Ok, so we've all heard the horror stories of bad outcomes from epidurals, and the fact that "natural" childbirth is much healthier for mom and baby has probably been drilled into every nurse (maybe not, but this has been my experience). Then there are those occassions when an epidural is a necessity.
So, I'm just curious: what is your personal opinion of epidurals? Whether you work with laboring moms, or have had a baby yourself, or both. What are some personal opinions about and experiences with epidurals...
to me that doesn't seem crazy, they're just asking questions. if they're rookies, shouldn't allowance be made for their curiosity?
:wink2: tofutti
ob has become crazy - its the only area where the patient can dictate what treatment she will get. i think the ob's train the patients to mouth the words "i want my epidural" as soon as they walk in the door so they don't have to deal with anxious, unprepared women in the room. op - it has become a crazy world when the patients ask in all seriousness - "i can just ask for a section - right?" and "when do i get my epidural." some of these patients aren't even dilated yet - sex itself has to hurt worst than the contractions they're having at that point. the better your insurance, the more likely you are to have a c-section. period.
My personal opinion is that it's a personal choice. I've had two babies- one with an epi and one without. The first one was with an epidural and was absolutely heavenly. I was cracking jokes and laughing the whole time. Who else can say that?? lol... I didn't feel ANYthing the whole time. Niiiice. My second one was without any epidural. I wanted one, but had a fast labor (2 hours), so it wasn't possible. It was veryveryveryvurry painful- no tears, but some (some, lol...) screams and sweat. Lots of sweat and irritation. But, I felt everything- the urge to push, him coming out, etc. So, I have to honestly say that (it's been 9 months) the second labor was my favorite because I experienced more and forgot about the pain the second it was over.
But if I ever have another baby, I'll get an epidural. lol... Now there's the truth!
I am almost 37 weeks pregnant, it's my body and if I want to have an epidural I’m getting one. If that makes my L&D nurse thinks that I am a "wimp" then that is her/his problem! It's not about the nurse it's about the patient. Sorry if medicated births are making your job "less fun." Also, I pay a lot of money for my health insurance and to suggest that I should have to pay out of pocket for pain relief is absurd. Who is going to judge whether an epidural is medically necessary anyway? I certainly would hope that it wouldn't be left up to a nurse with your attitude that women who want epidurals are "wimps."
I am really tired of this attitude that makes women feel they have to prove a point by suffering. With my first child the contractions really did feel like menstrual cramps and even though I had a c-sec in the end because he was transverse I did make it to 6cm with no pain relief. I don’t think that makes me better or tougher than anyone…I just had an easier labor. If I have a similar experience with this baby then I likely won’t request an epidural. However, if I feel like the pain is more than I am willing to tolerate I am getting my epidural and my nurse can go sit on a tack if she thinks that makes me a wimp.
I agree with this. I definitely think it's a personal choice. I don't think anyone who chooses to get an epi is a wimp just as a person who chooses to go natural is Rambo. I was in a fire a few years ago and sustained second and third degree burns. I doubt anyone would think I was a wimp because I was on morphine for two weeks! And believe me, labor was WAY worse!!
OB has become crazy - its the only area where the patient can dictate what treatment she will get. I think the OB's train the patients to mouth the words "I want my epidural" as soon as they walk in the door so they don't have to deal with anxious, unprepared women in the room. OP - it has become a crazy world when the patients ask in all seriousness - "I can just ask for a section - right?" and "When do I get my epidural." Some of these patients aren't even dilated yet - sex itself has to hurt worst than the contractions they're having at that point. The better your insurance, the more likely you are to have a c-section. Period.
I'm not trying to argue with you, but I certainly hope patients in every unit have a right to "dictate" what treatment they receive...
I agree, though, the rate of c-sections is ridiculous. But my opinion on epi's differs from yours.
