bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,514
Oct 11, 2014 3:17:29 GMT
|
Post by bethany102399 on Feb 28, 2023 0:35:35 GMT
The cervical checks they make you have are a lot more pleasant after the epidural. Oh my yes. With my oldest the anesthesiologist was delayed for some reason and I had not wanted to get the twilight drugs. The nurse honored my wishes right up until I had a contraction WHILE SHE WAS CHECKING ME. I vividly remember grabbing the bedrail with both hands and praying for death. I was seeing spots I was in so much pain. She came back with the twilight drugs and I happily watched the cartoon drawing on the ceiling after that. He eventually did show up and I had an epidural with both her and DS who just turned 14. Funny thing is, as I read about pain management with my upcoming knee replacement I keep hearing worst pain of your life. I can't believe it's as bad as when that nurse was checking me. I'm reading that they have started doing nerve blocks during the knee surgery as it makes it easier for the patient to get up and bending sooner as there's less pain right away so I've been asked a couple of times if I've had an epidural and it's been on my mind.
|
|
|
Post by Linda on Feb 28, 2023 1:26:07 GMT
They did an epidural shortly after and she had the baby 10 min later. 13 min after for me...in my case, I had a stalled labour (even with pitocin) and a sunnyside up baby, the epidural (and with my subsequent delivery - the IV drugs) relaxed things enough for baby to crown.
|
|
|
Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Feb 28, 2023 1:27:52 GMT
my youngest two were born when I was 40 and 43, so it was pretty great to feel confident that they were developing well despite my advanced maternal age. I was 40 when I had my youngest. If I heard "advanced maternal age" once, I heard it a million times. To the point where I smilingly threatened my OB/GYN that if he said it one.more.time. I was coming across the desk and assaulting him.
|
|
|
Post by Basket1lady on Feb 28, 2023 1:42:16 GMT
I had epidurals each time. Thank god for pain relief. When I had #2, that first contraction after they broke my water took my breath away—literally. My OB smacked my knee to get me to breathe. The anesthesiologist walked I to my room 5 minutes later.
I had long labors—as in days. I wouldn’t have been able to push when the time came if it weren’t for the epidural pain relief.
|
|
|
Post by sabrinae on Feb 28, 2023 1:49:24 GMT
15 year old - induced at a week late, epidural about 5 hours into labor, c-section after 12+ hours of labor. She was sunny side up and almost 10 pounds - she was stuck.
12 year old was supposed to be a planned c-section, but she decided to come 3 weeks early. They stopped my labor when I got to the hospital and then did a spinal fornthe c-section that evening once they had an open operating room.
I had early ultrasounds to date the pregnancies and 20 week anatomy ultrasounds with both pregnancies. With my first, my Dr had an ultrasound right in his exam room so towards the end of the pregnancy he would do a quick check most appointments. He was amazed I was still pregnant as I started having contractions and dialating on July 4 and was finally induced Aug 3. I also had a miscarriage that Resulted in hemorrhaging and a d&c - thank god for ultrasounds and modem medicine or I likely would have died.
|
|
|
Post by jemmls4 on Feb 28, 2023 2:01:23 GMT
My oldest is 29 and I had one with her and my son. Many of my friends with children a little older than mine had epidurals as well. They’ve been around for a long time.
|
|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Feb 28, 2023 2:16:31 GMT
Yup, and zero regrets here. I had a drawn out horrible labor even with the epidural and a kid with a huge head (thanks to her dad who can never find hats or helmets to fit his giant melon) so I ended up having a c-section anyway. I also had multiple ultrasounds due to AMA. The internal ones are so NOT fun.
