Epidural

I went without first time and plan to do the same second time. To me it was about feeling in control - I know for some people, an epidural makes them feel in control, but for me it would’ve made me feel out of control to not feel my body and have someone else in charge of administering it. I’m not a big fan of needles either - although I had to have one in my hand for Strep B antibiotics. When you’re in labor, needles kinda feel like the least of your worries, so if the needle’s the only reason you’re not wanting it, then you can kinda put it out your mind - I’m sure you don’t even need to see the needle cause I think they put it in your back?

I think it’s just a personal decision. With my first I was dead set on not getting it but as the time got closer I basically said I don’t particularly want it but I’m open to it if I need it. When I then went into labour I was in horrific pain, probably made worse by sepsis and other complications but the contractions got unbearable. I ended up asking for an epidural and they wouldn’t give it to me due to sepsis then got things under control and I was allowed it. There were issues as it wasn’t put in right then the drugs weren’t working so had to get stronger ones put in, once that was ironed out I was grateful I had it. Ended up with an emergency section anyways so good job I had it x

Yes 😅 I’m team epidural best thing I ever did.

@Samantha this is odd I was given the hormone drip to speed to process up because I had sepsis and they still gave me an epidural?

I thought i wanted one until I had an antenatal class and the midwife put me off it! She mentioned another option i hadn't heard of before called remifentanil - I think if I wanted something more than gas and air that's what I'd go for!

No point trying to decide now. Everything can change in the moment e.g you could decide you want it but things progress too fast and you can’t. I would just focus on researching options for your local hospital/birth centre so you know what you can and can’t have, and if there’s anything you really really don’t want, inform your midwife and partner prior. You may find you don’t reach the point of needing an epidural and can manage on just gas and air or nothing. Everybody’s different for what they can and can’t tolerate and if it gets to the point where you feel you need the pain to stop, there’s nothing wrong with opting for an epidural. There’s a weird stigma around it like it’s ‘giving in’ but why on earth people like to make people feel that way is beyond me. I went as far as I physically could for 2 births and both times reached the point of not feeling I could go any further so had the epidural which provided relief. Good luck!

Exactly my sister didn’t have any pain relief at all because my niece came so quick. However I knew I couldn’t cope with the pain and thought there’s no medal at the end for not having it. I also didn’t see the needle but I ended up having a general anaesthetic c section as her cord got caught round her neck but prior I had a lovely nap leading up to all that 🫣

I’m personally going to do my best to do it without an epidural. Mainly, because I want to have a water birth if possible and you cannot do both, but even if I am not in the water would like to try without. But also, I have pre-existing back problems and know that an epidural is likely to worsen those. BUT i think it is very important to remember that there is a difference between pain and suffering. Labour is supposed to hurt! but if that pain crosses the line to where I am in distress and actually suffering, it is best to get the epidural as it is safer for baby if I can stay calm and out of distress. Anything can happen, definitely have your birth plan, but be open to the idea of change as labour is so unpredictable and you don’t want to put so much pressure on yourself and your birth plan that you feel like you failed if anything changes ❤️xx

@Siobhan I was eventually given the hormone drip to speed it up too and told them I wasn’t doing that without the epidural so they gave it to me then. Not sure if there was other things as there were a couple of complications. Tbf the first anaesthetist that seen me wasn’t great, so it’s likely that he’s the one to refuse cause it was after I seen him it was declined

Yeh I kept getting told once you have the hormone drip starts that’s when the pain multiples. So I thought no chance give me that epidural 😅 which I ended up actually napping once that was in till the alarms went off. However this time I’m having an elected c section so should be a bit more controlled hopefully ☺️

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst is the way I'm going into this labour. Last time I was dead set on having a home birth so refused all help until I was 42 hours in and a mess, nothing was progressing, I hadn't eaten or slept etc. finally accepted an epidural and it enabled my body to relax so I became fully dilated within a couple of hours. Next time I'm going to aim again for unmedicated but I'll just see how it goes and I'm making sure to research every possible route my labour can go so I'm prepared and in control. Knowledge is power! If I need an epidural again I'm going to keep it on the low dose this time and insist they help me into an upright position just because I needed the vontouse/episiotomy as I was on my back and bubs head just wasn't managing to come round the corner but the epidural in itself was fine, just wish I'd been in a different position and could feel a bit more! Just have to be open minded, deffo try for a natural birth. Don't worry about the needle you don't even notice it.

