Epidurals?

1a4340e60 wheelba...
By: wheelbarrow37
Member since Nov 13, 2011
Posted: Feb 22, 2012
Are there any moms that recommend an epi? I'd like to hear both sides though (yes/no). I'm still early on (19 weeks) and my mind will change off and on but I'm afraid of getting a needle stuck in my spine but at the same time I think I'd like die if I didn't g e t one :/ haha. Any moms out there have any opinion?
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Avatar mrstexa...
By: mrstexasmom
Member since Jan 15, 2012
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I have had epidurals and I didn't feel the needle at all due to the contractions just go with your body if you can take the pain don't get one if not an epidural is great!!
Fe5fc73f5 abombbe...
By: abombbeauty
Member since Jan 28, 2012
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I had my first natural and will have this baby natural as well, only because it wasn't as bad as I expected, depending on your situation of course. My labor was 7 hours start to finish which is not bad at all! And I had no pain meds. I just can't get past letting someone stick a needle in my spine:/ so I remained tough and felt extremely accomplished!!! Either way it's an accomplishment, but sticking to the birth plan I chose felt amazing:)
EDD: Sep 15, 2012
Avatar mommy1994
By: mommy1994
Member since Feb 17, 2012
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I didnt feel.the needle to bad. & trust me after 4 days of labor I loved it!!(:
Avatar teamdil...
By: teamdillinger
Member since Dec 18, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I was just talking to my aunt about this today, who only had her youngest 3 years ago. She said she wanted to have it natural, but had to change her mind because of the pain. Everyone is different, so I would suggest deciding what your pain tolerance is and definitely talk to your doctor about the pros and cons. I will be taking the epidural. :P But everyone's body reacts differently to labor!
Avatar trini_81
By: trini_81
Member since Jan 30, 2012
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I would personally only have one if I had to have a c section. I've had my DD with just gas n the pain wasn't as bad as I expected n even just a few days later did not remember half of it n not how painful it was, selective memory is good, lol. Best thing is to not go in with too many expectations anything can happen n things can change so quickly n u might change ur mind. I'm not opposed to needles but having one stuck near my spine seems really bad. GL
F9cba2ef1 audra88
By: audra88
Member since Nov 07, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
With my first I got the epi and the guy stuck me 5 different times and finally got it in the right way it hurt so freakin bad but did not feel pain after that lol got an epi with my second and he stabbed me twice before he got it right and it was diluted so I still felt pretty much everything! Not to mention after my first I had severe back pain for 3 months afterwards I am now 18 weeks with our 3rd and am so not getting an epi with this one! But ur body will tell ya if u need one or not lol I've just had really bad experiences with them....
EDD: Jul 23, 2012
On board with our 3rd! :)
12790cb4a aln1030
By: aln1030
Member since Feb 13, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
Contractions are horrible. I can't even explain it. I would def recommend one. It's ultimately up to you. But I didn't feel it when they put te needle in. The contractions were all I could feel. Even when I had my second and walked myself to the o.r. I still didn't feel it. Good luck to u!
Avatar teamdil...
By: teamdillinger
Member since Dec 18, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
Audra, it sounds like you got a crappy doctor/nurse! >.< I would have been so mad!
3e4f85f10 amberli...
By: amberlin775
Member since Mar 28, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
i had a epi with my first and definately getting it again. i was planning on going natural but preterm labor started at 32 weeks and i was in pain all the way until 38+4 not to mention i had a 38 hr labor after 32 hrs at home i couldnt take it anymore. i have a high paon tolerance but my contractions were horrible. i loves my epi! you dont feel it with all them contractions
EDD: Mar 05, 2012
F9cba2ef1 audra88
By: audra88
Member since Nov 07, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
Plus it took forever for me to recover after our first and since I couldn't feel how hard I was pushing I ripped really bad and with my second since it was a diluted epi I felt how hard I was pushing and did not rip and it was such a fast recovery!
EDD: Jul 23, 2012
On board with our 3rd! :)
F9cba2ef1 audra88
By: audra88
Member since Nov 07, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
Oh he was horrible! And then with the second one they were like we have an intern that would like to try and I was like oh heck no! Lmao
EDD: Jul 23, 2012
On board with our 3rd! :)
3e4f85f10 amberli...
By: amberlin775
Member since Mar 28, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
i also didnt rip at all ;)
EDD: Mar 05, 2012
9c00183a6 Jenn1734
By: Jenn1734
Member since Jul 31, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I absolutely recommend it! They are amazing! (:

