cynthia1218
Shy Member
Posts: 49
Feb 19, 2016 2:00:59 GMT
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Post by cynthia1218 on Mar 5, 2023 1:33:56 GMT
my one and only was born in 2006. planned C - section. Had a spinal block but only my legs went numb, so they basically tilted the surgical table head down to try and get the numbness to move further up. Didn't happen so i had to have an epidural also. threw up after the epidural for the whole c-section - which is extra fun on empty stomach. I remember nothing after i started throwing up
I would have absolutely had an epidural if i had a vaginal birth.
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Post by Merge on Mar 5, 2023 2:15:44 GMT
My first child (DD31) was born in 1991. Yes, I had an epidural with her. My doc and I talked about it several times before I went in to have her and I was told to make sure if I wanted it to let them know beforehand so they could have it ready to give because if I asked during labor, they may not be able to get it for me based on where I was in the process and not having an anesthesiologist at the ready. So I erred on the side of caution and told them I wanted it, which is great because her labor was really hard and two-days long. In the end I had to have a c-section because I failed to go past 4 cm and they didn't know until they went in that she had the cord wrapped around her neck 4 TIMES. My doc said it looked like a pearl choker. She was never in distress from it, so they had no idea. She just couldn't get down far enough to push against the birth canal and keep things moving. I had an epi with my 2nd DD, too (1999). I tried VBAC with her but never got past 1. I got the epi just before going in for my 2nd c-section. With DS (2001) I had a spinal block because we knew going in he would be a c-section baby. I much prefer that over the epi. It was much faster, I had way less nausea, and I recovered faster. Jen My experience with DD 1 was similar to yours except that I didn’t get the epidural until hour 36, and DD started to have heart decelerations immediately after and we had an emergency c-section instead. All the militant “natural birth only” classes I’d had made me believe that me being “weak” led to the c-section, but really, that child was so wrapped up in her own cord she was never coming out vaginally. DH remembers watching them unwinding her from it, loop after loop, as they lifted her out. I considered VBAC with #2 and lost my nerve. We had a scheduled section and she was also all wrapped in her cord. My OB said I’d probably saved myself a lot of fruitless labor with that decision. All’s well that ends well. What I learned from both experiences was not to trust anyone that says a “good” birth can only be one way.
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Post by wordyphotogbabe on Mar 5, 2023 2:43:13 GMT
I had two epidurals with my oldest (13), neither of which worked, and the pitocin kicked my labor into overdrive so it was a very intense painful birth. I insisted on having the epidural BEFORE the pitocin with my youngest (8), and it worked this time so the birth was a very positive pain-free experience.
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,599
Jun 25, 2014 19:55:12 GMT
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Mar 5, 2023 14:31:01 GMT
Yeah but I had a c-section. Can't do that "naturally"
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Post by elaine on Mar 5, 2023 15:46:07 GMT
Delivering a baby is the first of countless lessons in “kids are unpredictable.” The women I know who had the hardest times psychologically dealing with their children’s births are those who planned their ideal births down to the final push. And then they went into labor and things didn’t go as planned.
Having an epidural is perfectly fine. As someone said upthread, you don’t get a medal and become a hero if you don’t have one and suffer. You become a parent equally either way.
Not having an epidural is also perfectly fine, if that is what you want.
When I got pregnant in the late 90’s epidurals were pretty much standard in hospital births if women wanted them. I am actually surprised by the number of women here who weren’t offered them.
My first was breech and wouldn’t turn even with an external version (now THAT was the most painful thing that I have ever lived through), so I had a c-section. I had the second in a smaller hospital and so wasn’t given the option of VBAC - they didn’t have the specialists in case something went wrong - so I had a c-section with that one too. I had spinal blocks (similar to epidurals, but stronger) and was awake for both C-sections.
