Pain Management During Childbirth Experiences

Hi everyone. My doctor already asked me if I'd thought about pain management during delivery - and I'm only 12 weeks today! With my first, I had wanted an epidural, but missed the "window" and ended up with an intrathecal injection, which I really liked, other than that it made my face itch like crazy! However, had my pushing and labor lasted any longer, I would have been feeling it, because those things only last like 2 hours, and I was beginning to get feeling back, so I was pushing as hard as I could to get it over with before it wore off! While I really liked this method, I have the same fear, that it will wear off, and I'll be going au natural! But I've heard a lot of drawbacks with the epidural, too, like nausea and vomiting, labor that doesn't progress, unable to feel when pushing, that sort of thing. So I'm wondering what everyone else's experiences were with different types of pain management so I can come up with a somewhat realistic birth plan. And no, I'm not considering a natural birth - I'm a big wimp!

[ImmortalOne]

With both of my daughters, and I had horrible "back labor" with both of them, I had Demoral (sp).  It worked well enough to take the edge off.  This time I have considered an Epidural but heard too many horror stories about it and I really dislike the idea of anything being put into my back and left there.  Probably going to go with the Demoral again this time as well.  Good luck, hope that helps!

[lhfoo]

Going natural is not that bad. The hardest part is sticking out the contractions until you are fully dialated and it all depends if you will have a quick labor. I dreaded going natural, but I did and labour lasted 4 hours, which wasn't bad. The choice is yours and I will definately do it again.

[tmv]

I have been afraid of epidurals since I had a back injury years ago. So,I had a dose of 2mg stadol and 12.5 mg phenergan IV. I got it when I was around 6 cms with my son and got drowsy. Rested well inbetween contractions, but still woke to breathe with them. Woke up 2 hours later fully dilated and ready to push. My dd came to quickly to get anything.
But, I would recommend the epidural bc I've seen it help out so much. Just be sure to tell them about the reaction that you had with the other med-itchy face. Best wishes and congrads on your pregnancy!

[wisconsingoofball]

Okay, I didn't know they turned it off prior to pushing. I actually went through the 12 hours of back labor without any drugs, and then got the intrathecal prior to the pushing. I did think I was about to die at that point, so I begged for anything they'd give me, and that's what I got. I liked that a lot because I was awake and not groggy, and I could still feel my feet, and felt in control of the pushing, but I wasn't at all afraid to push because there was no pain involved. I'd do it that way again, like I said, I'm just afraid it will wear off. I'm seriously not going to do it naturally - I tried it for 12 hours last time, and will never do that again!

[have 2 kids]

Labor is difficult but I went without meds with my 1st.  With our 2nd I labored without meds but then needed an emergency c-section so I had a spinal block.  I think the best advice is to be open to anything and see how things progress.  The epideral is usually turned off before you start pushing so you feel the worst of it anyway.  Alot of times IV pain meds will take the edge off and help.  

[snagglepuss1]

i had a 18 1/2 hour labour with my dd, she was back to back and i had a pethidine shot (am from uk) and gas and air, i needed an episiotomy eventually and she was born by ventouse delivery, her labour was bad, took me nearly 2 hours to push her put and a c section was being talked about so i got on and pushed bloody harder!  when dd was born she never cried and looked really spaced out and needed some air as she couldn't take her first breath on her own.
My ds i laboured for 8 1/2 hours and only used gas and air and pushed him out in 35 mins, he was facing the right way though, it was bloody painful but i was so alert after he was born unlike with my dd and he was very alert too and never cried.
this time i would love a nice 4 hour MAX labour and no pain relief again, i felt so empowered having no proper pain relief, doubt i'll get my much wanted short labour though, lol.

[Crritter]

I had bad back labor with both of my sons and they were both bigger babies.  I had 38 hours of labor with my first son and took an epidural the last 9 hours.  It helped, the IV drug made me feel awful and that one passes to your baby, so I didn't try it again.  The second one I had 11 hours of labor (hard active labor) and my contractions both times were on top of each other, no break.  I reacted to the pitocin and they had to turn it down and give me something to relax my uterus the first time, the second baby I was about to get my epidural when it happened and they had to turn down the pitocin in order to get the epidural in.  It took 7 tries, but so worth it.  Even if it did slow labor down, what's another hour if you feel better?  It does not affect baby, and while I could not feel the urge to push, I felt my tailbone vibrating, plus they still have the monitor going so they tell you when to push.  I had both of my guys out in under an hour, second baby in under 20 min.  I would wait to see how you handle it and go from there, talk to your Dr. about your wishes.  My Dr. was worried that I would have problems like I did with my first one, she talked to the nurses and they made sure to keep offering me the epidural, even before I hit 4 cm.  I waited as much as I could, but back labor sucks, and I could handle the contractions when I knew that they had peaked and were going down, but when they did not go down but kept steady, I was done.  Your Dr. just wants you to think about the future, don't stress, it is way early and you have lots of time.

[wisconsingoofball]

Yes, back labor is the worst. I woke up with my contractions 2 minutes apart, and they stayed that way for 12 hours. I've never been so exhausted in my life! I had an insane nurse, though. When I got to the hospital with contractions 2 minutes apart (and had been been that way for over an hour), the nurse was going to send me home because I hadn't begun dilating. I refused to leave, and they made me wait in the waiting room for almost 2 hours, in pain and crying. Finally they gave me a room, and when they got around to checking me, I was too far dilated for the epidural. Then it took me over 8 hours to dilate the last 2 cm so I could start to push. So my first experience wasn't a very good one, my son was delivered folded in half with his feet and his head being delivered at the same time, and the cord wrapped around his neck, holding his feet to his chin (his feet being in the cord probably saved his life). And 103 stitches later I was almost back to normal! So I didn't feel like my pain management was at all my choice last time, but kind of liked what I ended up with for drugs. I just wanted to know what everyone else's experience with pain meds had been like. Thanks everyone. Feel free to post more pain med experiences for me!