weeks late - I went into the hospital on a wednesday, they had me walking the grounds up and down LOL and he just wasn't ready to come out LOL. They induced me Thursday night at 10pm and I had him at 2am the next morning. I actually pushed too early and tore badly. I recovered well though and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it naturally. I have a high tolerance for pain so even though it was tough going. it wasn't all that bad. My twin sister has four kids and she popped them out like there was no tommorrow. So I thought, I can do that LOL YOu do what's best for you minnie and I'm sure it will all work out in the end. I have had friends and family say that it worked for them, and others say that it didn't and they could still feel the contractions. Everyone is different :)

I was really worried about the epidural when I was expecting. My sister had some problems as a result of hers and ended up with migraines so bad that she couldn't nurse due to the meds they had to put her on for the migraines. This was about 20 years ago. What my doctor told me about it made me feel a lot better about it. Years ago the Ob/Gyn used to be the doctor who administered the shot. Now it is a specialized area of medicine. There are anesthetists(mispelled, I'm sure) who jobs it is to administer epidurals for the hospital and they do thousands and thousands of them in a month. You Ob/Gyn and the Ob. Nurse when know when the right time to administer it is. There is a lot of talk about waiting too late to have it done, etc., but I think that is not as much an issue these days any more either. My advice to you is to express every single concern you have to your doctor and see how you feel about their responses to your concerns.

I had the epidural, and I still felt the pressure but I have backaches now, and they say that with an epidural it could leatd to backache in the future.

I am a RN who has not worked much in the OB department but I know about pain and pain killers. 1. A person is more relaxed if they are not in so much pain. 2. A relaxed person has an easier time delivering when they are relaxed. 3. A person who is not in so much pain will heal faster. 4. Why put yourself through such pain if you are scarded and no not need to. I know there are a lot of women out there who will give you advice on not taking the epidural because of the effects on the baby. I have not seen nor head of any long term problems with an epidrual on the baby. For the most part a epidural does not even get into the blood stream. The doctor will be putting numbing medication into your spinal cord. I do know that once a person is in pain it takes more pain meds to work and longer to work. If a person continues to stay in pain they heal slower. Do what is right for your only you know that. Good luck to you and your blessed arrival. teapot

I had a spinal block for my 2nd c-section - it is one shot instead of a catheter - I hated it. I didn't feel a thing - for hours. It was 8 hours later before they removed the catheter and let me try to get out of bed. And for a few hours it felt like my legs and feet were asleep, but I couldn't move them. I don't know how different that is from a regular epidural, but if I had a choice I wouldn't do it again. For me I would rather the pain of labor than being stuck in bed with a catheter trying to get the tingling to stop in my legs for hours.

Epidural is the best way. I had it when I gave birth to my baby and it was a great relief not to feel the pain of labour. I started with gas but when the contractions were bad, I couldn't keep on inhaling it as I had to concentrate on trying to ease the pain. The reaction time for epidural is very quick so you get almost instant relief. I have not tried other methods of pain relief (except gas) but I'm glad I opted for an epidural. Of course, you have to consider the side effects. Because it is injected into the spinal column it is a little bit risky. But then all forms of pain relief each have side effects. Read up on the other types and see what you think is best for you and your baby.

When I have my second daughter I swore I did not want an epidural. I fought tooth and nail not to get one. But seven hours into labor, I couldn't handle it any more and I was pushing uncontrollably when I wasn't suppose to. So, I bit the big one and had the epidural. Five minutes later she was born. All I could think about was, that was a waste of a pain killer. That is until the doctor informed that my baby had ripped me three different times and he was sewing my up, so to speak. I felt nothing, and you have no idea what a good thing that was. lol When I started having contractions with my third daughter I begged for the epidural, but I couldn't get one because I was too far dialate (spelled wrong, I'm sure). My labor was induced so it was much worse than if I had of went into labor on my own. But she was born within fifteen minutes of the first contraction that I felt. If you aren't afraid of the needle, it's not a bad thing to get. I was scared at first because I had heard that you could become paralized from it. But I turned out okay.

I have had 3 c-sections, my first being an emergency and the other 2 planned, so I have had 3 spinals. The actual process of getting one done wasn't a big deal to me, it wasn't very painful at all and any discomfort went away fast and the meds kicked in very quickly. The only bad experience I had with one was with my first. Getting it was no problem but after the birth I got a spinal headache from it and that is like a serious migraine, it was not pleasant at all and made it hard for me to rest while I was in the hospital because I felt so sick from it. I had no problems at all with my other 2. I am not sure how different epi's and spinals are but I can't imagine that they are too different other than the placement of the needle in the spine, so I figured I'd share my experience with you.

I had 2 kids by c-section and had the epidural both times. The first time I didn't know I was going to have the c-section so they just went ahead and gave me the epidural as normal when I asked for it. I had back labor and OMG it hurt like hell. I didn't feel any of the other contractions until I started having back labor and 5 minutes after the epidural I was just fine. Very relaxed with it. The second I did know I was having a c-section and they gave me the choice for an epidural or a block and I chose the epidural b/c your in a more relaxed setting and all the drs are not staring at you waiting for the spinal block to take. It was nice and again didn't take that long to kick in. The only thing I don't like about the epidural is the shakes you get. Not everyone gets them but some do. Good luck.