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Post by peace on Mar 5, 2023 17:12:57 GMT
I was one of *those* moms that was determined to have a natural birth. The pain I thought was doable for me. BUT you know what they say "we plan..."-- I will add I have only given birth once. I would've done it again but ex-dh said no more. My labor really started on a Tuesday and I had a doula all lined up. By the time I went to the hospital, it was FRIDAY and I wasn't really progressing. They weren't going to admit me. They said come back when your 2 minutes apart but I already was. They made me drink fruit punch and walk the halls where ex-dh was approached by The Baby Story show to see if I wanted to participate. I may have spit fire when I said "NO". They wouldn't admit me unless I agreed to be put on demerol to help with progress- and the demerol knocked me out cold except every 2 minutes I woke up in agony because of the contractions. I was so confused and terrified. By the time the demerol wears off, I am finally dilated and my water broke. But still in agony. They then offer the epidural and I say OK. I don't know what else is going to happen here and it's been hours now. I'm done. Little did I know they had a resident come in to do it but he wasn't very good at this and he fucked it up and they had to remove and do it again. SO now I am comfortable. Finally. But now they are worried about the baby - heart rate and oxygen levels. The ex-dh is hungry cause he hasn't eaten all day and he's wondering if he can go get a bite in the cafeteria cause he's had quite a day so far(not kidding) and the doc says if oxygen doesn't go up in 2, we will have c-section. Ex asks 2 contractions? 2 hours? 2 what? Doc says 2 minutes. They put me on oxygen and thankfully it did get better quickly. And all this time I am wondering where the hell my doula is. the doc and the ex are watching baseball. My epidural wears off. I'm in agony and I have to push and after the vacuum, forceps, tearing, ublilical cord twice around her neck and meconium- she finally was out. Doc did forget to look and see gender but he knew who won the baseball game. They topped off the epidural so he could deliver afterbirth and sew me up. They gave me way TOO much and I couldn't move. I was so swollen I couldn't pee. You don't get moved to the recovery room until you can empty your bladder. I had to be catheterized the nurse must've been trained same place epidural doc was cause she tried once and messed it up and had to do it again. That was something for which I would've preferred to be unconscious. Ex is frustrated because now it's after 1 am and they keep bothering me and he can't sleep. He has really had a long and tiring day and he needs his rest so he leaves. He will return in the morning first thing (he came back around 2-3 in the afternoon) I ask him where the doula was and he said he decided not to call her. He wanted it to just be the two of us. You know, a special bonding time. Thanks for coming down memory lane. My child is 22 and glorious and I would tell her to get an epidural (and I don't miss the ex)
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Post by vspindler on Mar 5, 2023 17:37:26 GMT
Nope. Two kids, one sunny side up, with one shot of painkiller each. With the second one I was 6 cm dilated when I got the shot of pain meds. I went from 6 cm to holding a baby in one hour. We even called our parents to let them know it could be a bit. That hour kind of sucked lol.
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theshyone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,402
Jun 26, 2014 12:50:12 GMT
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Post by theshyone on Mar 6, 2023 8:01:59 GMT
Oldest is 22, two ultrasounds, one typical one, one when I was overdue, no epidural, pain meds, or anything, even though it was a rushed forceps delivery. Half hour from first contraction to having baby being checked out. I did get numbing for stitches.
‘’youngest 19. Nurse didn’t believe me when I said he was coming, she lifted sheet and caught him, to prevent tearing. I didn’t have anything for pain with him, and didn’t tear. He took a whole 45 minutes from first contraction to birth. Several ultrasounds for him as he just wasn’t growing well. And again when I was overdue. He never did grow well and was diagnosed failure to thrive as baby.
‘’in our hospital epidurals we’re not even offered when I had my first and we’re only offered if the anesthesia dude was available for the second.
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Post by dewryce on Mar 6, 2023 9:02:34 GMT
Sort of? They tried 4 or 5 times but in the end it never took.
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Post by chrissyc72 on Mar 6, 2023 9:42:56 GMT
Yes with the first one, no regrets! No with the 2nd one because he came so quick!
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