It is different for everyone, just go into it with an open mind. I had an epi with my first and hated it. I preferred the other two births even though the pain was mindblowing. Lol
kristie, what are your thoughts on epidurals slowing labor? And then I know some people say the epi relaxed them enough that they were able to progress when they couldn't before. Does it make a difference how early you get them? Is it a crapshoot? Dependent on the individual? Or is there no cause and effect relationship there at all?
Too many factors that can't predict how it will go. Sometimes dilation happens faster or slower with an epidural. Research shows the same. Stage 2 of labor when pushing starts might be longer with an epidural, but it hasn't been shown to be harmful.
Post by jillybean222 on Sept 17, 2014 13:19:43 GMT -5
I had 3 kids and 3 epidurals so i might be a little biased but...I say get an epi! Why not?! Epi's rule! I had three easy labors/deliveries/recoveries though so I suppose if one (or 3) were awful I could blame the drugs but that wasn't my experience.
I had epi (at 6cm) and my labor didn't progress after that and ended up with a c-section 7 hours later (still at 6cm). I'm pretty sure epi made my labor stall. On the other hand, I couldn't have possibly survive the 7 hours without the epi. My advice is: if you want to go med-free, you should be prepared. Take some natural birthing class. Make DH learn ways to help. Get a midwife. Or a doula. Or both. BE PREPARED. The nurses and the doctors are useless at helping you cope with the pain.
Post by kellykapowski on Sept 17, 2014 13:52:23 GMT -5
I was induced both times, and had an epi with both. I tried to hold off on the epi as long as I could, but I figured I'd end up with it. With the first it took me 7 hours to get to 4.5 cm without the epi. Once the epi was in, I blew through the last 5.5 cm in 2 hours. In my case, the epi helped relax me enough to allow my body to contract.
With DD2 I got the epi at 3 cm and it only worked on half of my body. I wanted to DIE. I vividly remember crying to the nurses and my H that I wouldn't survive if they didn't fix the epi. The anesthesiologist came to adjust how I was laying in bed, but said she wouldn't redo the epi as it was riskier then just birthing like that. I could have murdered her if both my legs were working. I labored like that for about 4 hours, and by some miracle of little baby Jesus, when I started pushing, the epi started working on both sides.
Anyway, this all to say that you should go into it with an open mind. Labor without meds for as long as you can. If you can tolerate doing it completely med free, then go for it. If you want the epi, then go for it. Either way you're pushing a human out of your vagina or cutting your abdomen open to get that baby out. You'll still be equally as awesome with whatever route you take.
my advice: don't stress over this and keep an open mind.
i went in with an idea of what i wanted (probably an epidural but we'll see, and i want the baby put on my chest immediately).
i got an epidural and it failed so it didn't matter that i had it.
what i would change if i had the option was being permanently hooked up to monitors because i couldn't move around much and moving really helped me get through contractions. it was when i couldn't get through them because i could only walk 5 steps that i decided i needed the epidural.
oh, and i wish i had researched other pain coping methods. can they give other meds besides an epidural? something to just take the edge off a little? can you get a small epidural dose? these probably sound like dumb questions but i don't know the answers and i wish i had before l&d.
I had epi (at 6cm) and my labor didn't progress after that and ended up with a c-section 7 hours later (still at 6cm). I'm pretty sure epi made my labor stall. On the other hand, I couldn't have possibly survive the 7 hours without the epi. My advice is: if you want to go med-free, you should be prepared. Take some natural birthing class. Make DH learn ways to help. Get a midwife. Or a doula. Or both. BE PREPARED. The nurses and the doctors are useless at helping you cope with the pain.
this is bullshit. i had wonderful nurses. one reminded me to focus my energy on getting the baby out instead of on the pain and how tired i was. nurses are fabulous.
a doula can definitely help and if you want someone who's job is to help you through labor, get one but don't assume nurses are idiots who don't help you.
I had epi (at 6cm) and my labor didn't progress after that and ended up with a c-section 7 hours later (still at 6cm). I'm pretty sure epi made my labor stall. On the other hand, I couldn't have possibly survive the 7 hours without the epi. My advice is: if you want to go med-free, you should be prepared. Take some natural birthing class. Make DH learn ways to help. Get a midwife. Or a doula. Or both. BE PREPARED. The nurses and the doctors are useless at helping you cope with the pain.
^o)
Giant fucking side eye. May want to revise your statement to reflect YOUR experience, instead of just universally declaring that all doctors and nurses give no fucks and are useless in that capacity. My nurses, and even my OBs, were fantastic in helping me cope, and listening to me. Both times, in completely different hospitals.
Post by chickadee77 on Sept 17, 2014 14:11:37 GMT -5
I loved my epi. I started feeling the urge to push as I got it, so fairly late in the game, lol. My nurse said labor likely would have gone faster without it (yikes!) but my contractions came on fast and furious.
That said, if we have a second, I hope I have time for an epi!
It doesn't really bother me when people use the term "natural" to mean they didn't have an epidural or pain meds.
Yeah, it doesn't bother me either, although I use med free out of respect for other's feelings. I think of the term natural in this to be the same idea as "natural or holistic" medicine.
my advice: don't stress over this and keep an open mind.
i went in with an idea of what i wanted (probably an epidural but we'll see, and i want the baby put on my chest immediately).
i got an epidural and it failed so it didn't matter that i had it.
what i would change if i had the option was being permanently hooked up to monitors because i couldn't move around much and moving really helped me get through contractions. it was when i couldn't get through them because i could only walk 5 steps that i decided i needed the epidural.
oh, and i wish i had researched other pain coping methods. can they give other meds besides an epidural? something to just take the edge off a little? can you get a small epidural dose? these probably sound like dumb questions but i don't know the answers and i wish i had before l&d.
