Epidural alternatives?? PLEASE HELP!!

[babydreams9]

I am just about 20 weeks along w/my first and seriously considering alternative methods to an epidural. For those ladies who did NOT have an epidural, or those who had an epidural with one birth and not with another, can you please advise on what methods you used??? Were you satisfied w/your decision? My reasoning for possibly foregoing the epidural is that I want to be totally present for the experience, mentally and physically. I am fearful of the possible risks with an epidural, but that is not my sole reasoning for not wanting one. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain, and don't doubt that I can handle childbirth, but there is no way I can possibly know how bad it really is because I've never done it. I really need some words of wisdom, advise, etc...from those who have been in my shoes. I very much appreciate it!! :)

[babydreams9]

Bumping up... :)

[swade]

you know I have to say, having an epidural wont take any presence away from you at all, you will still feel alot, esp the ring of fire.. LOL.. But think of it this way, if you dont get it the epidural, and something happens, like the baby doesnt desend right, or they have to rush you in for anytype of emergency, they will than put you to sleep and you will really miss it all, that happened to me the first time.  So the second time I had the spinal, and was awake for it all.. It is really a tough decision, but make a list of natural or epidural.  I have seen that all there really is left is narcotics and than you and the baby might get sleepy.. good luck..

[BTS1022]

I had an epidural with my oldest son and it was a full epidural, where I couldnt feel anything! 2 years ago when I had my youngest son I had also got an epidural but asked for a lighter block. They were able to control the pain of contractions only, but I was fully capable of moving my legs, feeling pressure, and def. felt my baby moving through the birth canal and out of my body ;) it wasnt pleasant lol.

Other things you can ask for are non narcotic pain killers, some docs still use morphine but some of those drugs can put you to sleep more so than the epidural. I never had issues as far as not mentally and emotionally being there for my births, sometimes i wish i was after the pain lol jk.

You can also look into a dula(sp) and she can help you keep focused on the mission, and on breathing techniques. Always breathe and try not to tense yourself, as it makes the pain worse since your muscles are already contracting on thier own.

You can speak with your doctor about other alternatives, and fully explain to him how you want to be mentally and emotionally present, and to give you something that will help only with the pain but yet keep you fully aware of everything.

I wish you luck on your search, and I hope and pray you can have a very natural delivery like you wish.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

By far my natural delivery was the easiest.  I didn't have a "method", it was pretty much grin and bare it and when it came down to it scream my lungs out.  But I'm very happy with my choice.  II'm going to try for another natural this time.  With my epidural birth I was very coherent but becuase it happened so fast I don't remember so much of it.  However, I wish I had NOT gotten one that time.  MY suggestion though is not to completely 100% rule out epidural.  If your hospital requires that you sign the consent forms prior to being full term, I would go ahead and do so.  I plan to do that.  My reasoning is that you never know what will happen, I want that option open just in case, but just becuase I sign the consent doesn't mean I have to have one.  But becuase labor can be so unpredictable I want to know that some stupid form isn't gonna hold me up for anything.

[mami1323]

Well to be honest if my epidural had worked I would have said go for it but since it only worked on one side of my body then there really was no point in having one.  I only got it because my labor was going so fast that the pain was strong.  Looking back I probably could've handled it anyway, since I really didn't get the benefits of the epidural.  You will still be awake and aware of what's going on with the epidural.  The only thing it does is numb your body, not your brain.  You can also control how much of it you will get.  They give you a button you push and it gives you doses of it.  You can only push a total of 4 times within an hour.  Labor was so fast for me, I could see someone who was in labor for a long period of time wanting an epidural just so they could get some rest because the entire process is exhausting.  Pushing alone takes a lot of energy so you want to expend most of your energy on that.  Unfortunately, there is no way to predict how fast you will go so it's really a personal choice.  See how much you can tolerate without it at first and make your decision while you are experiencing it.