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...
Thanks for all the responses! I feel like I've gleaned a lot from reading these posts, considering I have yet to experience labor myself.
I did not intend for this to turn into a debate about which is better--natural vs. medicated. I believe every labor experience is different, as is every pregnancy, and every woman and her response to pain.
I think it will be interesting to see if the pendulum swings back in the other direction and we once again begin to see more women choosing "natural" over an epidural--these things seem to go in cycles. However, I wish every woman a beautiful labor and birth experience.
I doubt that L&D staff will make you feel bad or wimpy for wanting an epidural. The opposite is the more likely scenario, staff not wanting to deal with patients who choose to labor naturally...
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Falon:
I doubt that L&D staff will make you feel bad or wimpy for wanting an epidural. The opposite is the more likely scenario, staff not wanting to deal with patients who choose to labor naturally...
Which is a generalization that is just as unfair as calling a woman wimpy for wanting one.
You are definitely not crazy nor are you the only one who recognizes the personal power a woman gains from going through labor. I was fortunate that during my preceptorship, my preceptor with 22 years of an L&D nurse had also been a doula and also recognized it. She was an incredible role model who, instead of sitting at the nurses station watching the monitors, was always in the room with her patient. You are right, very hard work coaching, encouraging position changes, and I still am having a hard time getting a FHR while a woman is laboring in the shower hugging a labor ball. But all worth it.
That is not to say that if a woman really wants an epi she shouldn't have it. But, it's the nurse who keeps saying to the ones who don't: "are you ready for your epi now??" over and over. I experienced this as a doula several years ago.
So, long story short, we are still out there!
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.
I feel that being prepared for your experience makes a huge difference. I've had many friends say I'm gonna do it natural, but then take no classes or learn about the labor process. My first was a totally natural birth, 2 weeks over due (which is perfectly normal for a first my dr was begging to induce me) I labored for 18 hours and had a great experience. My twins were a totally different story, I fully intended to have them natural and I labored at home until I was dilated to a 9, went to the hospital told them I was having twins had been in labor for 8 hours and felt like I was in transition. They put me in a room and hooked me up to get the mandatory strip (the CNA did this) then the nurse didn't come in for 30-40 min, checked me and then everything went crazy cause I was at a 9. Well, the on-call doc came in and said I won't labor you without an epidural, took all my choice away. I argued with him and so did my husband and told us that my reg doc would never agree to natural with twins even though we had talked about it extensively and then he dragged in an ultrasound machine said he couldn't find the 2nd baby's heartbeat and that I had to have a C-sec. He was so rude he totally had me crying by this time and I kept telling them, the baby is kicking, the baby had just been kicking the monitor on my stomach. So, they ran me down to the OR tried to get the epi in, missed (that is the worst pain I have ever ever experienced, I screamed when he tried to inject) then he checked for the heartbeat again and said still no heartbeat we have to put you out, so I had my beautiful twins under general anesthesia and missed out on the whole birth. My 2nd baby was fine, they were looking for his heartbeat about 6 inches lower than where he actually was. So, in this case I would have loved an epidural so that I would have been present for the birth, I really wanted to do it natural though.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Falon:
I doubt that L&D staff will make you feel bad or wimpy for wanting an epidural. The opposite is the more likely scenario, staff not wanting to deal with patients who choose to labor naturally...
Hey now, there may be nurses who are like this, but be careful about generalizing here.
Many more of us just want our patients safe, secure and happy. If they chose natural labor, I am ALL OVER IT. I love to work with laboring women who chose to go the drug-free route. I also am happy to work with women who chose epidurals, as well. That is why there is a CHOICE out there; so each can go with what works for her. Not all nurses are threatened, too lazy or dislike natural labors that much!
I will ask once again, keep generalizations out of the thread and stick to anecdotal opinions, only. That is what the OP asked for.
I doubt that L&D staff will make you feel bad or wimpy for wanting an epidural. The opposite is the more likely scenario, staff not wanting to deal with patients who choose to labor naturally...
You may be correct in some cases but certainly not all. With one of mine, I requested an epi at 8.5 cm. My birthplan very clearly stated that I did not want an epi. This wonderful nurse really tried to talk to me about some of the things that she could do to help me before we go with the epi. She was so wonderful!! Even held me as I cried while receiving an epi at 9.5 cm. Such a terrific nurse. The next week I visited her to thank her. In the conversation she casually mentioned that she had two children. And would you have quessed...she had epi's with both but felt that her job was to support the mother's decision. Now that is a great nurse!