@Siobhan I’m the same, having an elective section this time too so will all be much calmer unless baby tries to come early 😂

Maybe research all pain relief options and see how you feel at the time? I plan to have an epidural (if i feel i need it) as i don’t want any of the opioid injections as personally worried about them going into baby and the effects they can cause, i don’t love needles and have a bad back however i’ve spoken to my midwife about it all and been told i can have a low dose so that i can attempt to be in an upright position and then up the dose if needed (as i dont want to be on my back ideally). My mindset it just be open minded, i may need a c section and have no choice, or i may demand the opioids even though i dont want them - without having done it before its hard to know!

This is very personal. I will say I feel lots of women opt for them because they don't believe themselves capable of coping with labour, which always upsets me. I think to truly know, you need to research all your options and the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision for you. Something like the positive birth company hypnobirthing course will give you this information. I opted against epidurals for my first, but that was more around the anxiety of the risk of long term back pain from one as well as not feeling in control of my birth. I ended up have an induction with really intense, unrelenting and fast contractions woth very little break in between. Was it hard? Yes. But my body was amazing and knew what it was doing. I was meant to have gas and air but I progressed too quickly 😅 But yeah, best thing you can do is look at all pain relief options and make your own informed decision from there ❤️

Your body is still doing the job with or without the epidural. I just think if I can minimise the pain and make it as relaxing as possible why not. I don’t think it’s upsetting if someone chooses the less painful option you still get a baby at the end 😅

@Elly I think most people opt for epidurals because their labours are going on and on and we get too exhausted to progress. I did the PBC course and planned a home birth/genuinely believed I could do it without pain relief. I refused all help until the 42nd hour, the breathing techniques etc helped me so much up to that point, everyone kept saying wow you are so calm and I just breathed through. There wasn't gas and air at the time due to some ventilation issues so I had nothing until then. Needing help doesn't mean our bodies failed, sometimes we just need it. Once I got the epidural I progressed quickly and had the baby within a few hours. We just have to be open minded and assess things as they go. Yes we can prep etc but all our bodies/wombs/babies are different, and we should know that we are all awesome no matter how we give birth. If you were progressing too quickly for gas and air then you obvs didn't need an epidural, but other people have very different experiences so need one and that's ok too!

@Chloe omg yes yes yes I completely agree! They 100% have their place. I just wish more women would have belief in themselves and their body from the outset and feel they'll "fail" before they even try swaying them to make a choice before they need to, of that makes sense? I wish i had more confidence in myself first time as well, so im thinking of past me as one of those women too! Which is why I think knowing every option and the pros and cons is always the best path because you can have your desired birth but if things change you are clued up on what plan b, c, d etc is rather than jumping straight to plan d. Though I also understand some people want that certainty from the outset - I just don't think anyone can make a decision without being informed of their options which is the most important thing. I thought the PBC did a great job of going through the benefits and risks of each pain relief option and birthing choices.

@Elly I don't see having an epidural as a failure though 😅. I certainly believed I could do it completely natural hence why I planned a homebirth. And I did do it to be fair, ok I had pain relief and the birth didn't go exactly as I had imagined but I still did it! And I have high hopes again this time that I can do it unmedicated, the key for me is relaxing from the get go so I'm going to prioritise that, and hope things progress better. As I said before, I am hoping for the best but planning for the worst! One of my sister's had a great labour with her first child, start to finish it was 6 hours, no pain relief, so we expected her second to be the same or even quicker, however she had a placenta abruption and had to have an emergency c section and felt like a failure, but she was a hero imo! It taught me to have an open mind and expect the unexpected. As PBC says, every birth can be positive if we feel good about it afterwards 🤗. There are no failures etc as long as we feel good and don't judge each other

