Talk me out of an epidural...

[Mommie22]

I'm only half way through and already I'm having anxiety about pain. I haven't forgotten what childbirth felt like with my son. Tell me why I don't want an epidural. I also welcome suggestions for pain management. I'm feeling wimpy. 

[philomom]

http://birthsen.tmdhosting930.com/?p=1622

The epi is not as good for you or the baby than natural. I did Bradley childbirth and they give you coping techniques and ways to make yourself absolutely comfortable so that you can just "float" though each contraction.

[crystal_buffaloe]

Movement - walking, kneeling, squatting, swaying, alternating between positions.
Hydrotherapy! Shower, tub, alternate between the two -- if your hospital doesn't have a tub, see about renting one and bringing one in to labor in
Counterpressure - against a doorframe, a partner's hands.
Hot/Cold/Alternating - rice sock
Vocalization

You could ask about a TENS unit
Gas & Air sounds promising - it's available more widely outside the US

Patient-controlled epidural anethesia sounds like a much better option to me than a traditional epi -- ask your hospital if that's an option

[Beccadoula]

My primary reasons for not liking the epidural are:

1. It can completely stop or slow labor - putting the baby at risk

2. It can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure - putting the baby at risk

3. It seems to me that it takes away some element of independence and autonomy

4. It can slow the production of oxytocin thus reducing that precious rush of love hormones that create such a powerful bond after birth

5. It increases your potential for other interventions such as - episiotomy, vacuum extraction, cesarean

6. The epidural can be quite painful while being put in - I had a client who actually had serious birth trauma from the epidural experience

7. Some babies have more resperatory issues after the epidural and some seem to have a harder time with latching (I don't know if that is fact or fiction :) 

Things you can do to avoid getting an epidural:

1. Hire a doula

2. WATER - works well as a natural epidural - reducing your pain responses by a huge percentage - shower, bath, birthtub...all very good

3. The liberal use of rice socks also can be used to reduce the same cramping and muscle fatigue

4. Arnica use in labor can help

5. Hip squeezes

6. A doctor or nurse who will remind you that you didn't want an epidural (your doula or husband can do that also)

7. There is a natural alternative that has had a huge amount of success - using a saline solution injection that accomplishes the same basic effect without the drug use - I've heard this burns a bit at first and it does fade quickly

Best Birth Blessings !!!

[Magali]

Because it might not work.  And then your stuck...still in pain, maybe a bit numb and feeling weird...and you can't say you had a natural birth even though you felt every darn minute of it.   And it is a HUGE mental letdown when you are in heavy labor and you are anticipating a sweet epidural and then it doesn't take.

[Triniity]

I tried hypnobirthing, and even though it did not take away the pain completely, I am not even sure if it took away pain at all, I was so relaxed and not afraid anymore, that I managed just fine. There was only one minute where I asked for painkillers, but it was too late, meaning, five minutes later I was pushing, and than I don´t need any pain medication anymore. 

@crystal buffalo: I wanted to change positions, birth my DS in an upright position, not lying on my back like a turtle, but I could not move! I could not even get out of the car at the hospital (took around 30 min until someone saw us and sent help) and could not get out of the wheelchair into any other position, so I ended up on my back :( Very, very uncomfortable!

[1love4ever]

I had one and will never do it again.  Before I even knew that women HAD babies in tis country without anesthesia, I had my first and just agreed to the thing because the nurses and Drs were pushing it on me:(  I was 7cm at the time though so I am at least thankful I did not miss the entire birth:(

Anyway, the anesthesiologist had to do my epi 3 times in order for it to work, one time not even numbing the spot where he inserted the huge curved needle like he was supposed to.  It hurts GETTING an epi, and your back hurts like hell afterwards so it does cause pain itself.  I also tore badly because of being flat on my back, and babies shoulders got stuck for the same reason.  One intervention really does lead to another and really does cause complications.  Because of the epi they also put me on pitocin without even asking me, and I could not get up out of bed to go to the bathroom for many hours after the birth.  Thankfully I did not have any long term complications such as losing permanent feeling in my legs like some women do.  This time around I am having a home birth and it will be so amazing not to go through what I went through with DDs birth, it did not feel near as special to me because of all the crap that they did in the hospital, and I feel as if I missed out on something that I will never get back and it makes me very sad,

[Celticqueen]

I had an epidural with my first. I never planned on it, but the reason I did was because my stupid midwife (can I say that on here? I really do think she was actually stupid) put me on pitocin when I did NOT even need it. I won't go into the details...