Laboring an epidural mom becomes somewhat like working in an ICU, we end up tending equipment.....IV's, pumps, monitors etc. and the patient as a person gets lost. In one sense, our life is easier if she is watching her soap operas and laughing. Bottom line for me, I feel these women are cheated out of a wonderful experience and they will never know it. I feel I can give any woman good nursing care and my personal opinions are kept to myself.
I have had two epidurals and I had one child completely natural. My first epidural had a medicine called NuBain. I was COMPLETELY numb from the belly button down and had no pain. After I was sore for a few days but not bad. With my first pregnancy in which I had no epidural the recovery was AWFUL!!! I had to have pitocin to speed up my labor and my baby was born sunny side up which is wrong, she should have been born face down. I couldn't hardly walk for a week and everytime I stood up I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. With my last labor and delivery I had the epidural with a different kind of med. in it and they just about lost me. I felt like an elephant had sat on my chest and all of a sudden things went black. When I finally did recover the nurse said,"Welcome Back!!" I laughed and said,"I didn't know I went anywhere!" She said my baby was fine but I wasn't doing so well. After that the labor was uneventful and recovery was the same as the previous delivery. I would totally advise an epidural unless there is some medical reason a woman shouldn't have it. My experiences were good with the exception of the one and really it wasn't bad....I'm still here. I would never ever ever ever have another baby without the epidural. But everyone has their opinion. Hope this helps!
My first pregnancy I went through natural childbirth, but that was because I had been in active labor so long I couldn't have an epidural. My second was a C-section, so I did get one and I was so glad that I did. I wanted to have her natural but after 20 hours of no progression and no intention from her to come anywhere near the birth canal, I needed help.
Labour is different for everyone, of course, so if it's what you need take it. You're getting charged for the room you may as well get all that comes with it.
Specializes in I have experience in orthopedi surgery.
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...
Thanks!
Hi
I have birth 2 children natural with epidural. I just can si that It was fantastic. In both case I saved my energi and power when the baby was on the way out. I felt no pain. It was greit.
I ended up with an epi though I was dead set against it originally.
My water broke at 0430, and after using up all of my pads and towels at home, I went to the hospital at about 0700 (I was getting a headache and had been on bedrest for PIH for 5 weeks). I was only at 1 1/2. Because the membrane had broken I was admitted, I ended up walking the halls for hours until 2100, going back to the room for 20 min every hour to be monitored. At 2100, I was still only 1 1/2 cm! So then I started Pit, which I really didn't want, but then I didn't want a C-sect either. I was on Pit for 5 hours with contractions 2 minutes apart, and severe back labor despite counter pressure (she was posterior), when I looked at my nurse and said, "Drugs, get me drugs now." Of course, she checked me first, and I was only at 2 cm. "You have got to be *&%$ kidding me! So I got Stadol, which worked for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I was in a drugged state with visions of blue gingerbread houses (on my RN's shirt, I later found out) and felt like I was floating, when all of a sudden- BAM!!! Contraction! It was worse than without the drugs- there was no buildup; I went from no pain to 10/10 in a split second. So, when the stadol wasn't working and I asked for more, she checked me again- 2cm! That's when I said that I couldn't take it anymore, please get me an epidural. When my RN put in the Foley after the epidural was in and running -4cm. In 2 hours I was almost complete, but was having couplet contractions. I felt those with the epi- it woke me up out of a sound sleep; my RN had me change postions and kiddo finally turned over in just a few minutes.
To sum it up, the doc and I talked for a few minutes after Samantha's birth. At the rate that I was going, I never would have delivered without the epidural, my mind and belly were relaxed, but my cervix wasn't. As it was, Samantha was born 27 hours after my water had broken. I was really lucky that Dr Contant was on that day. Had my regular ob been there, I would have had a C-Section. Dr Contant and my nurses were supportive of natural childbirth and my attempt.
Jayla
129 Posts
Hello all!
Thanks for all the responses! I feel like I've gleaned a lot from reading these posts, considering I have yet to experience labor myself.
I did not intend for this to turn into a debate about which is better--natural vs. medicated. I believe every labor experience is different, as is every pregnancy, and every woman and her response to pain.
I think it will be interesting to see if the pendulum swings back in the other direction and we once again begin to see more women choosing "natural" over an epidural--these things seem to go in cycles. However, I wish every woman a beautiful labor and birth experience.
Thanks again for all the feedback.