opinions about epidurals

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Jul 21, 2006

Well there are risks with any and all medical procedures, especially drugs (people just react differently to them).

My first birth was a natural birth, no drugs, no nothing. That is what I wanted at the time and was happy with my choice. It's always better that the better doesn't have drugs in her/his system I think we could all agree on that. But in the end I didn't get any medals for going through all that pain, I wouldn't do it again.

My second birth I asked for all the drugs, including the epidural and loved it!!! LOL I just wasn't in the mindset like I was with my first birth, to deal with the pain of labor. If I got pregnant again I would use an epidural again to be honest.

I had no problems with the epidural or any of the drugs and I had no problems with my daughter after she was born, she was able to start nursing right away. Her apgar was a 9.

But I have a friend who had an epidural and had a horrible allergic reaction to the drugs in it!!! She was in so much pain and was itching allll over, she had to stay in the hospital an extra day because of the allergic reaction. So there is definatly risks involved.

2curlygirls · Jul 21, 2006

i've had 2 epidurals. both times, I progressed quickly to complete. both times, i felt pressure but no pain so i pushed effectively (1/2 hour with 1st babe, 2 pushes with 2nd) no complications, breast fed immediately after, i was up and about within an hour of delivery. what's not to love?

i know the risks but i had pit with both deliveries and ooowee. i was too tense i think to dilate.

hospitalstaph · Jul 21, 2006

In many respects I agree with the above post. There are risks involved. Most of the time there are no problems, but sometimes there are.

Of three births, I had an epidural with two. The "all natural" one was by far my favorite. The only bad part was all of the women who felt it was their place to tell me how crazy I was not to request an epidural. :uhoh3:

If patients are informed of the risk, go for it. Besides with all of the lovely childbirth horror stories that women hear while they are pregnant, it's no wonder that most of them are terrified by the time labor starts. It's wonderful that we have the choice of an epidural and I think that it can certainly be a tremendous benefit in a very long or very hard labor.

T

Jayla · Jul 21, 2006

In many respects I agree with the above post. There are risks involved. Most of the time there are no problems, but sometimes there are.
Of three births, I had an epidural with two. The "all natural" one was by far my favorite. The only bad part was all of the women who felt it was their place to tell me how crazy I was not to request an epidural.
If patients are informed of the risk, go for it. Besides with all of the lovely childbirth horror stories that women hear while they are pregnant, it's no wonder that most of them are terrified by the time labor starts. It's wonderful that we have the choice of an epidural and I think that it can certainly be a tremendous benefit in a very long or very hard labor.
T

THanks for the responses! Just curious--what made the "all natural" experience your favorite?

hospitalstaph · Jul 21, 2006

THanks for the responses! Just curious--what made the "all natural" experience your favorite?

Well, I guess that I just felt more in control. I loved being able to walk around while I labored and found it to be soooo much easier than lying in bed. It was a 22 hour labor and I can honestly say that it was not challenging until the last 5-7 minutes. But boy was she a handful! Maybe a few drugs in her system would have helped:lol2:

T

Suebee6 · Jul 22, 2006

My personal preference for my body is yes I love them and cannot imagine birth without them. I have had 6 babies, 6 epidurals. Most of them were great epis, in that I could feel pressure to push and even felt the baby coming out, but it didnt hurt. I was in control and enjoyed their births. That said I dont try to influence anyone' choice either way. I have seen many women give birth without them and some say they will NEVER do it again, and some say they would do it again. I have heard horror stories from visitors in rooms about their great aunts sister's cousin who still "ain't right " after she got one of "them epidermals" (of course usually right before the poor scared primip gets her epi) but I am lucky to work with very skilled anesthesiologists who do many many of them a day and rarely ever have anything go wrong.

Lets see..the patients who do complain will complain that their legs are too numb, but we can adjust that...some do itch a little but they say they will take the trade off, and we do have a few with BP drops but that is easily fixed too.

babynurse2001 · Jul 22, 2006

Perhaps I'm just crazy... But am I the only one out here left who finds value in the awesome power of labor? You know - the value of women discovering excatly what their bodies are capable of? That they can do this thing that their mothers, aunts, grandmothers did? There is also value for the significant other to witness this powerful force called labor.... and knowing that their partner is a strong and capable woman?

It's true that coaching a woman through a natural labor is very hard and time consuming work, but doesn't anybody else love it?

Doesn't anybody else get sick of piling on intervention after intervention that comes with anesthesia? Itching, vomiting, cathing, decels...

Me, 2 babies, no epidurals. I know how strong I am and remember it every day when I parent my 3 and 5 year olds.

adnstudent2007 · Jul 22, 2006

I started out at a birthing center. EI asked for something pretty early on in my labor I was had some narcotic, I think it may have Nubain, and that was awful. I would NEVER do that again. I felt awful, was totally out of it, and ended up being transferred to the hospital with failure to progress. At the hospital I got an epidural and some pitocin. I guess at that point the Nubain wore off and the epidural kicked in so I was much more relaxed and I felt like I could go forever:yelclap: ! I think if I ever have another baby, I would NOT do the narcotic thing. But I did love that epidural.

Guess that makes me a weak women.

2curlygirls · Jul 22, 2006

[ I know how strong I am and remember it every day when I parent my 3 and 5 year olds.

Good for you! That's awesome! But, I'm pretty strong too, epidurals aside. I happily remember my births everyday caring for my 2 1/2 year and 2 1/2 month old! My body too is capable of wonderful things! :balloons:

KScott · Jul 22, 2006

My first son was 6 weeks premature and they didn't do epidurals then. I got nothing, but Pitocin and an enema. They tried to give me gas in the delivery room, but the thing on my face freaked me out.

My second son, born just 16 months later and full term, came during the Lamaze craze. I got nothing.

My third son, was 6 weeks early. This time I got by without the enema. For pain, I got nothing.

My fourth son came ten years after my second. He was my biggest baby and full term. By this time, I figured I'd done it three times before with nothing, I could do it again and I did.

Now, do I think women should go natural, or do the epidural thing? I'm glad I know what it really feels like, but I wouldn't wish it on anybody. It's a personal decision.

nursemelani · Jul 22, 2006

My labor started with my water breaking when I was one day shy of 36 weeks. When I got to the hospital I was having weak contractions, but since my membranes had ruptured and I wasn't dilated at all, they started me on Pitocin. There went all my plans for a natural childbirth. They wanted me on the monitor and gave me IV antibiotics (standard procedure for PROM). Once the pitocin kicked in I had back labor, with about 5 seconds between contractions. After 10 hours, I was dilated to 4 and asked for an epidural. I believe I may have used the F-word............

Anyway, once I got the epidural, I was pain free and I dilated from 4 to 10 in 2 hours. The doctor did have to use vacuum extraction to help my son out, but I think that my labor would have lasted longer if I didn't have the pain relief so I could relax.