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who else has had an epidural

7K views 51 replies 45 participants last post by  Verinca 
#1 ·
Hi I love this board and am a fairly naturally parenting mother.
4 mostly clothed diapers kiddos, cosleeping, babywearing, extended breastfed, gently discipline, etc.
However I had an epidural with all 4. I tried not to but i must be a wuss.
I actually had the epidural with the first and it didn't work.
So technically it was natural.
Anyway I always feel so guilty when I around this board and see all the wonderful natural births.
So somebody make me feel better and come out of the closet and let me know that I'm not the only wuss around! ehhehehehehe

I also vaccinate but that's another whole can of worms!
Thanks
 
#3 ·
I had an epidural and loved every second of it. i dont apologize for doing it either. my labor was bliss, my baby's apgars were 9/10. i went home the next day, picked my older kids up at the bus stop and then went grocery shopping.

I bf and coslept too. I am definitely more ap than mainstream, but like lovebeads says so terrifically, its all about the connection.

I would also love to homebirth next time around. i have also had a "natural" birth, with no IV, no drugs, no episiotomy. that was fine, but i have to say that painless was more comfortable. for me. and my kids are fine. excellent apgars. all three came out gorgeous, healthy with a good lusty cry. all nursed like champs from the second they were born.
 
#6 ·
I had an epidural too. I didn't plan to, and if I give birth again, I hope to avoid it, but I had five days of back labor and I caved.

I got ten blissful hours of complete rest before they turned it off for me to push.

Having read the risks of epidurals, I still wish I could have avoided it, but I did the best I could at the time.
 
#7 ·
I had an epidural. I also had back labor, dd had been posterior for a while so I was expecting that. I still planned on natural birth and labored for 16 hours. The Dr. told me I was 10 and to start pushing, except I had no urge to push. I tried to push, but it didn't feel right so I told them I wasn't going to.

They then had 3 doctors check me after which they said, sorry you're only 6! Well I just lost it then, realising I still had transition to go through - even my doula couldn't talk me out of the epidural after that. Now I feel like a wuss but at the time I'd had enough.

BTW I ended with a c/s and dd's Apgars were 8 and 9. I was surprised the drugs didn't affect her more.

Pain isn't something you can compare between people. Everyone has a different threshold for pain, it's the circumstances you're in, that particular birth, ... so many variables. You have to make the decision for yourself at that time with that birth.
 
#8 ·
I had an epidural with my youngest and it allowed me to get some sleep. I was in such a bad place before the epidural and the epidural allowed me a chance to regroup.

My first was completely natural with minimal intervention. I would love to do that again. I am very close with all of my kids and I am still nursing my "baby".
 
#9 ·
I had one with my second, and it nearly kiled us both. I didn't want it, but my midwife induced with pitocin at 11 days past my due date because of strange heart palpitations I had been having. She broke my water after a couple hours of contractions when I wasn't even 3 cm dialated. After that, the contractions were extremely painful, and I couldn't get out of the bed because of the internal monitors she put in. It was a nightmare. I finally broke down and asked for the epidural. Within a few minutes, my blood pressure started to drop, and so did Avery's heart rate. My OB (who delivered my first) came in and stayed with me for 6 hours to avoid a csection. I managed to push him out when I was only 8 cm dialated and not fully effaced, oh, and the epi had been turned off for a while. His apgars were 9/10. My doctor behaved more like I expected a midwife to behave. He used oils to stretch my perineum even, and I didn't tear at all. 13 1/2 hours of labor was enough for me. I don't blame you for wanting the epi.
 
#13 ·
I had one with a csection. Sophie was born at 35 weeks and had apgars of 9 and 9. She went to the NICU at 2 days for jaundice. My milk never came in so we formula fed BUT we co-sleep, no vax, cloth diaper, gentle discipline. So its all about balance
Dont feel bad about the choices you've made in life you certainly cant rewrite history.
 
#14 ·
ive had one with both kids. I think it depends on your thresh hold for pain which i have NONE so yea give me one anyday. If i have any type of minor surgery they better knock me out that even means for a c-section. KNOCK ME OUT! does it make me a bad mom heck no just makes me a weenie with pain i dont need to ry and be a hero and stick through it. Dh would go insane it just makes the whole situation easier for us both. I have never had a problme with it during or afterwards. So i think thats good to. IM A WEENIE TOO
 
#16 ·
I missed your new baby thread, Ladylee and wanted to say congrats on your new baby. Sep 19th is my mom's birthday too, good day!

Enjoy your babymoon!

Topic:

I don't look crunchy or even come across as particularily "different", but I value the bond I share with all three of my kids. We are all very close and I don't do ANYTHING without thoughfully considering how it will affect me/us/them. To me that is the epitome of responsible parenting, not whether you slavishly uphold a specific practice or not.
 
#17 ·
I had one last time and I think I'll do it again. I did wait 12 hours last time...all the time knowing I'd get one...I just didn't want to get it too early and it slow down labor ya know?

I kind of relate it to getting a tooth pulled. I wouldn't do that without getting pain relief. I understand the concept behind natural birth, I'm just a wimp. I would like to have a homebirth at some point in my life (hopefully they'll have a home epi kit by then
) I'll be fine without it at home because it's not an option ya know? If it's there, I'll take it!

I've been feeling
: about it lately too. Thanks for starting this thread!
 
#18 ·
I had a typical epi-hospital birth with my first, and a birth center water-birth with my second. It is hard for me to tell explain to people that they were both good - do I say great - births!