Personally, I don't recommend an epidural at all. I had my daughter when I was 39. They induced labor at 6 in the morning, gave me an epidual at noon, by 6p, she hadn't come and the epidural had worn off. She didn't arrive until after 8 and even then they had to suction her. I have had back problems ever since. In fact, a chiropractor, told me I have a herniated disk due to my last pregnancy. And lastly, I really didn't like the way the epidural made me feel. Not having control of my limbs was really freaky feeling to me.

I had an epidural with my eldest child, so that is like nearly 17 years ago!! I had to have it as I was in labour for 3 days, enough said!! But although it was very good, it slowed my labour down even more and as I could not feel much from my waist down I could not feel to push and ended up with forceps delivery. With my other 3 I had gas and air, all I can say is it is brilliant stuff!! But you have to be shown how to use it properly or else it does not work well, I felt like I was flying, what a buzz its brilliant.

My first was so fast that I never got to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore but with my second I was getting really tired and it felt so much worse than my first birthing! I used the laughing gas and I really reccomend it at least as a first try! It doesn't actually make you laugh unless you get a little too much in your system - but even if you do you just think it's funny. (get it?) I loved it because it gave me something to really focus my breathing - you have to really concentrate on breathing properly to avoid the aforementioned OD. It takes your focus off the contraction and the edge off the pain and it doesn't stay in your system or cross the placenta to the baby - so the baby remains completely unaffected. I didn't know before about the risks of epidurals causing back pain later on, but personally I wouldn't risk that - I'd rather be in short term agony than live with a sore back. My backs already not the best, but not worth complaining about next to some people! But whatever you decide, it will be the right decision for you.

I might be out of my league here but, I've had an epidural. I had a hip replacement a couple of years ago and I had the choice between local or an epidural. I chose the epi because I didn't want to be sick afterwards. My wife is an L&D nurse and she only wants the mother to be as comfortable as possible. If you don't have an epi and you have an episiotomy you'll wish you'd had an epi. It also depends on how big the baby is but this being your third, congrats, the birth will go fast so your decision might be made too late. Ask your nurse what your options are based on how far you're dialated, sometimes if you're too far past the point an epi won't matter. Good luck.

Back when I had children if you didn't get the epidural early enough, you didn't get it. And you had to have it fairly early in labor. My first child I was in full blown, fully dilated, pushing labor for 12 hours before they finally realized that he wasn't going to come naturally and they did an emergency c-section. Well that was enough labor for me. My other two were PLANNED c-sections. My spiritually adopted daughter has had 2 children. With her first one, she had the epidural as soon as they would give it to her. She was so scared of the pain. It worked like a charm. She had no pain. She didn't even feel the baby come out. I envied her so. However it did cause some distress to the baby. She is fine now but when she was born it took a few minutes to get her color and get her breathing. They never told my daughter this but I saw. When she had her second one, I wasn't there sadly, but she again opted for the epidural as soon as possible. Well apparently they did not administer it correctly. They put it too low and all it did was numb her legs. Then she could not be given more so she got the whole experience. They couldn't give her any other kind of pain meds due to the epidural already in her system. So I don't know for sure, I have no personal experience to share but maybe my daughter's stories will help you decide in some way.

I had an epidural with my first.. none with my second.. If I were to give birth again, I'm pretty sure I'd go for the epidural..

I needed the needle when I had my baby. I had thick bones and little space. You know they say that the large boned girls have an easy time because they look so healthy, but that is not true. If you have medium or small bones the space inside can carry the baby, but if you have large bones, they invade the baby's space and since they are heavier. Well I needed forceps, and cut. So I would have been in a lot of pain. I did not have a second chance to see if now that they have been stretched, I no longer need an epidural, so I really cannot say. All I know is if you are going to be in a lot of pain and want to see the baby instead of being knocked out, take the local.

Don't be so hard on yourself! You're not a wuss, and even if you were, what's wrong with that? I say if you feel you want to have an epidural, go for it. I did and I have no regrets. The only risk is if you sit up too soon you may end up having a terrible headache, so just stay flat on your back as long as they tell you to. You'll more fully be able to appreciate the moment your baby is born, free from pain. Good luck! Annie

Well, i thank God for the epidural... i have very low tolerance to pain... but i thought i can make it during the delivery by not taking anything... but halfway... i though i would die because of the pain... and i was struggling really hard... so the doctor decided to put me under the epidural... and i did not object... But since i cannot feel anything from the waist down... it was difficult for me to push... so the doctor had to use forceps to pull my baby out... and i am glad she did...

I missed out on the epidural the first time around as I was too far gone by the time I asked - but then ended up with a spinal block for an emergency c-section anyway. Second time I was booked in for a c-section as I can't deliver naturally. I must say that the spinal block (similar to an epidural) was the biggest relief I have ever felt - especially after 24 hours of full blown labour & 1 1/2 hours of pushing! I have a few friends that have had epidurals & had pain & trouble free labours, then I have others that had trouble giving birth because they had one & had no idea what was happening because they couldn't feel anything.

I had my spinal with my son, he is my 2nd child my first I had very little pain medication. The spinal was AWSOME. I had a c-section though ( that was my choice). I have heard that the epidural is very much the same as a spinal. If I knew that having that was going to make labour so easy I would have had my second child years ago