I am getting fuzzy on my reasons for not using an epidural for my twin birth.
I have a feeling I’m just getting the OB work-over, but what if I’m not seeing things clearly?
Here’s the situation. My OB’s group is a dream for our region. Episiotomies are rare, they have a strong feeling that a woman should hold off on pushing until she really needs to, not just because she’s at 10 cms, he’s completely comfortable birthing twins vaginally even if the 2nd one is breech (and actually has). I mean, I could go on & on. Everyone at the hospital and at the clinic support and ask me to give a detailed birthplan so they can try to give me the birth I want, etc.
I guess I’m saying all this because homebirth is no longer an option (M/W won’t do it) and I don’t want to find another OB cuz he's one of the least invasive around.
This is my first birth and with twins the second baby is the wild card cuz it can flip after the first leaves. Dr. is concerned about me not having any pain relief if he has to insert his arm up me to extract Baby B if it turns breech. He also knows that an epi will help make an emergency c-section on Baby B easier and at least I’d be awake for it. I said I want to take my chances that both babies will present fine and if things go to hell, I’ll have a general. He says a general is less safe, especially in a life and death situation, when they have to administer it so fast.
He asked me why I hate epis. I started listing whatever I could remember from here and good ol’ Henci’s “What Every Woman Should Know” book.
I said, “First-time moms tend to not push right on epi and end up with more c-sections”
He said, “His experience has epis creating more vag births-the secret is to not turn the dose up too high. He said the C/S rate in his practice is very low, especially compared to nationwide”
I said, “Women have had permanent back damage from their epi.”
He said, “That has been studied and refuted. There is just as good of chance that the birth itself can create permanent back damage/pain.”
I said, “There have been even worse results from an epi. It’s dangerous. It affects the babies”
He said, “Listen to common sense. Do you realize how litigious this country is? If epidural were that dangerous, we wouldn’t do it so readily. Honest, doctors are extremely cautious to a fault for avoiding anything too risky.”
I said, “Natural labor is easier because women release endorphins that aid with the process. I would deny myself that with epi.”
He said, “Who says? Your body will still release that stuff.”
My husband was completely swayed. (of course
: ) Even my midwife-who’s truly on my side, I KNOW this-wants me to consider it because being knocked out during a delivery is worse than at least being conscious.
Never mind I’m working my ass off on my Hypnobabies course. Never mind that they’re all setting a stage for a possibility-my birth could also end up as two vaginal deliveries. Never mind that I’m in charge here.
But I’m also at a loss because I have never done birth before. I don’t know if this is a good decision anymore. Help?
I have a feeling I’m just getting the OB work-over, but what if I’m not seeing things clearly?
Here’s the situation. My OB’s group is a dream for our region. Episiotomies are rare, they have a strong feeling that a woman should hold off on pushing until she really needs to, not just because she’s at 10 cms, he’s completely comfortable birthing twins vaginally even if the 2nd one is breech (and actually has). I mean, I could go on & on. Everyone at the hospital and at the clinic support and ask me to give a detailed birthplan so they can try to give me the birth I want, etc.
I guess I’m saying all this because homebirth is no longer an option (M/W won’t do it) and I don’t want to find another OB cuz he's one of the least invasive around.
This is my first birth and with twins the second baby is the wild card cuz it can flip after the first leaves. Dr. is concerned about me not having any pain relief if he has to insert his arm up me to extract Baby B if it turns breech. He also knows that an epi will help make an emergency c-section on Baby B easier and at least I’d be awake for it. I said I want to take my chances that both babies will present fine and if things go to hell, I’ll have a general. He says a general is less safe, especially in a life and death situation, when they have to administer it so fast.
He asked me why I hate epis. I started listing whatever I could remember from here and good ol’ Henci’s “What Every Woman Should Know” book.
I said, “First-time moms tend to not push right on epi and end up with more c-sections”
He said, “His experience has epis creating more vag births-the secret is to not turn the dose up too high. He said the C/S rate in his practice is very low, especially compared to nationwide”
I said, “Women have had permanent back damage from their epi.”
He said, “That has been studied and refuted. There is just as good of chance that the birth itself can create permanent back damage/pain.”
I said, “There have been even worse results from an epi. It’s dangerous. It affects the babies”
He said, “Listen to common sense. Do you realize how litigious this country is? If epidural were that dangerous, we wouldn’t do it so readily. Honest, doctors are extremely cautious to a fault for avoiding anything too risky.”
I said, “Natural labor is easier because women release endorphins that aid with the process. I would deny myself that with epi.”
He said, “Who says? Your body will still release that stuff.”
My husband was completely swayed. (of course
: ) Even my midwife-who’s truly on my side, I KNOW this-wants me to consider it because being knocked out during a delivery is worse than at least being conscious.Never mind I’m working my ass off on my Hypnobabies course. Never mind that they’re all setting a stage for a possibility-my birth could also end up as two vaginal deliveries. Never mind that I’m in charge here.
But I’m also at a loss because I have never done birth before. I don’t know if this is a good decision anymore. Help?
: I had a natural homebirth with dd #1, and I'm planning on the same for baby #2...but if someone came at me wanting to do THAT-I would go epidural all the way. Oh my. It sounds like he was trying to scare you a bit, can you just not get one and see how it goes? Or would it be too late to get the epidural (by the time you found out that you needed the forearm injection?) I hope you aren't offended by my humor, I just don't know what to do with that suggestion he gave you. I see why you are 
and 
to you!!
It's called breech extraction and it totally beats the gazillion docs who won't even consider a vag birth for twins.
I share your pain.