@Chloe I'm not phrasing myself well here obviously 🙈 I just see so many women so terrified of childbirth they would do anything they can to avoid it because it's like they don't trust that their bodies can do it and sometimes opt for interventions they don't need (early inductions, sections, etc) that can (not all the time) contribute to more complication. Not saying at ALL that when opting for these things when fully informed makes anyone a failure - as i said, i had to have an induction with my first (though tbh i wouldnt opt for that again if i didnt have to 😂). But birth confidence just seems so so low and it makes me sad to see how women's confidence in themselves and their strength leeches into birth choices. Sounds like you had/have great confidence which is brilliant and you are obviously incredibly informed of your choices and options and knew when your body had reach its limit and needed that help 🥰

Having an epidural definitely isn’t a failure whether you have it right at the beginning or after hours of trying without. You’ve still grown a baby and given birth. It’s like when people say c section is the easy way out 😅 ok.

@Siobhan totally agree, there is no easy way out haha. I personally would say @Yana that the best advice I've heard and experienced is keep an open mind, research different options because knowledge is power, work on relaxation techniques because this will help you in whatever kind of birth you end up having, and definitely try to do it unmedicated but also assess things as they progress, you are not a failure for accepting help! You don't need to make any decisions right now, so just gather info atm. You won't even notice the epidural needle if you end up having it (the needle doesn't stay in anyway you'll just be happy to getting the relief it'll be the last thing on your mind). @Elly I think your points are valid but perhaps your wording came across a bit like well I didn't need it so nobody does 😅, I do agree though that the best thing we can be is prepared and calm going into birth and not fearful 🤗

@Chloe apologies if it came across that way, it's hard to separate trying to advocate for women and their informed choice, but also share your own experience in the short comments on peanut. Probably not my most articulate at the moment either. Having been terrified of labour and birth myself first time round, I think I'm extra passionate about women believing in themselves now because I wish I'd had belief in myself with my first 🥹 Knowledge is power is 100% the best advice. I'd also add to it to make sure any birthing partners have that same knowledge because they might be making informed decisions on the birthing persons behalf 🥰

I think it’s best to decide at the time. I’ve had a labour with epidural and two without. I don’t regret anything as every labour is different, however It was so painful to have done and had back pain for at least nine months after due to epidural that I’d probably not recommend it if not needed x

I wouldn’t rule it out completely from a mumma that has had 2 pregnancies (currently pregnant with baby #3) - I had one labour without the epidural and one labour with - I definitely felt more in control with the epidural because the pain wasn’t taking over and I could really zone in and focus….but I’m also glad that with my first I done it without because we were in and out the hospital and home to enjoy our little one!! I was dead against it this time round (my consultant told me not to rule it out due to complications and issues I’m having this time round) and I have weighed up the pros and cons of it for myself and it’s more than likely I will be having it again this time round Everyone’s pros and cons will be different so maybe worth writing yours out

@Jade This is so true, I was talking to the lady who runs our baby sensory class the other and she has three kids, first was a c section under general, second was complete natural pool birth, third was epidural with forceps so we just don't know how it'll go until the day and then we just see how we feel and how it's all going and make the decision then. As long as we are informed of all our options, we can make good decisions. @Lou oh sorry to hear that, I think that's quite rare though isn't it? I haven't had any back pain or anything with it thankfully, but I have heard that it can happen

I had my first back to back and the pain was unbearable. I don’t think anyone goes into this knowing they want one, but if when the time comes you feel you need it take it!! I had a bit of pain putting it in, took a few attempts. And then I had one redone due to it breaking. But, I didn’t feel baby come out at all. Phew! As I needed suction and i tore. If I felt I needed again this time round I would have in a heartbeat

@Chloe I literally have no idea about the statistics of this. I just have my own experience to go on. It took a long time for the back pain to eventually settle etc but I didn’t regret anything as my baby was fine and that was the main thing x

@Lou Yes that's definitely the main thing, happy that your pain has settled now though, you shouldn't be suffering from it