With my first, I never once had any intention of having 'natural' childbirth - in fact I was a 'hook me up at 8 months, so I won't have to feel any labor' kind of gal
My birth was wonderful and perfect.....got there, had the epi, slept for awhile, woke up to push and had a beautiful baby boy!

The second time around I was so inspired by natural birth stories that I wanted to do that - not because my first was bad or wrong....but because I wanted a different experience. I actually found my labor to be easier with the second - and it was not painful 'for me' - but I really think that was just my perception.

I do think that there are risks assocciated with epi's that I wish I had been aware of the first time - but with anything as long as you are making a well thought out decision, I don't think it matters......what does bother me is women who think that natual birth is just for 'wackos' and that no one in their right mind would ever do that.....that just makes me mad! And having experience I had with my second, I would probably never go back to having an epi birth....but again, that is just me! It all depends....

Loved my epi with my first, Loved my waterbirth with my second, and hoping to love my hombirth if there is ever a third.
 
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#19 ·
Quote:
Originally posted by LoveBeads
I had an epidural. I also had a c-section. Talk about "not natural"! Don't feel guilty, AP is not about epidurals, it's about connection!

And FWIW, if I hadn't had a c-section, I STILL would have had an epidural.
I could have written your post and I agree.
 
#20 ·
I had an epidural with dd and felt it helped me to relax and open up and birth her. I have an abusive past and have a touch of PTSS that comes out when I feel pain. I know I could have a natural birth if I chose to, but have no regrets about having an epidural. It was an 8 hour labor from start to finish, no pitocin needed, and dd's Apgars were 9 and 10. I actually slept off during transition and they had to wake me up when it was time to push!! I'm planning to have another epidural with next baby because it was such a good experience the first time.

I still strongly believe natural childbirth is best for *most* women and am planning to be a doula in the next couple of years. My friend asked me to be her doula and is due any day. She's planning to have a birth center unmedicated birth, hopefully using hypnobirthing. So I've been training along with her and love it. It all makes perfect sense and I think I'll make a good doula someday. Still, I know that for me personally the epidural will probably be the best thing.

Darshani
 
#21 ·
Yeah, I had one, a few hours after the midwife started pitocin for failure to progress. Oh well. Ended up with a C, too. It doesn't matter how dd got here, though - the point is our relationship now she's here.


By the by, I know a medical resident who was on duty while morbidly obese woman came into the ER with I forget what major, life threatening, gotta-get-the-kid-out-NOW labor complication. The anesthesiologist tried to give her an epi in the two minutes they had, and failed. So ya know what? They did the C with no anesthesia.

Heh.
 
#22 ·
I had an epi, about 24 hours after I started the pitocin. (Pit because my water broke and my labor didn't start.) The pitocin wasn't working so they wanted to raise the dose and they were worried taht I was getting too exhausted. With the way that labor went I don't think I could have done it without the epi, though in the end the pump broke and I did the end without the drug.

didn't have the c-section though, thanks to the patience of the midwife and the steady, reassuring heartbeat of my baby.


Next time I hope to have a normal labor. But if this should happen again, I might have the epidural sooner. It was long time to have ineffective contractions. I wish I didn't feel like it was me getting my own way
but I am so pleased with the results of my labors it seems churlish to complain.
 
#23 ·
I had an epidural with the twin's-c-section.
My son was born at home in the water. I had back labor and went from 3cm to birth in one hour. It was INTENSE. At one point on my hands and knees in the shower (so the water would hit the right spot on my back) I remember thinking, "What the hell-o am I doing here without drugs" (this I found out later was transition).
I am AMAZED that anyone has a no drug birth in a hospital, hooked to monitor and not being able to move around. That was the only thing that made the intensity bearable.
I guess that's why I think mom's are able to labor at home without drugs-THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT AND GET INTO WHATEVER POSITION WORKS. Also, no drugs are readily available
.
Edited to add: If I didn't believe that a no drug birth was better for my baby (which I do), I would choose a home waterbirth over an epi or c-section in a second. It was glorious and amazing- I feel very fortunate to have experienced it. I view it as a true blessing. It was also so much easier to recover from. The epi made me throw up so much I couldn't hold my twins and I felt spacey for days and the babies were spacey and nursing did not go well at first. After the waterbirth, I had 2 stitches inside where my son scratched me on the way out as he came out with his hand against his head, and then I was up and around and we went to the beach that weekend. Anyway, that's what worked for us.
 
#24 ·
Yup I had an epidural too. Was on lots of med (pitocin, mag sulfate) and hooked up to a million monitors, catheder, ect, and I couldn't get out of bed, or hardly turn on my side (because the internal monitor on ds's head wasn't on right and the nurses would *rush* in the minute I moved)... I just couldn't handle the back pain without being able to move.

That poor woman Marlena! I'm significantly overweight and they had no problem at all getting the epi in for me. I wonder why they didn't knock her out then? Or at least get her under as fast as possible so she didn't have to experience the entire operation... my gawd, talk about a traumatic birth experience!
 
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#25 ·
Had one. Loved it. Sorry, Natural birthers. I did my research and conducted interviews with natural and epi birthers and made my decision. I had a fairly normal birth. Very little to no pain after the epi. I had serious back labor and it did hurt like a mofo before the epi.

The anesthesiologist was awesome. Very professional. I had no side effects.

I liked it!

Denny
 
#26 ·
I had one and I believe it saved me from having a c-section. I was rested enough to push. And I had to push with everything I had since they told me 6 more times or c-section. My anesthesiologist was so nice and so good at her job. I told her if I do this again I am lookingfor her. I am very content with my choice.
 
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