A couple days ago I was organizing some random junk in my basement and happened to find a plain envelope with my kid’s original 20 week ultrasound pictures in it! Not sure how it ended up where it did but I was glad I found them. (I did scan them shortly after that appointment and know where the images are so that I could reprint them for scrapbooking but never did get around to making that layout. The kid will be 13 this year! Guess I’m a little behind, LOL.)
|
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
|
Post by finaledition on Feb 28, 2023 2:24:33 GMT
No. I didn’t have strong feelings against them, I just didn’t end up needing them. All 3 I had pitocin. My last one I was begging for one, but the one anesthetist was in a c-section so I was too far along when s/he became available.
|
|
|
Post by Merge on Feb 28, 2023 2:32:09 GMT
I labored for 36 hours without one and then they had to give me a spinal and do a c-section anyway. I would tell any mom that there are no awards for laboring unmedicated and I was miserable the whole time and had something like PTSD from the experience. If you want the meds, take them.
|
|
amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,329
Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
|
Post by amom23 on Feb 28, 2023 2:32:18 GMT
Yes with my 1st (1993). The next 2 were born via planned C-sections.
|
|
|
Post by supersoda on Feb 28, 2023 2:58:50 GMT
Yep--I was very afraid of the pain and don't think suffering makes you a better mom in any context.
With my oldest they kept threatening to lower the epidural dose because I wasn't trying hard enough (these are the things they say to a 23-year-old who looks 16). She was 8 lbs with a big head, and I have a small pelvis. They eventually had to vacuum her out.
With my twins, they didn't check my cervix before the epidural (oops) and I was at a 9 within minutes of getting it. First baby's heart rate started dropping and was a forceps delivery for efficiency. Second baby was breech. Doc was going to try to turn her before delivery and I said, nope, too late, and she popped out 2 minutes after her sibling. She's lucky the doctor caught her--he was still trying to change his gloves. I felt every stitch as I was being sewn up, but don't remember much about the pain during birth.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 29, 2024 12:37:34 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2023 3:19:55 GMT
Yep, only for the 1st out of 4. Don't think it actually did much, I still felt plenty and none of my other births were any worse pain-wise. The fact that I never went into labor and had to be induced with all 4 was weird, though. Now, if ya wanna hear about the cyst that developed 20 years later and exactly where my epidural was inserted, that's a nasty story. Baseball sized crater after that sucker was drained and the 4 inch scar to prove it And I'm surprised epidurals are that popular again, I envisioned doulas and home births would be more in demand but maybe that was more of a phase?
|
|
momto4kiddos
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,151
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:15 GMT
|
Post by momto4kiddos on Feb 28, 2023 3:28:34 GMT
Two without, two with. First kiddo they gave me morphine , did not love that at all. Second I had nothing, by far my easiest birth. Third I was exhausted going in and happily had an epidural. Fourth they induced and they were nervous about a possible need for a section so they wanted an epidural in. Thankfully the c-section wasn't needed because they redid the epidural once and I could still feel pain on one side, they could never get it right. Fun times!
|
|
|
Post by AussieMeg on Feb 28, 2023 3:34:34 GMT
my youngest two were born when I was 40 and 43, so it was pretty great to feel confident that they were developing well despite my advanced maternal age. Pardon me, don't you mean " geriatric pregnancy" ? I was "only" 37 when I had my second, and that put me into the geriatric category. My daughters are 30, 28, 25 and 20 and I had epidurals with all 4. So, also early 90s - I didn't know anyone who wasn't offered epidurals then. I had lots of friends who didn't want them, but I was "insert that sucker right here, baby!" Isn't that funny, because I don't know anyone who WAS offered an epidural back then. (As I mentioned in my earlier post, my oldest is 25.) And for my first, I was full of bravado about the actual birth, but was scared about the pain of getting an epidural, so I had no desire to get one. The gas that I was given did sweet FA. If I were to have another child (well, not now because I'm 55 haha!), I would definitely ask for an epidural so I could actually have an enjoyable(ish) birth.
|
|
smcast
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,299
Location: MN
Mar 18, 2016 14:06:38 GMT
|
Post by smcast on Feb 28, 2023 3:36:39 GMT
No meds, not even an iv site for temptation. I have one dd who is 19 years old now.