Woman who give birth naturally are amazing. My personal opinion is, birth is hard either way. Some ppl thing u earn a "gold star" for doing it naturally, but honestly every woman who gives birth deserves that treatment no matter what
Bd9f33018 yoginiL
By: yoginiL
Member since Oct 13, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I don't believe women who do it natural feel they get a " gold star". It's a personal choice, the body knows how to birth, but all this fear around birth scares woman. Think of what happens, when you are scared or functioning in the sympathetic system soley - you tense up. How is a baby going to come out in that situation? Painfully, that's how. I believe woman who birth naturally feel a sense of accomplishment because sooo many people tell them the can't, won't handle it. Not because they think they are better than anyone else
3e4f85f10 amberli...
By: amberlin775
Member since Mar 28, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
im sure being scared does make it worse but i wasnt scared with my first. i made it 32 out of 38 hrs of labor without the epi...i personally couldnt handle it anymore
EDD: Mar 05, 2012
8befa9c7e Laurap43
By: Laurap43
Member since Sep 10, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
yes, we are made to borth and fear does get in the way. I had an epi with my first and it sucked soooo bad and ruined my experience. I'm doing everything I can to assure I go natural this time. Its going to be so empowering :)
EDD: May 06, 2012
Avatar mwallace
By: mwallace
Member since Dec 28, 2010
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I got one & it was a horrible experience. They used all the local anesthetic that they could & I still felt everything. Nine months later I'm going to a specialist because my back is still in a large amount of pain, my leg muscles have spasms & I get really bad headaches. I won't be getting another one. But, that's just my experience.
Avatar FluffyC...
By: FluffyCatOfDoom
Member since Nov 06, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
well heres my take on it... im a ftm and i am planning to do this natural. i hate hate hate pain! but i want what is best for my lo. after doing research i have found this... most doctors in most hospitals want a fast turn over rate. so they tend to push the hormone pitocin. this hormone causes contractions and speeds up birth. the issue is, that this hormone forces contractions to be longer and harder than they need to be. causing more pain than you should need to endure. this makes us cry for an epidural. the problem is that the epidural slows down the labor process to almost a halt. so they up the pitocin, which puts you in pain, so they up the epidural...and this balancing act goes on. what else happens though is that the pitocin is causing these unnaturally long contractions. and during these they baby is squeezed too tightly or too long and the oygen supply is cut off. sometimes resulting in the baby going into distress... then a c section. being that the two, pitocin and epidural, seem to go hand in hand i am staying away from both and got a great dula for support and pain managment.
the us has the second highest infant death rate in the world...and the only thing they are doing different than other countries is all of their "helpful" interventions. i do beleive there is a place for these interventions. i love doctors and obgyns. they do a great job when they are needed. i just dont think it is always all needed. sorry for the length of this!
Avatar FluffyC...
By: FluffyCatOfDoom
Member since Nov 06, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
ps, for a great breakdown of everything watch "the business of being born". it was so awsome and informative!
Avatar Toni12
By: Toni12
Member since Jul 22, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
episode are not bad at all. there if u need it. just go with it as a possibility and u will know if u need it!!
3e4f85f10 amberli...
By: amberlin775
Member since Mar 28, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
everybody has their own opinion so im not trying to start anything but i think "the business of being born" is very biased...just my opinion....also my cousin had her first natural and said she was in so much pain she couldnt remember the birth. she had a epi with her 2nd and loved it.....BUT TO ALL THE WOMEN WHO DO IT NATURAL. I ENVY YOU :)
EDD: Mar 05, 2012
Avatar FluffyC...
By: FluffyCatOfDoom
Member since Nov 06, 2011
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
true, it is a bit biased. but still informative. you are not starting anything. :) everyone has the right to their opinion. and you are not at all wrong or offensive in yours. it is factual, but definantly wants to encourage natural child birth.
Avatar BabySno...
By: BabySnow2012
Member since Feb 17, 2012
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I've given birth twice with an epidural and once completely natural. When the day comes and you're in labor, you will know what you want by how you're handling the pain.

My first born I had the epi. Never felt them numb my back or put it in. It allowed me to get a much needed nap in before pushing, and it didn't slow my labor down at all. Not sure if it's because of the epi, but I had 3 stitches when all was said and done.
Second birth I went completely natural without choice. It did hurt, but it's suppose to. Breathing through the pain and contractions is the key. In the end I didn't need stitches because I could feel when my body wanted me to push.
Third birth I was induced with pitocin. It didn't make my contractions hurt any worse than when I was in labor naturally. I decided to go ahead with the epi again just incase the contractions became too much to handle because I had heard plenty of stories about pitocin. Not sure if it was the epi or pitocin, but my epi had just kicked in fully when i was told it was time to push. I was only in labor 2 hours. So once again the epi didn't slow anything down.

I know everyone is different and their bodies react differently. Like I said before, you'll know what you want when the time comes. Keep an open mind though! Things don't always go as you planned. Hope this helps!
Avatar AlexisSea
By: AlexisSea
Member since Feb 19, 2012
Posted: on Feb 22, 2012
I had planned to go natural, but after 14 hrs of labor, and a bp that was going up up up from the pain, the doc encouraged me to get the epi. Once I did (didnt feel it at all), my body was able to do what it needed to, and I went from 4 to full in an hour. After they let my body move the baby down, the contractions slowed, but it still worked out fine.

My sister left me with great advice as labor started...it is possible for you to enjoy labor, and she was right!
Avatar BbyBump_2
By: BbyBump_2
Member since Jan 05, 2012
Posted: on Feb 23, 2012
I had a natural birth with my son and didn't rip, he was only 6lbs 9oz though. I want to go natural with this pregnancy as well but every birth is different and I might need it or might not. Either way I think the epi is there to help you so why not use it if needed! gl(:
EDD: Jul 18, 2012
I will soon have my perfect pair(:
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