Epidural or Not?

I got the epidural for both my deliveries. I never regretted it. Both times went just fine. I highly recommend it!

I was completely planning to have an epidural, but then my labor came on too quickly and I wasn't able to. The pain was pretty freaking intense, and I will tell you right now, take the epidural if you have the opportunity.

I've never heard of a spinal headache, but I've been in the room with at least three of my relatives within 20 minutes of their giving birth with an epidural, and they were all sitting up holding their child with no problem. I'm not saying there's no such thing or that it doesn't happen, just giving you my personal experience.

4 deliveries and another pending in 7 months or so, I always have gone for the epidural. (Is there any other way? *wink*) I have never had a problem, maybe some nerve sensitivity in my spine for a couple of months afterward, but no additional pain or lasting side effects.
I know a friend who did have the spinal headache, she still has problems to this day, but those types of problems for women are so few and far between, I don't think you will have to worry over it.
Like Dina says, get it if you have the opportunity. They won't administer it if you are like 8 cm. Usually around 4-6 cm is when you want it. If you are induced, have it before they break your water. If you go in labor naturally, ask for it once you are admitted. GL, and how much further do you have to go?

Husband: I wish Thay I could of gotten some kind of drugs but instead I got a broken hand thrown up on and told that everything was my fault and that if it happened again that i would be killed, but after the fact i was the man and so was little Kaylee Rose! My wife had the epideral and she wouldn't go any other way either but she had had trouble pushing due to the fact of not being able to feel contractions after having the injection and ended up with and emergency section.

Personally that is the last thing I want! I know of a few people who still have problems to this day.Just a few months ago someone at the hospital I will be delievering paralyzed a woman that way.She now has a newborn and isn't able to walk at all.When I saw that in our local paper I cried.I don't want to end up having my life taken away because some doctor can't do it right.The worst part is you can't sue if it does happen.Unless something becomes life of death for me or the baby I really don't want that done.Of course there's some woman who never have problems but I however am not risking it and will be focusing on bringing my daughter into the world.The more pain..the closer she is to being here.Good luck with what you decide.Each pregnancy is so different you maybe able to handle the pain better than you expect.

I am definitely pro-epidural. And a large majority of women will get one and have no residual affects. But ask the women in your family on your side if they've had one and how it went for them. You will more than likely be very similar.

Thanks, everyone.

Cindy - Unfortunately I don't have any woman on either my side or my husband's side of family to ask. They either didn't have the choice because it wasn't available (30-some years ago), or they arrived at the hospital too late for this.

I didn't have an epidural by choice because I found out several years ago that I have a hole in my spine and that the only time it would ever effect me was if I had an epidural. Of course I didn't have the pictures of my spine when I was pregnant and had no desire to have the epidural anyway even though the doctor kept pushing me to get it. I was induced and at the last minute they were still offering it to me and I vaguely remember giving in but then I was in hard labor. I only had demarol and I was fine. I guess when I finally gave in to the doctor it was too late to have it.

I had an epidural and no negative side effects other than a small bruised area on my back where the needle had been inserted. It was tender for a day or two and only when touched (by my husband by accident). For future babies, I plan to request one again. I had really strong contractions (off the scale) just during normal labor so I knew I wouldn't cope well once I got into transition phase. I could still feel the contractions it just took the pain away until the transition phase when I could feel a little pain (but the edge of the pain was really dulled and definitely doable at that point). You will still have some pain when you crown, but it's over quick and at that point I didn't care, I just wanted the baby out.

You should be aware that there are other pain alternatives though if you are not a good candidate for an epidural. You cannot have an epidural if your blood pressure is too low/high for example. You also should be aware that they make you stay in bed if you have an epidural (that was the policy at the hospital I delivered at) and so you can't get up to use the bathroom, etc. (they will give you a catheter instead). A lot of the problems described with getting an epidural rely on the skill of the anethsiologist in giving the epidural and your ability to hold very still while it is performed. If they insert the needle too far your spinal fluid can leak out of the hole which is what causes the headaches, etc. There are some remedies -- you can have a blood block patch done so the fluid can't leak which helps relieve the headaches. If you do have side effects if you decide to have an epidural -- make sure you don't just try to live with the headaches, you'll be miserable.