I have to say, I just started taking a birthing course with my dh. The topic last night was pain control during labor, and a number of women simply wanted to know "when can I get my epidural?" ONe woman actually asked, "so, can I just schedule a cesarean?"
I'm sorry, but this mentality is CRAZY to me! HOw do you know you'll even NEED an epidural if you've never expereinced labor? NOne of these women has had a baby previously.
I agree. I Once had a patient walk into the unit for a scheduled induction ask for her epidural before anything (including the IV) had been done. She was a primip, and was just sure that the epidural was the FIRST thing she needed. Of course, that didn’t happen. So, where does this fear come from? I asked a few patients who fell into this category (primip, desires epidural as soon as possible) how they knew they would even need an epidural. It all boiled down to what they had heard from their "friends." "Oh, my labor was terrible, it felt like I was getting ripped up the middle! Oh, that’s the worst pain I have ever experienced, worse than torture!" Of course, pain is a subjective experience, and much depends on the mindset of the person experiencing the pain. These women have "friends" who have set in their mind that this will be the most awful thing they will ever experience, so, of course that’s exactly what it turns out to be. I feel confident that were previous mothers not quite so melodramatic, we would probably see fewer primips who felt the need for early anesthesia intervention. On the other hand, Tofutti is correct. "When can I get my epidural?" is not an unreasonable question. She might not even be indicating a plan to get one, but rather just seeking information. Not everyone knows that you can’t get an epidural immediately after conception.
OB has become crazy - its the only area where the patient can dictate what treatment she will get. I think the OB's train the patients to mouth the words "I want my epidural" as soon as they walk in the door so they don't have to deal with anxious, unprepared women in the room.
Again, there is some truth to what you have written. Many OB docs do encourage epidurals, for a number of reasons both valid and not valid. However, consider what I and others have written before. First of all, it is not the only area where patients can dictate treatment. Even for surgery, wherever possible I offer my patients choices about anesthesia. Before they ever see me, the surgeon has offered them choices in treatment. (I don’t know of any surgeon who won’t at least explain to the patient whether there are other options than surgery, and what the likely outcome of each of the options is.) In OB, options are even more important. As I have said elsewhere, this is one of the most important days of the patient’s life. In so far as is medically possible, how that day goes should be up to them. We owe them giving them the birth experience they want. However, they do occasionally ask for things that are not reasonable, such as having a section to avoid the whole labor ordeal completely. Even then, we must not only tell the patient that this isn’t possible (though we all know that there are OB docs who would even comply with this request), but why doing so is such a bad idea for both mom and baby.
In the end, it goes back to what I have said before. The day of a child’s birth does not belong to us. It belongs to the family of the child being born. We ALL have a responsibility to respect and follow the mother’s wishes as much as possible. We ALL have a responsibility to make sure that the family’s memories of that day are as positive as we possibly can. We must do so in a manner that in NO way conveys any of our own preferences or prejudices. If we cannot do that, we don’t belong in the OB department at all.
yes, i too am tired of so many interventions, one leading to another. birth has turned into a medical circus because of the litigious society we live in. i never would have dreamed that we would be doing so many inductions, augmentations, high epidural rates and even elective c-sections. our stories of having babies with no drugs or epidurals are like the old stories of walking 10 miles to school..........no one wants to hear them. i used to love my job as a labor nurse. occasionally we have a patient who comes in and gives birth with no intervention whatever and i get to feel the awe and joy i used to.
well, how's this...
i had my daughter and twin sons at home with a midwife and no drugs. i loved every minute of it. (except for back pain with posterior 9# daughter - yow! but sacral pressure really helped, and i was able to do it.) she finally turned while i was pushing.
