epidural experiences please...

[sb786]

Hi ladies hope you are well!
Just wanted to ask if any of you have had an epidural before and what was your experience like? I've heard a lot of positive and negative stories.
What else is available as effective pain relief that has been tried and tested!
Thanks xxx

[rebekah385]

I have given birth 3 times , so far. with the first 2 I did no medication and it was a wonderful although painful experience. admittedly at the end of my 2nd labor i decided I wanted pain meds, it was'nt that I could'nt handle it it was that I did'nt want to on like that for several more hours, but the nurse checked me and i was fully dialated and ready to push, so I was ok as long as I knew that it would be over soon! with my 3rd labor I dilated to a 7cm on my own and then decided to have something, I am afraid of have someone put a needle in my spine (as a do know some people who have had complications and the idea just freaks me out more than labor) , so i asked them for some kind of pain med to go in through an IV they gave it to me (it was some combination of demeral and something else) it did take the edge off the contractions, but i could still feel them and it made be very drowsy, which I was'nt used to in labor. it wore off after about 45 minutes and then i was in more pain than i was before the meds, although then the nurse came and checked me and said i was fully dialated and time to push and that they could'nt give me anymore meds, because it could make the baby less alert. he was very alert when he came out juts 15 minutes later and he and I were just fine. however since when it wore off it was almost worse I think because it did'nt build up the way it does naturally and just hit me kinda at once, I am going to try to not do any meds again (I am currently 9 1/2 weeks pregnant). i do agree with some of the other women that i felt great after giving birth without meds, felt fine right after!. i am not against meds however if they are needed. i plan to go natural again, but if I need to i will take something again.

[sb786]

Thank you for all your stories! It is so reassuring to read so many positives about epidurals!
I have been told that the biggest down side is that you cant move about for a awhile. (at my hospital they don't offer the "walking" epidural)  How long does it take to totally wear off after they stop administering the epidural? The thought of not being able to feel your legs really scares me???!!

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I agree w/ Limonada on what she is saying.  I have had epidurals w/ some of my kids and not others and when I didn't have one, it was not by my choice.  I was in so much pain those other times and don't enjoy being in pain myself.  Me bonding w/ my babies has never been an issue and I did BF as soon as the baby was checked as well.  They also got me up after like an hour of giving birth.  I thought they were nuts, but they do want to make sure you are fine and I always have been.  With this last baby, it only worked on half of me and not the other half.  I can only guess that it was administered wrong because I had never had that problem before with previous babies.  I also had no problems holding my own legs or with pushing.

I think you will get stories of good experiences and bad experiences but you would no matter what question you asked.  That's just with anything but I think all in all the epidural is a good thing and even if you choose not to have one, I am so glad that women have this option today to have one.

Also, there is such a thing as a "walking epidural", where you can get up and walk.  Most people don't know about it, but I saw it on a documentary on Discovery Health.  They play all sorts of labor and delivery shows on that channel and I did see a woman that got one and got up and walked around the hospital.  BUT in the end, she ended up getting the dr. to give her the real deal.

Oh, and my healing was no different whether I had an epidural or not.

Anyway, that was my experience....Good luck w/ your decision :)

[Limonada]

An epidural affecting bonding with the baby - that's the first time I've ever heard that!  It totally did NOT affect how I bonded with DS right from the beginning.  Once he was checked out and cleaned up, he was given back to me....skin to skin contact, breastfed shortly thereafter.  Both he and I were alert.  They had me get up not that long afterwards, too, to make sure I was fine - and I was.

[faye83]

I have a friend whose sister got an epidural. She gave birth 7 years ago and she's still having back pain cause of it. I also did hear from different ladies that they were able to recuperate waaayy faster when they did it without anesthetics. This is why I'm planning on delivering this baby au naturale, I hope I don't chicken out!

[BedfordGal]

Hi,

I had an epidural when i had my daughter and actually could still feel the pain on one side of my body. I have no explanation for it, just know it was very painful, but only on one side.