Did you have a spinal or an epidural with your c-section?

[kaje62]

I was given a spinal and when I started to hear about others having an epidural. My obgyn said a spinal is standard for c-sections. I am confused cuz I keep reading about others having epidurals. What did you have and what do you know about this? I am hoping for a VBAC but in case I need to have a C-Section again, I want the best number for me.

[wombat]

I had an epidural during labor. Labor didn't progess so I had to have a c-section - they just added more stuff to the same epidural - I think there's not much difference b/w a spinal and an epidural is there? I thought it was just the amount of anaesthetic they put in. With the epidural I could feel my legs but they were heavy, when they topped it up for the c-section, I couldn't feel them at all and couldn't move. You need more drugs for the c-section than for the typical epidural during labor. BTW my baby's apgars were 8 and 9 after all those drugs and she was very alert and awake for 4 hours. I refused all narcotics during labor. Of course she was in the Observation Nursery for that time and I couldn't see her!! I'm taking a burly bouncer with me next time to make sure my baby is brought to me!! (assuming she's healthy of course).

[hydrangea]

I had a spinal because it was an "emergency." I guess at that point it had become an emergency, but things had been dealt with better earlier that emergency would never have happened.

That was over six years ago, and at that time I learned that there are more risks with spinals, but they are easier to do quickly. But at least at that time, epidurals were the standard.

BTW, I did have a VBAC, at home.

Deirdre

[stafl]

I had a spinal because there was no time to wait for an epidural to take effect. Baby's heartrate kept getting slower and slower and when it had dropped below 15 beats per minute, she had to come out STAT (prolapsed cord).

[kaje62]

Mine was not an emergency, at least it did not feel like it. I found out he was breech (lotus not frank) at 39.5 weeks and we tried natural ways and a version treatment to turn him and then my water broke so they did the c with a spinal. They did say they wanted me to come in right away 10:00 a.m. cuz he could swallow melaconium being breech. But they did not do it till 1 p.m. His scores were 9 and 9 so he was healthy and he nursed within 45 minutes like a pro.

Congrats Deidre on the VBAC.

[chie96]

Originally posted by wombat
I'm taking a burly bouncer with me next time to make sure my baby is brought to me!! (assuming she's healthy of course).

What is a burly bouncer?

[Chelly2003]

I had a spinal.
My son was breech and I went into labor two weeks early, I was 4cm by the time I got to the hospital (didn't know I was in labor) my water hadn't broken yet.

Chelly

[branwyn]

i had the regular epidural with my first child and then chose the shot for the second child.

[wombat]

oops a bouncer is one of those tough guys they have at night clubs - to enforce the rules. And burly is well built. Do you use these words in America?

[chie96]

ROTFLOL - yes...in fact DH was one for awhile. I was so into your post that I assumed a "burly bouncer" was some sort of sling...or bouncy seat...or something!!!:LOL:LOL:LOL

I am so embarassed...

[branwyn]

Originally posted by chie96

I am so embarassed...

dont be i thought the same thing! i guess when you becoem a mama your mind works in mysterious ways LOL

you should market a bouncy chair with that name "the burly bouncer" LOL

[kaje62]

too funny. i had a doulah and she is not a bouncer but she is assertive.

[OnTheFence]

I had a spinal with my emergency csection. It didnt work and went up into my chest. I felt the whole thing. The cutting the ripping the pulling and pushing and stuffing all my guts back in and sewing me up. It was a nightmare and I was on the table more than an hour.

I got an epidural with my planned csection. It was WONDERFUL pain relief. No pain at the incision site, I felt some pushing and them pulling the baby out but NO pain. I could still move my legs. I was on the table 30 minutes, in recovery an hour and a half and that was it. It was a great experience and I would have an epidural over a spinal any day of the week.

I will note I chose my method of anest. after much research and with talking to hundreds of women who had spinals and epidurals for csection births.

[kaje62]

wow unbelievable.

if you would be willing i would love more info on your research. you can post here or PM me. thank you.

[OnTheFence]

Originally posted by kaje62
wow unbelievable.

if you would be willing i would love more info on your research. you can post here or PM me. thank you.

Sure I dont care sharing.

For one, I heard over and over again from women with spinals that had areas that were not numb or became numb after the section began this led to one of two things: being knocked out or feeling the whole thing. A problem with spinals is once it is administered you have a small window of time that it works. They base the dosage on your weight and height. The thing is, you can get too little or too much. If you get too much it can go up into your chest and depress your breathing -- this was me. My pulse ox was horrible and I was on oxygen and the screaming and cussing at the top of my lungs didnt help. There is no long term pain relief with a spinal -- your method of pain relief is drugs by mouth, shots or a PCA pump. I think all of those SUCK.