my twins, of course, flew out after dd paved the way. (i apparently have a pelvis you could drive a truck through - they were vertex, but it really didn't matter. lol) midwife didn't even make it for the first one - only 15 minutes of hard labor, then wham. hubby caught him, and did a good job i might add. i was giving him instructions between pushes -- "support his head... feel... is there a cord around his neck?... is his head turning to the side?..." it was a hilarious scene, i'm sure. :rotfl:
i used breastfeeding to get the contractions to start up again for twin b and to control bleeding after. worked like a charm. 6# 2oz, and 7# 0 respectively, 9:10 & 10:10 apgars (for you sceptics :uhoh21: ). total labor time 3 hrs. 15 min with 2 hrs. 15 min in between twins. (heart tones good the whole time, of course.)
i wouldn't walk 10 miles to school in the snow, but i also wouldn't do birth any other way than in my own bed and drug-free. it is an awesome experience. endorphines are way better than any drug!
i am growing to more against iv narcotics than a good epidural. the reason women are so quick to use pain med/epid. - besides fear and the current mindset of society towards birth - is that so many labors these days are induced &/or augmented with that nasty drug, pitocin. that stuff really increases pain. can we blame them?
perhaps if more women were laboring naturally, they'd end up birthing naturally more often. it's a complex problem.
and - just a side note - i'd need drugs, too, if someone was putting there hands inside my perineum and pulling so hard to nearly pull me off the bed. how can we expect moms to relax and let their baby come out like that! try a warm compress instead.
the first thing i'd do, if i was running things, is get rid of all social inductions and make all routine repeat c-sections wait until at least 39 weeks. i'd also stop this nonsense of changing due dates with subsequent us - esp. when mom has good dates. (i get these kids in the nicu - i clean up the mess of docs playing god too often)
i'd have moms walking in labor instead of straped to monitors stuck in bed, and require the labor nurses to try non-pharm. measures first before giving drugs.
i wouldn't walk 10 miles to school in the snow, but i also wouldn't do birth any other way than in my own bed and drug-free. it is an awesome experience. endorphines are way better than any drug!
i totally agree. :yeahthat:
my last child was also born at home. by far, the awesomest of my births. (is that a word? ) but twins!!! way cool!
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.
perhaps more are looking at the aspect because it can be controlled so not to much is taken away ( ie still feel the pushing not feel pain etc as some have said) the women feel in control. 4 kids no epidural - not even offered or told me about way back when with frst 2 - second 2 came way to fast and hard and painful no time with the 4th even needing an emergency csect - ahhh what bliss it was to be out of pain lool. had it all over to do again ( thank god i DONT) i would choose epidurals if made known to me. i dont recall ANY of my deliveries i was in such pain by the time they got there i couldn't see - yes i appreciate my body made it ( if even barely with the last one - almost lost me) but neither of my husbands liked seeing it in action either - scared the crap out of the second he was white as a ghost last thing i saw as being wheeled from room for emergent c sect. and he wasn't impressed with the other either watching me write in pain was not a good thing for him. so love it hell no - loved being pregnant - even the complications weren't bad - bed rest for 3 months with me getting pampered lol ) - loved after when had baby cradled next to me ( by the way hours after cause i was to exhausted to see them right away or if i did i dont remember it lol) and i dont regret it but love labor - absolutely no and by the way doing a poll of friends they all say the same as me - rather have the drugs and remember the activity in peace lol. then again maybe if wed have tought to camcorder any of them maybe id change my mind and see what i went through n appreciate it more lolol. i also dont feel i was any more strong than anyone who did have drugs - not remebereing i feel i failed - the pain was that intesne. maybe if it had been less painfull for me..........
oopsie did it again - post went to first post instead of last so i am sure ive said this already in here lol - sorry.