That being said, I think it's common for women to get epidurals with pitocin although I still wouldn't recommend it. If I could go back in time, I would have not gotten one even with all that blasted artificial pain from the induction. The reason was that my newborn had really poor suction with breastfeeding.

What so many women don't know is that it DOES get to the baby! Not just that, but it slows down labor. I was at 9 CM DIALATED AND NO ONE TOLD ME when I asked for that epidural. Totally idiotic thing to do...when you're almost there, an epidural is a terrible decision to make. After I asked for the epidural, the baby took an additional 3 hours to come out when if I hadn't gotten one he would have been out in a matter of minutes. I really think if more women knew what epidurals actually do to you and the baby, they wouldn't get one. Just my theory.

It really offends me that so many providers don't go into discussing the full risks to patients on epidurals- they are risky, yet they're just handed out like candy. Sure, not everyone is going to have a newborn who suffers from side effects, but mine sure did, and I will always regret getting one. 

Another tip would be to wait until the last bloody minute to get to the hospital. You won't get an epidural if you're already pushing the baby out, after all! Although that may be a bit hard to time 

Also, if you're worried about back labor, there's something wonderful and more natural called sterile water injection- I had that to help relieve my back pain with my 2nd birth (natural water birth) and it completely took away the back labor and it was much easier to focus. It's just water, and it temporarily numbs the back nerves. It only lasts about a half hour though, at least with me. But you can have as many as you want because it's just local, not systemic. Highly, highly recommend it, and there's no sideffects whatsoever.

Hope that helps 

[1love4ever]

Yeah all I was told about the epidural was that it was completely safe for me and the baby....  HA!  I asked if it went to the baby, the Dr said NO, the anesthesiologist said "Well, all medications do to some degree, but hardly at all with the epi"  Once again, yeah right.  no wonder women choose to have them, they are being flat out lied to about them!!  I was also told it had no side effects.......

[crystal_buffaloe]

Yeah, I have no idea how far dialated I was when I got the epi -- no one checked, and then I was at 9/10cm approximately 2 hours later.

I'm so sorry that you were stuck on your back, Triniity! That sounds horrible! I had back labor, and movement and water were SO SO helpful -- in fact, the only reason I asked for the epi was that the 20 min on the strip were unbearable (I know a lot better now -- there's no way they could get me to be still or get out of the shower for monitoring today)

[Triniity]

Yeah, that pitocin thing happened to me, too, but I had back-to-back contractions with a bad ctg, and than they stopped the contractions with partusisten, I am not quite sure if I had the pitocin for the epi or because the contraction did not start again. It was horrible with epi though, it hurt getting it done (not too bad though) - actually nobody asked me if I wanted one, and I was in no place for arguing about anything, believing my baby was going to die if they didn´t do something. 

My epi did not work...the pitocin made the contractions unbearable though, so, there I was, having unbearable pain and noone doing anything about it, plus the sideeffects of the epi (temp, slow labour, not being able to move) 

And after DD was born, and I was getting better again, it wasn´t exactly easy to pick a baby up if you cannot move your legs...I think I had a bladder catheter as well, but I cannot remember exactly. I was so not into epis anymore, I had an agreement with my midwifes and the doctors, that if I would need an epi during my second birth I would get an immediate c-section. (I don´t know if they would have done it, though, but I did not need it anyway!) 

I totally believe that this epidural messed my birth up in a BIG way. 

Crystalbuffaloe, it was horrible in a way, and I am still thinking about it, how can you actually move through birth? Or is normally somebody moving you? As in, is it normal if you cannot really move yourself, but DH should be able to get me upright or something? I had severe problems with my hips last pregnancy (and now again) and it was sooo uncomfortable to hold my legs like you have to when your in this half-lying position, it was the worst about the birth. And I think that is rather stupid, having more pain in your hips while giving birth and being fine everywhere else. I want to squat and kneel and be on all-fours the next time. (but my midwife is kind of laughing at me, telling me that I wasn´t even able to get out of this damn chair!) 

