Drug-free to Epidural? - Page 2

[kltroy]

Just my own personal bias here, but I respect the decision to have an epidural after you've had a drug-free birth more than I do a decision to take an epidural right away on birth #1. Hey-- at least you KNOW what you're avoiding this time. You did it, it sucked, and you'd like to try it a different way now. I think that's ok. However, I do agree with what some others have said about each birth being different, so while I would consider putting "epidural" in your toolbox of things you might want, it's still not the tool I'd reach for first, if you KWIM? It's sort of like first gear on your bike during a long trip over mountains: you know that you've got it in your back pocket and that if you REALLY NEED it, you can always switch down to the easiest gear possible. For some people, the mere knowledge that they "could" is enough to get them through, and others use it happily. I don't think either decision is wrong, and I know of several moms who have planned natural births, at some point opted for the epidural, and it was the best decision they could have made.

Either way, I think it makes sense to prepare yourself as best you can for your upcoming birth, and if you think you might like the option for an epidural, it may make sense to birth at a hospital so that getting it doesn't involve a transfer, which would be pretty disruptive I imagine.

[Milly_P]

Thanks, everyone! All of the posts gave me a lot of encouragement, and "food for thought". Last time, even though we knew we wanted a hb, no doubt about it, we still explored all of our options. I had a back-up doctor at a hospital who I absolutely loved, and we took the tour of the hospital and a birth center, interviewed all area midwives, and, yes, tried hypnobirthing and Bradley method. I couldn't STAND any of the hypnobabies or hypnobirthing stuff because I found that I couldn't handle a single decibel of sound when I was in labor. No music, no water running, no breathing loud, nothing. So out went all the stuff for hypnobirthing. And even still, with the Bradley method, I am really glad DH and I went through it, because the classes were fun, we got to know some really great couples, got one night a week to just focus on us, the baby, think about the birth, think about what we wanted and didn't want. It was nice to have that scheduled time each week, away from the kids and the res tof our busy lives, to just focus on the little miracle brewing inside, lol. But as far as the labor, again, it didn't help at all. With my first, the water helped a bit, and because of how hot baths are always my go-to for relaxation, I figured I'd use the tub a lot, but I only used it for about a half hour and never wanted to get back in again. I tried so many things but everything was just so intense that nothing helped physically. The only thing that helped, mentally, was going off on my own, in the dark, quiet, and just submitting my mind to the fact that no relief was coming from anything except this baby being born, so I just had to survive the next contraction, and the next one, and the next one, until the baby was born.

So anyway, I would definitely not use an epidural as my #1 thing as soon as I start hurting. Yes, from my past experiences, I would expect that the epidural would take the pain away, but I understand it doesn't always happen that way, in which I'd just survive it the same way I survived the last one. I know that I would not go to a hospital unless I felt totally and completely comfortable with my OB and the hospital, the pediatrician, etc.

Anyway, lots to think about, and glad there's lots of time to decide!

Thanks again, everyone!

[MegBoz]

I don't think you're crazy at all.

I think the research is pretty clear that epidurals are very safe for babies. I personally never weighed that into the equation when I planned NCB with my DS.

If you can have GOOD HCPs, and they will treat you with RESPECT - they won't break your water without your consent, insist on hourly vaginal exams, yell at you while pushing (you need coaching, but not yelling), etc. then you certainly can have a decent birth experience with an epidural.

I had DS in a hospital with CNMs and I could have had an epidural while still having the CNMs as my HCPs. I know it would have been like the above - getting an epi would not mean I had to "take the hospital ride" so to speak. I could have had delayed cord clamping (well, not premature clamping), baby on my belly immediately, etc.

So IF you could have an experience like that, I think it makes sense to seriously consider it. It's not selfish or strange to want to avoid intense pain -it's natural. As Henci Goer wrote, 'Every woman has a right to say 'enough.'' (or something like that.) I have quite a few friends who had epis & said their birth was a very positive, fantastic experience & were totally glowing PP!

[skyblufig]

I couldn't read your post and not reply. You're *not* crazy, not one bit. My 1st ds was born in hospital with cnms and I did opt for the epidural at 8cm after 22 hours of back labor. We (I) had planned a waterbirth but it just didn't work out that way. And while everything went very very well, I kicked myself up, down, and all around for 2 years after for getting that epi because I felt weak, and like I let my baby down or something. My dd was a planned UC. I had wanted to go for a waterbirth at a different hospital but at 27/28 weeks she was breech and the hcps I was seeing at the time started throwing around the c-word a little too often for my liking. So we went our own way, hit the books hard, did all the spinning babies stuff/acupuncture/etc, and she did her final big flip to vertex about 12 hours before she was born. She, too, was back labor, but not nearly as painful as my 1st ds, and about 11 hours of labor start-to-finish (if you don't count the prodromal labor for 2 nights beforehand ). Everything went perfectly. My 2nd ds was just born in May of this year, and while it was another homebirth, this time we had a cnm attend. If I look at it from one side, it was awesome to be at home again especially for the post-partum period. It was a roller coaster-fast labor and birth, a little less than 5 hours start-to-finish and no back labor. On the other hand, this was by far the most painful of the 3 births. What's disturbing to me is that this time, I'm not forgetting the pain at all. It's not keeping me up at night or anything, like in a PTSS kind of way, but I can remember with exquisite detail everything about the pain. And I don't want that much pain, on purpose, ever again in my life if I can help it. The next baby, which will probably be the last, is going to be born in hospital with an epidural. I've experienced several different ways of birthing now and can confidently navigate the hospital policies/procedures without too much fighting. Frankly, I think the epi will give me more energy to fight hospital things because I won't be so exhausted from labor! Anyway, just my 2 cents. I realize it's not likely to win me any popularity points, but I had to chime in because I've definitely been there, done that, and OP... I get what you're saying. Best of luck.

[ParisApril]

I've had 2 natural births at home. I would never consider an epidural. I labored for 12 hours with my first and 10 with my second. With my second I couldn't walk or stand because movement made my contractions unbearable. I sat on an exercise ball the whole labor. My mom has permanent back pain from her epidural's and I would rather be in pain for 1 day then for the rest of my life.

[shells_n_cheese]

Originally Posted by skyblufig

What's disturbing to me is that this time, I'm not forgetting the pain at all. It's not keeping me up at night or anything, like in a PTSS kind of way, but I can remember with exquisite detail everything about the pain. And I don't want that much pain, on purpose, ever again in my life if I can help it. The next baby, which will probably be the last, is going to be born in hospital with an epidural. I've experienced several different ways of birthing now and can confidently navigate the hospital policies/procedures without too much fighting. Frankly, I think the epi will give me more energy to fight hospital things because I won't be so exhausted from labor!

YES! This is exactly how I feel!

I also have quite the birthing history, (Hospital induction w/epidural turned cesarean section, to an all natural homebirth VBAC), and I am choosing the hospital/most likely epidural route next time as well.

I have heard countless times that you just forget all about the pain of childbirth--will I haven't. Honestly, even the thought of dealing with contractions until they are close enough together to got to the hospital freaks me out.

Besides, after experiencing an unexpected and scary complication at home last time, I prefer a full team of emergency responders and an OR on the premises.