I agree. I Once had a patient walk into the unit for a scheduled induction ask for her epidural before anything (including the IV) had been done. She was a primip, and was just sure that the epidural was the FIRST thing she needed. Of course, that didn't happen. So, where does this fear come from? I asked a few patients who fell into this category (primip, desires epidural as soon as possible) how they knew they would even need an epidural. It all boiled down to what they had heard from their "friends." "Oh, my labor was terrible, it felt like I was getting ripped up the middle! Oh, that's the worst pain I have ever experienced, worse than torture!" Of course, pain is a subjective experience, and much depends on the mindset of the person experiencing the pain. These women have "friends" who have set in their mind that this will be the most awful thing they will ever experience, so, of course that's exactly what it turns out to be. I feel confident that were previous mothers not quite so melodramatic, we would probably see fewer primips who felt the need for early anesthesia intervention. On the other hand, Tofutti is correct. "When can I get my epidural?" is not an unreasonable question. She might not even be indicating a plan to get one, but rather just seeking information. Not everyone knows that you can't get an epidural immediately after conception.
Again, there is some truth to what you have written. Many OB docs do encourage epidurals, for a number of reasons both valid and not valid. However, consider what I and others have written before. First of all, it is not the only area where patients can dictate treatment. Even for surgery, wherever possible I offer my patients choices about anesthesia. Before they ever see me, the surgeon has offered them choices in treatment. (I don't know of any surgeon who won't at least explain to the patient whether there are other options than surgery, and what the likely outcome of each of the options is.) In OB, options are even more important. As I have said elsewhere, this is one of the most important days of the patient's life. In so far as is medically possible, how that day goes should be up to them. We owe them giving them the birth experience they want. However, they do occasionally ask for things that are not reasonable, such as having a section to avoid the whole labor ordeal completely. Even then, we must not only tell the patient that this isn't possible (though we all know that there are OB docs who would even comply with this request), but why doing so is such a bad idea for both mom and baby.
In the end, it goes back to what I have said before. The day of a child's birth does not belong to us. It belongs to the family of the child being born. We ALL have a responsibility to respect and follow the mother's wishes as much as possible. We ALL have a responsibility to make sure that the family's memories of that day are as positive as we possibly can. We must do so in a manner that in NO way conveys any of our own preferences or prejudices. If we cannot do that, we don't belong in the OB department at all.
my mom told me it was a good pain and one id never remeber and it ws not so bad i remeber her telling me that clearly - it was the WORST Thing i ever went through ( till recently - fixing a hiatal hernia and a stomach niessan wrap beat the crap outta any of my deliveries lol - only ting thogh that has them beat ths far and ive had a lot of surgery ) by the way i will NEVER forget the pain of ANY of my births - bummer is me i guess im weak too.
so many labors these days are induced &/or augmented with that nasty drug, pitocin. That stuff really increases pain. Can we blame them?
I'd have moms walking in labor instead of straped to monitors stuck in bed, and require the labor nurses to try non-pharm. measures FIRST before giving drugs.
Good post! I'm so tired of the "pit to distress" mentality that so many of the docs have. Of course mom needs nubain Q2 or an epidural to deal with the monster ctx every 2 minutes.
On the other hand, epidurals are so widely publicized that almost every mom wants one. Not only expects to get it, but *knows* it will take every bit of pain away. They don't go to childbirth ed classes, they don't do anything to prepare for the possibility of not getting an epidural or that it may not work well. They're not interested in trying the birthing ball, the tub, massage or anything else to help them deal with the pain. They want it completely gone. It's a nightmare when anesthesia is tied up and can't get to it right away or they don't get a good block.
) but twins!!! 
way cool! 
i also dont feel i was any more strong than anyone who did have drugs - not remebereing i feel i failed - the pain was that intesne. maybe if it had been less painfull for me..........
subee, MSN, CRNA
1 Article; 6,139 Posts
ob has become crazy - its the only area where the patient can dictate what treatment she will get. i think the ob's train the patients to mouth the words "i want my epidural" as soon as they walk in the door so they don't have to deal with anxious, unprepared women in the room. op - it has become a crazy world when the patients ask in all seriousness - "i can just ask for a section - right?" and "when do i get my epidural." some of these patients aren't even dilated yet - sex itself has to hurt worst than the contractions they're having at that point. the better your insurance, the more likely you are to have a c-section. period.