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Feb 28, 2023 3:37:51 GMT
First kid = nothing. Big mistake. Almost 9 pounds and they tried everything to get him out. Three hours of pushing after really hard labor. Second kid + epidural Best decision ever. Almost ten pounds and after a long day/evening of drugs three pushes and out.
My dr. said that it was safe and why would I want to do that to myself if I didn't have to. He was right.
|
|
|
Post by refugeepea on Feb 28, 2023 4:11:41 GMT
Absofuckinglutley
|
|
|
Post by BSnyder on Feb 28, 2023 4:16:47 GMT
Yes. I had late epidurals for both. I wouldn’t change a thing. Born 1996 and 2003. For my first born I was in light labor for a few days before real onset. I was exhausted and although progressing it wasn’t going quickly. The doctor recommended the epidural so I could get some sleep. It worked! I slept a few hours and woke up to lots of progress and with two rounds of pushing, she was out.
In 2003, I went into labor 3 weeks early. I was really pushing myself to get my classroom ready for my sub, and prepping for all that needed to be done to wrap up a school year, so I was burning the midnight oil, running on very little sleep. I had planned to take 2 weeks off before my due date to rest. I went into labor late at night, missing that night’s sleep. The next evening when I arrived at the hospital they again recommended an epidural because I was visibly exhausted. I woke up just in time for a final check and the nurse calling frantically for the doctor because the baby was crowning. No pushing for that one.
My husband kids around that I am the only woman he knows that could sleep through hard labor and that I was a boring delivery room date. 😂
|
|
|
Post by busy on Feb 28, 2023 4:32:06 GMT
I answered before but I guess I want to add some color because this is really an issue that bugs me. My son was born in 2008 and I remember feeling that the online pregnancy/new mom sites were nearly militant at the time about attachment parenting, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, delayed vaxxing, birthing center, midwives/doulas, no epidurals, etc. Some of those were for us and some weren't.
I didn't think I would have an epidural, because I'll admit that, without realizing it, I bought into the Cult of Perfect Natural Motherhood, where there was only one acceptable way to do things. I'd had miscarriages, I was an older mom, etc. and I was worried, so I wanted to do everything "right."
And then I had to be induced a little early - one "failure" there because we weren't supposed to allow anything to happen on the medical establishment's timeframe, our bodies know best! And then when I was about 18 hours into a 26 hour labor and was so tired and not progressing much and my doctor again recommended an epidural because maybe if I had less pain, things would progress better, I relented and said yes. And felt like a further failure. That I wasn't tough enough and I was putting myself ahead of my baby and blah blah blah blah. It was awful, and took me quite a while to come to terms that it had been the right choice for me and my son. (I progressed much better after the epidural alleviated my pain and avoided a likely emergency c-section.)
I want everyone to feel free to choose what is right for THEM and not feel pressure from society (mostly women) to do it one way or another. Everyone's body is different and reacts to labor differently. Epidurals are right for some and not for others. Make your decision based on your experience, not anyone else's. No one else's choice matters. And please, refrain from assuming that your choice is right for anyone except you.
|
|
milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,421
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
Mar 18, 2015 4:10:31 GMT
|
Post by milocat on Feb 28, 2023 4:51:50 GMT
Wasn't offered or talked about. My kids were born in early 2000s.
|
|
Dalai Mama
Drama Llama
La Pea Boheme
Posts: 6,985
Jun 26, 2014 0:31:31 GMT
|
Post by Dalai Mama on Feb 28, 2023 8:12:42 GMT
Women are sold a bill of goods that enduring pain is some sort of badge of honour. Traumatic childbirth doesn’t make us better parents. If I wouldn’t get my wisdom teeth removed without anesthesia I sure af wasn’t passing melon head through my vagina without it.
I was in so much pain immediately after they broke my water that I blacked out (high levels of oxytocin in my amniotic fluid triggered tetanic contractions). DH had to sign off on the epidural. I chose to have it before they broke my water with my second.
|
|
stittsygirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,579
Location: In the leaves and rain.