My first son ended up being delivered by emergency c-section, and my second was a scheduled c-section, so I had spinal blocks with both. Before I went in for surgery with my first all I had was some Nubain, and I can tell you that just taking the edge off the pain like that was enough for me. I didn't want anything more and I went through labor up to the point of pushing for 3 hours...but I had to have one for the surgery. I got spinal headaches afterward. They are similar to a migraine, I couldn't sit up and I kept getting sick, but it only lasted 2 days and I have no effects of it now. With the second one I had no problems, except that both times I was very nauseous (may have been from the other drugs they game me as well.)

(A spinal is a little different from an epi. Where the medication is actually injected is the only difference; spinal injected into spinal canal, epidural between spinal cord and dura. There is a bigger risk of headaches with a spinal). I think both are pretty safe, and they definitely work!

I had 2 C-sections, both with epidurals and one also with a spinal (the epidural didn't take) I didn't have any problems with either one of them and in fact when I had the second one, I was fine within an hour of delivery...sitting up and such. It is important though to take it easy or you WILL have headaches...research epidurals well and ask questions of the doctor...it will make it easier to understand. I think the hardest part was trying to curl into a ball so they could do the procedure...it's tough when you have a basketball tummy in the way! LOL

for my last child i went totally for the epidural... got it as soon as possible... why go through pain when you dont have to?.... i mean relaly...

I did once get the headache after the epidural, but that went away after a couple of weeks ... intense headache and is rare...

i would opt for the epidural again.. and did 2 times even after the headache episode... did not have a headache with the other 2 epidurals...

i skipped the stadol.. .but with the epidural, your baby will be a little sluggish after delivery, but nothing harmful to baby.

one thing i really and highly recommend is having the doc put the baby on your belly the second baby is born.. even before the cord is cut.. they can clean baby and do the apgar score while on your belly... .nothing like watching your baby take the first breath instead of laying there wondering how your baby is doing... it is breath taking..

I have three children. Two were born without an epidural, one with.
Can I say WITH AN EPIDURAL LOUD ENOUGH....ROFL.

My baby was in no way sluggish when born, yelled her little head off and looked right at me fully alert. :-)

I had an epidural with my daughter. I was very grateful I did because I ended up having an emergency c-section and without the epidural, they would have had to put me out completely. Instead, I was awake for her delivery and got to see her right away.

I think it is a personal decision. At first, I decided that I didn't want to be a "wimp" and tried to go as long as I could without it. After pacing the floor and being miserable for a few hours, I decided to go for it and it was pure relief afterward! I was sitting in bed playing games with my husband and sister, watching movies, etc. I remember the nurse made a comment when she came in to check on me about what a completely different experience it was to walk in to my room as compared with the person in the room next to mine who was trying to go natural (we could hear her screaming over and over again).

Everyone will have their horror stories, but you should know that they are very rare and there are potential risks/complications with any labor & delivery (even if you go "natural").

On the WebMD site, they provided this information about "spinal headaches":
Severe, prolonged headache after delivery, when the spinal cord sheath has accidentally been punctured during the procedure. A puncture occurs in about 3% of women receiving an epidural. About 70% of these women develop the headache after childbirth. The puncture is repaired by an anesthesiologist, using another injection in the puncture area.

They also said this about how it affects your baby after birth:
Epidural anesthesia is unlikely to affect (depress) the central nervous system, so you and your newborn can be alert after delivery.

You can read the full article here:
http://www.webmd.com/hw/being_pregnant/tn9762-medinfo.asp?pagenumber=1

Thanks so much for everyone's information! I feel much better about epidural, and I will definitely get it. I think the anethsiologists at my hospital are trustable (skill-wise). I hope I will be able to hold still while they do the work....

I had an epidural with my daughter. I ended up having a c-section after pushing for several hours, so it was good to be prepared with the epidural. I didn't have any problems with it, and think it is a good idea if your labor is long.

I had a c-section scheduled with my son, but went into labor before the scheduled date. Within a few hours of feeling the first contractions, I was at the hospital and dilated to 8 cm. They had to give a shot to stop the labor so they could prep me for the c-section. In this second delivery, the labor was so quick that I was never that uncomfortable. I could have easily seen myself completing the childbirth without the epidural (had the csection not been necessary.) So if your labor is progressing quickly (not likely in a first delivery), I would keep a "wait and see" attitude about the epidural.