Epidurals: Yes, No, Maybe So?

~~I did last time, and I will be again. I was able to be a part of the birth without screaming  or anything, and I was completely able to focus on my son after, without any pain from contractions from the afterbirth.~~

Just because you get an epidural doesn't mean that you get to birth without screaming; just as not having one automatically means that you will be screaming and writhing in pain.  I have had one of each birth.  My epidural birth sucked.  I couldn't feel when I needed to push and had to be told to push, to stop, to breathe.....obviously there was no effective pushing going on.  After an hour and 37 minutes of pushing I was able to birth my son; giving myself a third degree tear.  I yelled, screamed, and was in so much pain and not even able to walk after birth.

Then I had my youngest without any drugs at all.  Water breaking to birth was 4 hours and 50 minutes; with only 5 minutes of pushing.  I was able to feel as soon as my body changed into pushing mode, and was able to bear down as needed, rest when needed, and change positions to get him out easier.  No tear, not even a skid mark.  LOL  I was up, showered, dressed, and asking to go home 2 hours later.

I never needed pain medication after my second birth either; but "needed" narcotics after my epidural.

I never had one but don't like the thought of not being able to walk  after pick what you want if your deliveries are painful check out all the pain meds. I had one with no pain meds. he came that fast   and that  was ok too    but nuban was my favorite left me alittle goofy  but not out of it     and it is an asthma   med so I have asthma I  think it increased my ability to   breath God bless it is hard to decide but as long as you get to hold a  beautiful ababy at the end it is   good

I had an epidural for both my kids. My daughter was 8lb 1 oz and my son was 9 lb 3 oz. I would absolutely recommend and epidural. I went as long as I could without one and that was enough pain. I couldn't imagine what a 9lb baby would have felt like and the stitches ugh. I was able to enjoy my children after and remember a happy pain free moment. I was also up and walking around by myself shortly after giving birth. I highly recommend having an epidural.

i went without an epi and i am very happy with my decision. im was able to get up shower, walk arounf when i wanted to now when my neds wore off. i also had a quick recovery.

i did it with my first daughter and i was soooo drowsy and weak.....with my second daughter i was going to get it again but she came so fast that they did not have time so i went with out it....

The next baby i will NOT use one!  I felt 10x better with out! the pain is sooo worth it!

I had one with my first. I was in so much pain I was halucinating. her delivery was quick and easy, 12 minutes max.

I went to a different hospital for my son where the didn't have epidurals, just intrathecals. Intrathecals numb your midsection only. after the baby moves past a certain point the pain comes back. the dr wouldn't let me have any other pain meds after it wore off. his delivery at least 2 hours ( post med) and I couldn't feel the urge to push, just constant pain, even when I did push.

now for #3 I found a dr out of state on purpose because that was the only hospital within an hour drive that has epidurals. I'm not going to go without one again.

i think we talk too much about epidurals and not enough about pitocin. pitocin is the synthetic hormone they give many women to either induce labor or speed it up. the problem with pitocin is that it makes contractions harder. see, oxytocin (you body's natural birth hormone that causes contractions) also releases endorphins in your brain. we all know that endorpins are your body's natural pain-killers. so, without pitocin, you have hard contractions.. . . but your body is at least giving you some sort of releif (though it may not feel like it right away). with pitocin, that's not true. so you have unnaturally hard contractions that make labor feel impossible. in comes the epidural. did you know epidurals actually slow labor a little? so they have to give you more pitocin. . . which leads to more epidural. . . which sometimes leads to a baby in distress. so, honestly, epidurals are not the problem. it's mis-education about pitocin. it makes contractions not just harder on you. . . but much harder on your baby. . . which can cause the babies heartbeat to drop and other complications. so i would say educate yourself about pitocin. . . and try to opt out. lots of doctors like pitocin because it makes labor shorter. but remember, shorter labor (naturally or induced) is always harder. believe me. . . i know. i hope this is helpful!

i had an epi i had an easy labor but i did have some complaications where ther baby was hang out on my bladder and i was in soo much pain and i can just imagin how it would felt if i didnt have the epi in and they thought my baby wasnt gonna turn around in time n they told me that would have been painful as well. I think it just depends on the mom and the pain level she is able to handle cuz swome ppl cant deal with pain and lucky for us we dont have to. It is a very personal choice

I had pretty much the same experience as JenB1983's epi birth. I was too scared to say no to the epidural when the nurse had already called in the anesthesiologist in the middle of the night. Sure, I was in pain, and yeah I was vocal about it, but I wasn't out of control. I couldn't tell when to push, and it took longer and required an episiotomy.

Another thing I hated was the Stadol before the epi. It didn't take away the pain of contractions, it just knocked me out between them so I couldn't tell when they were coming and prepare myself for them.

This time (any day now!) they are instructed not to even mention the epi unless I ASK FOR IT. And I'm going to ask to try to keep hydrated without an IV so no IV meds either.