Jun 25, 2014 19:57:33 GMT
|
Post by stittsygirl on Feb 28, 2023 10:25:43 GMT
Yes, with all four, starting in ‘96 😊.
|
|
|
Post by mommaho on Feb 28, 2023 10:53:57 GMT
I will be the first to admit that I did not and do not want a badge of honor for pain, but I really don't like how I feel with pain meds.
I had an epidural with our first two daughters born in 84 and 85 - NO regrets at all! Unfortunately, my OB retired, and I had to go to another practice after them.
Our third daughter in 88 was in a hurry but the OB wasn't, it was the middle of the night and told them I had long labors with the other two it could be a while so he didn't show up and the ER doctor who came up to deliver said oh she has a while do go and went back to the ER! The nurse said she is at 8 and it is her third - no response.
Nope - no drugs, about pulled my husband's arm out of the socket and a nurse 'caught' her 5 minutes later. Dr. finally showed up and sewed me up because I tore during the delivery. Our third had a small red mark on her face that the nurse said was like a rug burn since she came so fast - I thought it was funny at the time. Dr. came to see me the next morning and said you know 'we' didn't do that to her face. Maybe because I didn't have drugs and was thinking clearly, I simply said "who is we, you weren't there!" I contacted the insurance company and let them know the doctor was not there for the delivery, only sewing up and they rejected his billing. He tried to bill us directly - nope - I wrote him a letter and copied the hospital administrator.
My opinion is you know your body and your pain tolerance, be your own advocate!
|
|
|
Post by bessieb on Feb 28, 2023 11:03:10 GMT
Yes with my first but it kept wearing off- so going from feelin nothing to agony for 1.5 hours til anethesist came back- rinse and repeat for 17 hours. It would have been better to go without and manage a steady pain build up. Baby was born at 36 weeks and 10lb2
They tried with no 2 - 6 needle attempts but couldn’t find a space so they gave up. This one was 34 weeks and 9.6lbs
No 3 was emergency c-sect . She made me really ill and I had ( one of many) fits while they were trying to check her lung development with an amniocentesis so out she came. Another 34 weeks but she was 11.4lbs
|
|
|
Post by Lexica on Feb 28, 2023 11:03:25 GMT
I ended up having an emergency C-section, so no episiotomy necessary.
|
|
used2scrap
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,034
Jan 29, 2016 3:02:55 GMT
|
Post by used2scrap on Feb 28, 2023 11:14:21 GMT
No but only because I had three spinals and three c-sections.
|
|
J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
|
Post by J u l e e on Feb 28, 2023 11:22:02 GMT
I did. I had a very uneventful birth. No wild stories of hours of pain. I went to the hospital, got an epidural, rested a little, and had a baby. Most boring birth story ever.
|
|
|
Post by KelleeM on Feb 28, 2023 12:16:42 GMT
With my first I was one of those who foolishly thought it would make me less of a woman (my ex supported this feeling). I didn’t push long and it wasn’t horrible.
My second we knew was big. I had Pitocin after a few hours of labor and then asked for the epidural but when the anesthesiologist went to start I felt the urge to push. The nurse checked and I was fully dilated. The anesthesiologist practically ran out of the room saying “I can’t help you now!” He was indeed a big 9 1/2 pound baby.
I now tell expectant mothers to remember there is no prize…do whatever it takes to be as comfortable as possible and deliver a healthy baby!
|
|
|
Post by peasapie on Feb 28, 2023 12:28:22 GMT
They didn’t have the quality of epidurals in the 80s when I had my kids that they have now. They didn’t last as long as they do now, which is why many people didn’t use them.
|
|
iluvpink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,278
Location: Michigan
Jul 13, 2014 12:40:31 GMT
|
Post by iluvpink on Feb 28, 2023 12:37:51 GMT
DD was born in 2000 and ended up being an unplanned c-section. So, yes.
Going into labor I was undecided, but was going to get one if I felt I needed it. And I'm a wimp, so I probably would have. I know many women then planned to try without one, but I also know many who did get them.
My attitude was always a healthy baby in the end, no matter how it happens.
|
|