Yes, you can get narcotics, but they are short lived and there is a cap to the number of doses you can get during labor. I personally would feel more comfortable with an epi than narcotics because I have anxiety about the effects of the narcotics on the baby (and me for that matter).
I had epi (at 6cm) and my labor didn't progress after that and ended up with a c-section 7 hours later (still at 6cm). I'm pretty sure epi made my labor stall. On the other hand, I couldn't have possibly survive the 7 hours without the epi. My advice is: if you want to go med-free, you should be prepared. Take some natural birthing class. Make DH learn ways to help. Get a midwife. Or a doula. Or both. BE PREPARED. The nurses and the doctors are useless at helping you cope with the pain.
Not necessarily true.
My L&D nurse was FANTASTIC. She actually stayed an hour past her shift because I was close to having the baby and she wanted to be there for his birth. Unfortunately, she had to leave to go pick up her son from his dad's house and another nurse (who was also pretty great) took over, but she was amazing and so comforting. I wrote her a personal thank you note and commended her to the hospital.
I was very lucky to have an outstanding medical team and I dug the doctors and my midwife, too, but the nurses I had during my stay were almost universally stellar.
Post by Cricket0619 on Sept 17, 2014 15:04:40 GMT -5
I got an epi 9 hours into labor because I was scared I wouldn't be able to get one when I really wanted one. Little did I know I would be in labor for 31 hours. lol. They were pretty painful, but I think I could have gone a couple more hours.
I planned to go med free. I just thought that if it got to the point where I didn't care about a huge needle going into my back, then I should probably just go ahead and get it though. For some reason the thought of that needle was a big hang up for me more than anything else.
My water broke at like 3am. I wasn't having anything stronger than mild cramps by 10am, so they started pitocin. Then things got really painful, contractions lasted a long time and were really close together. I did that for a few hours with no progress. After that I got the epidural. It actually helped my labor progress and I finally was able to push around 9pm. I pushed for about 40 minutes. I think I would still do the epidural if I ever had another one. It didn't take all the pain away, but it took a good amount. I just couldn't get my body to relax through the contractions, I don't know if that was the pitocin that did that, but I felt like the contractions never stopped during that time.
I really feel this is something you can just wait and see on, since you do not seem to feel overly strong one way or the other. See how you are able to tolerate things, see how your body does. I have a friend who went med free both times and she has no regrets and it was something she did because things were going well and she did not feel the need for pain blockers.
Each person is different. I had them both times and had a great experience with K, a not so great with C but that was due to my thyroid.
Post by DotAndBuzz on Sept 17, 2014 15:37:57 GMT -5
I wasn't telling you how you feel. I was telling you how that statement comes off. The med free choice *doesn't* always get accused of being sanctimonious. Plenty of people here have explained their choice without that undertone, but when it's made in a "well, look at the risks, and decide if you being relieved of pain is worth the risk you're putting your baby in. We all have to make tough choices..." tone, it is very much so, IMO.
So yes. My post was full of scorn at that, because it's bullshit, and sets a mom up not for an empowering and positive birth experience, but disappointment if she "fails," and goes w/ medication.
And, for the record, my MIL said exactly that to me when I was struggling w/ BFing. It was super awesome.
I have never heard of people getting an epi take longer to recover.
I had an epi (thank you Jesus!) but when it came to the pushing part, I felt everything on my left side. DS was facing up in the birth canal causing our spines to rub together. Within 45 mins of him being born, one nurse had me up and in the shower. I never took the stool softeners or the ibuprofen (?) during recovery. I wasn't in pain. My stomach was a little tender but ultimately I was fine.
I hope you have easy labor. One thing my OB told me was 'it's only 1 day and if it was that bad women wouldn't be multiple children'. Also, go in with a clear and open mind. Everything will be fine
I got IV meds with Joanna earlier in my labor, and sometimes I wonder if that and/or the epidural affected breastfeeding. It never really bothered me, because I wasn't gung-ho on either going med-free OR breastfeeding, and it didn't affect my decision regarding pain meds with E because I was going to FF anyway. I just don't think Joanna ever latched properly, and she kept falling asleep while I was trying to nurse.. but aren't all newborns sleepy? lol. I didn't even think about it until later. I also don't remember whether E was more or less sleepy in general than J was, but I know she came out ready to suck on something and I was the one who initiated feeding with J on the nurse's prompting about an hour after she was born.
eta: epis with both but no IV meds with E, although I had narcotics in the epidural.
I can assure you the meds you received in labor did not affect breastfeeding. Most babies are sleepy until around their 18th hour of life, and then become more alert and want to eat all the time. Some babies just don't want to latch for a prolonged period of time initially, and it takes a lot more time and effort than other babies.
And OP, like others said, I would try to go med free, but be open to an epidural if need be. Any route you choose is fine, and it does not mean you are choosing less than the best for your child.
Post by Bree Van de Kamp on Sept 17, 2014 15:45:39 GMT -5
I went med- free with my daughter and plan on doing the same with DD2 come January. Did it hurt? Fuck yes, in a "holy shit, oh my God, how is this even possible" kind of way, but even so, the benefits made the pain worthwhile.