Epidural...

[Riot_Queen]

I keep hearing about this shot for pain relief during L&D.
I guess it numbs you from your belly down so you don't feel anything.

But I was talking to a couple people that have had epidurals and they said that they felt everything, but no pain?
That didn't quite make alot of sense to me.

So  if any of you ladies out there could explain to me what  they meant by "Felt everything, but no pain" I'd greatly appreciate it.

But from the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like a half bad idea.

I'm a WHIMP when it comes to just my PERIOD CRAMPS never mind LABOR  CRAMPS!
omg!
lolol!

My doctor and I haven't discussed pain medications yet, but this epidural thing has caught my attention.  lol

Thanks.

[casandbaby]

Foe me the epidural was GREAT! The only thing I felt was pressure kinda like you gotta take a big ****! sorry thats the best way I can explain it. And for some they can feel the contractions but i wasn't one of them which was fine by me LoL. and i also felt the baby coming out I hope this helps =]

[KellyA74]

I haven't had a baby yet (due in Dec.) but I would assume that you can still feel pressure and movement but just not the excrutiating pain that you would feel without!  Just my guess...but I'm all for it!  LOL!

[luv2bmommy]

never had the epidural but i have friends who did and my mom did. they all said that its huge pressure but no actual pain, now sometimes (and i only know this from watching Birth Day) they are TOO good and you cant even feel the pressure to know when to push! which makes things a little complicated. but one of my friends said her wore off right towards the end so she had to feel all the pain. but for the most part, women said it was great.

[Linzola1]

When I was on my Pitocin drip (for induction) they gave me a shot in my IV called Staydol. It took away the pain and made me very loopy... I also got a epidural and like cassandbaby said it feels like a big poo... You can feel pressure but no pain....

[BTS1022]

When I had my youngest son now 2 yrs old, I had the epidural with him. I felt a lot of pressure and the *ring of fire* and that was it. I didnt have any pain up until baby's head came out.

[martikadragoon]

Riot I know how you feel. my biggest worry is that the epidural won't work well enough for me since I'm having a csection. I'm terrified I'll feel them cutting!

[Riot_Queen]

Well I really HOPE I don't feel sh*t!!!!
LOL!

I'm so scared of L&D like y'all don't even KNOW!
Okay well maybe y'all do but STILL!

I only got 97 more days to go according to my countdown and I'm scared SH*TLESS!!!
LOL

[spade22]

The epidural was wonderful for me and it really doesnt hurt going in at all - no worse than a small needle p r i c k.  The anesthesiologist will numb the area w/ a local (which takes a few seconds to work) and then place the epidural and it will typically take about 30 mins to take effect.   The whole process only takes a few mins.  

The idea w/ the epidural is that you shouldnt feel feel any pain (sometimes a patchy block can result where you can still feel pain in certain areas but this is not common) but you should feel pressure.  In my case  it worked too well and I didnt feel any pressure and had no idea when I was having contractions.  Because of this, I needed a little help to get Jazmine out since it is hard to push when you dont know where your muscles are!

[mami1323]

The epidural is not really a shot.  They put a catheter in your spinal area and give you a button to control the amount of anesthesia you would like.  You get 4 hits off of it every hour so you have to space it out.  It does numb you so they will put a catheter in your urethra because you can't get up to pee.  Frankly, I could've done without it, I got it and they had problems getting it in first and then when they got it in, it only worked on the left side of my body.  So I felt everything on the right.  The pain of labor was intense but my labor was soooo fast that I didn't really need the epidural.  Plus, they stop the medication once you have fully dilated so that you are able to feel the contractions to push.  If you are still numb it becomes difficult to push the baby out.  It's a personal choice and it's really up to you to see how much pain you can indure.  Some women loved the epidural and some like myself could've done without it.  You will be fine, it's a beautiful experience.

[babyscience]

I am with mami1323 on this one.  I got it done and couldve went without it...well I sorta did go without it.  For me...it hurt like hell to do...kinda like a very bad filling or cavity that shoots pain.  He must have hit my nerve and the nurse wasnt holding me so I shot straight up.  Six months later I still have residual pain in my back when I lay flat.  AND the kicker is they turned it off 1 hour into pushing.  I pushed for 2 hours so the last hour felt everything anyways!  My next baby is all natural for me!
Please dont be a afraid of labor...I was at first, but trust me it is instinct to get the thing out of you.  So even though it may hurt, you will push like hell to get past it.  All in one day it is over with!  Then just healing after that!

[JoyRenee]

Everybody's different but if you can't handle the pain then it's best for you to find pain relief! An epidural is like an IV in your back that drips the drug into your body through the space between your vertebrae.

I loved my epidural. I felt what was going on, without the painful contractions. First baby the drug was so intense that I couldn't feel to push. With my second daughter the drug was wearing off so I felt the doctor stitching me up (she offered something but I told her to hurry up and finish).

I love labor and delivery! You'll do great!!! Women have been doing this since the beginning of mankind, without pain meds.

[DollChina]

I was pushing soon after I got the Epi so I felt nothing, no pressure no pain, it was great.  The only drw back was I didn't know if I was actually pushing.  I really think it depends on the timing and how the woman takes the medicine.  I have friends who only had their half a body numbed..

[Riot_Queen]

Thanks ladies.
You've really let me have a good input on what I'm in for if I do decide I need an epi.

This site is amazing!
lol

[carissarae]

epidurals are awesome. i had one with my first and i didnt feel any pain just pressure, it made my labor so much better and easier, i highly recommend  it..if i have the chance i will get another epidural with this one if i cant stand the pain.

[jennyling]

i had my first baby a month ago.I had Epidural during the labor.  I felt the contraction, movement, and cut. but no pain.

[martikadragoon]

heads up ladies~ this is from last year... she learned the hard way about an epidural. It didn't work and they had to knock her out for her csection because I think they tried a couple times and it wouldn't take right. she felt them cutting so they had to put her out and she's really hoping for a VBAC for this next baby.

[blueeyedtabbycat]

Haha! I was wondering about this post as I was reading. I know she said she had an almost 11 lb baby!! I thought it was a c-section. Never heard about the complications with the epidural though:(