[Mommie22]

Oh Mamas.. I'm so sorry that some of you went through such bad experiences. Thank you for sharing your stories and for being so supportive in my moments of weakness and doubt. I'll carry these stories and your encouragement with me. I need to find a childbirth method that works for me this time and the faith that I can indeed cope. 

[Viola]

How did your first birth go?

[jenrose]

Here's the thing. I had one labor which, once I hit transition, was not often painful at all, and pushing was actually fun. My second birth hurt like a mofo. Really, really painful. But I STILL don't wish I'd had an epidural with it, and here are the reasons why:

1. Epidurals work well for some people without a lot of side effects, but there's a risk that you're trading short term relief (and sometimes inadequate short term relief) for chronic or long term pain. I have chronic pain anyway. It is demoralizing. Labor is there, and then it's done. Sometimes you hurt for a while after, but if I'd had an epidural, I'd have been wondering if I'd made that happen by having the epidural. As it was, I didn't have to add that to the list of "What ifs?" Overstretching of hip ligaments, back pain...both are far more common with epidural than without. 

2. When you have an epidural in, things may go swimmingly... or you may not be able to feel what you need to feel in order to get the baby out without help.

It hurt birthing Shiny, and it hurt for a long time after, but I was able to feel EXACTLY what was going on. I could feel when she was hung up, I could change positions and get in the tub to un-hang her up, and I had a fair amount of control because of the feedback my body was giving me. Her head was huge, and difficult (far beyond the normal, please don't get anxiety about this, most kids are not born with craniosynostosis and a 14 1/2 inch head that is largest in the crowning diameter) and I needed every bit of feedback my body could give me to get her out. Plus, her shoulders were wide, especially relative to her length (9 pounds four ounces SHOULD NOT BE 18 inches long... and if a baby is that heavy, that short, you know you've got some big shoulders and a thick torso). When I pushed her down, I could feel her head start to turtle back along my perineum...an early sign of potential dystocia, and I basically said, "Oh no you don't" and reached down, pushed, twisted and pulled her out without her locking in behind my pubic bone. A huge part of that pushing was me shifting my hips and pelvis completely instinctively, and subtly, and there's no way in HECK I could have done that anesthetized.

3. They're not side-effect free for babies. While most normal newborns will have few or only transient effects on nursing, when babies are born with more challenges, an epidural may be the straw that breaks the camel's back where early nursing success is concerned. Having had a relatively easy nurser and a very difficult nurser, I can tell you that in neither case would I have wanted any more barriers than we already had. 

4. They usually don't stop labor...but they can slow it down. And sometimes the response of mother and baby is so strong that they go into crisis as a response to the epidural. I've watched a mama who had just gotten a shot in her back end up in a c-section half an hour later because baby suddenly stopped tolerating labor and her blood pressure tanked. I don't want to wonder if the reason I might end up in surgery was because I decided I couldn't do the pain anymore. Because C-sections hurt. For a long time. 

You do not have to cope with all of labor. You don't even have to cope with every contraction. All you have to cope with, at any point in the process, is the here and now and get from one breath, one step to the next. That's actually how I got through my first labor... at 4 1/2 cm, I was giving up, my mother got in my face and said, "You know what they tell you about those drugs? It's all lies. You want to have that baby, you get up and WALK."

Then Mom hauled me out of the bed, got me on my feet, got someone on the other side of me, and we stomped our way down the hospital hallways. I took a breath with every step, my head up, looking at the ceiling (because looking at the floor hurt more), and I stepped, breathed, stepped, breathed. As long as I concentrated on that next step, that next breath, it was do-able. They would tell me I could stop for contractions, but I couldn't... because if I stopped, it hurt. I walked for an hour and a half, went to the bathroom, felt the bag of waters bulging... not long after my waters broke, and not long after that my daughter was born. 

It just took one step, one breath at a time.