Why I chose an epidural?
My csection was planned. Part of the reason it was planned is because I wanted a particular doctor, particular pain relief, and I didnt want anything to be rushed and screwed up. I felt like this out weighed me going into labor and letting Jack arrive in his own time. I needed some reassurance I was going to have some control and a better outcome with my planning. One of the reasons I went with the epidural was because for me it seemed like the lesser of two evils. If it was uneven or their were areas of numbness they could put more in through the catheter in my back. With a spinal this was not an option. Because I chose the epidural with the catheter I had a PCA pump with demerol going directly into where the epidural was put in. Let me tell you how WONDERFUL this was. There was NO PAIN and I was not drugged up or dopey, like I would have been taking shots or oral medication or having something in my vein, the medication goes directly in to the area where you need pain relief the most. It administered dosages regularly and if I needed more I could push the button. I pushed it twice in a 17 hour block of time. My mind was not affected at all by this, I was able to move around, even could sit up and stand after my csection. I was sitting up 20 minutes after surgery. After the catheter was removed I still had pain relief. It wore off about 8 hours later. By this time I was walking and moving around and all I needed was some extra strentgth tylenol for pain. I took one demerol orally when I got over zealous the last evening I was in the hospital. An alternative to this is getting a dose of DURAMORPH in your epidural. This will provide pain relief for 15-24 hours. I had talked to multiple people and these were the two methods of pain relief that were most preferred when they had their csections. More people preferred the PCA pump hooked into the epi cath and so that is what I chose. IF I have another csection I would do this again.

[Clarity]

I've had all three...general for a c, epidural for a C (plus a LOT of extra drugs for it) and a spinal to place and remove the cerclage. Spinal effects wore off quick, I woke up from general almost too soon (before I was into recovery...no morphine yet -oops!) But clear and not foggy. I had a lot of swelling after the epidural delivery, I don't know if it was related (like I said they had to add a lot of drugs.) I got the catheter out and was able to pee fastest after general...my babe died so I got to have all the morphine I needed by pump. Percocet is not as nice. And that thing in my back for the epidural was oogey, plus the lengthy time on the cath. I am not sure it was worth it for pain relief? Maybe so if I couldn't have the morphine. I am also not sure I would let just any random anethes. do a spinal. Epi. is preferable I think.

[applejuice]

Just a question, but did any of you get to read the package inserts before you were given the anesthesia.

Or were you told to just, "Sign here!"

I know most of these things are done in an emergency, but were you really, I mean, TOTALLY, informed of the benefits and risks of each and every type of anesthesia before it was given or was it just, " this is what we give here at this hospital," or "this is what your doctor/anesthesiologist prefers," and that was that?

Sometimes with a planned c/sec, you can make arrangements ahead of time.

Not always.

[ladylee]

I also had an epidural-very pleased with it considering the circumstances.

[emmaline]

I voted other because I had an epidural with ds1 and an epidural converted to spinal with ds2

I don't think I can ever let anyone stick needles in my back again after the latter experience

the epid with ds1 worked very well but it was 12 yrs ago and postop painrelief was a pethidine infusion with no PCA (back in the dark ages!) - I hallucinated and begged for it to be taken down after th efirst 24 hours

the spinal with ds2 took 45 mins to site - 45 mins of pain and extreme stress, it was horrible - and then I felt everything including all the hard work it took to birth my very stuck ds; postop pain relief was excellent though, with the spinla wearing off over many hours (can't remember how long but i was up next morning) then anti-inflammatory suppositories a couple of times then oral morphine when I succumbed to a massive dose of mastitis and was extremely crook for several days

very interested to read yr experiences OnTheFence, epid is far superior in postop period, if only I could think rationally about having a needle stuck in my back

this time I have been looking at a GA because of that awful experience but the postop pain relief would be morphine via PCA (not my favourite idea) or possibly a caudal block administered under GA ( I have found an anaesthetist oldfashioned enough to be well trained in giving caudal blocks)

[JessicaS]

They gave me an epidural cause they had to wait for the surgeon to finish up the other sugery he was doing anyways..but I was upside down and on oxygen and really worried by that point so the package on the meds was really the last thing on my mind..

I should have read it while still planning the birth but I was one of those "ah I wont need a csection so I wont bother reading it" types...: ah well..I know better now..