Anesthesia

Question

I was just looking online at some of the options for medicines to take during labor. I was wondering if I could get some opinions on these. I don't know yet if I want to do the delivery natural or with help. I think it would be easier to decide if I heard others experience. Would you take the pain medication again if you could or would you do it naturally? If I could just get some opinions that would be wonderful. Thank you.

DoulaSummer · Answer

I agree, if your care provider is going to jump to cutting you open before trying other options first it would raise a flag.  C-sections are MAJOR abdominal surgery and take weeks and months to recover from.  Why not try other techniques first?   This is exactly by out maternal and fetal death rates are on the rise :(

melimeli · Answer

are they going to try to turn her first????????

ms_ashley · Answer

Thank you all. We just found out a couple days ago the baby is head and feet towards my chest and butt down. She hasn't moved at all during the pregnancy other then kicking so the doctor is worried she might not move. Because of this they say I will have to have a c/s leaving me no choice but to get an epi. I'm thankful to all who had comments for this. I am really hoping everything goes okay and don't really know much about c/s so I'm hoping I can do this with the least amount of problems as possible. Thank you all

alikat1205 · Answer

With my first, I first got stadol.  It worked with the first dose, but the second time they gave it to me, it didn't help nearly as much and it made me really out of it, I didn't like that.  I ended up with a c/s :( so an epidural was done.

With the second, I wanted to go completely without, but honestly, it was so bad I really felt I was begging for an epidural, and wow, it helped.  I ended up with an emergency c/s, with morphine and I couldn't tell what was real and what was not in the next few hours.  I didn't like it at all. 

Since every labor is different, plan to use the least pain medication you can, but be ready to adjust that plan if things change.

LosingMyMindInGA · Answer

With my first I had an emergency c-section so I had no choice on pain relief

With my 2nd we knew he would be stillborn so I received an epidural along with morphine, I was COMPLETELY out of it.

With my 3rd I had no pain meds. I had a really supportive L &D staff who talked me through my contractions and kept convincing me that I COULD do it.  I can tell you I was REALLY loud during the actually birth.  Fortunately it didn't take but 10 minutes or I think every pregnant women in l & D wuold have been begging for epidurals just becuase of hearing me scream LOL.  Afterwards I have to say it was my fastest, easiest recovery.  I felt like a million bucks and was darn proud of myself too.  

With my 4th and 5th I had epidurals.  I really wish I hadn't simply becuase I KNOW I can do the pain med-free birth but I just didn't have a very supportive staff with those two.   With the 5th one of my big reasons for optin for an epi was that we had my other kids there and with the youngest being 3 and 4 I didn't want to scare the crap out of them.

This time, I'm stll undecided.  One the one hand I'd like to try for another drug free birth but on the other I just don't know if I'm up to the challenge.  I will be signing my consent forms for the epidural ahead of time just in case.  It also depends on whether or not we decide to have our kids there again.

melimeli · Answer

I LOVE THE EPIDURAL!!! In fact with my first I just repeated thank you thank you thank you about 20 times to the Dr. who did it.  On my last one I told the Gal you must be the most liked person in maternity haha...  The pain you cannot know until you labor and even those who think they will go natural (like me) many times change when the full pain hits!  Good luck!

KarenDiane · Answer

With my first baby, I had an epidural but I had back labor and was still in a LOT of pain. Eventually they gave me a dose of demerol and even with a pitocin drip, it just about stopped labor. With my second, I had an epidural that worked very well but I couldn't feel the contractions so they had to tell me when to push. With my third, I had nothing and it was by far the easiest birth and fastest recovery. I'm planning on skipping pain meds this time as well, but as the other ladies said - play it by ear and don't rule anything out. If I need it, I'll ask for an epidural.

brigadiva · Answer

I used the epidural during both of my deliveries (son 2001, and daughter 2006).  I will be using one again in December for the birth of my third!  I had no problems with the epidural, and more importantly it didn't affect the babies at all.  In fact my hb, Doctor and I were joking and laughing all the way through the pushing phase... I experienced no discomfort whatsoever during the delivery!  With my daughter, I must not have had as strong a dose b/c I could feel it, but it wasn't unbearable... the epidural definitely took the edge off.  (Now that I think of it, it may just have been that the effectiveness of epidural is less if you have them frequently and close together.  I had kidney problems with both of my pgs and therefore surgery under epidural. All told I have had 9 epidurals.  With my son's delivery, they redosed it b/c it was only working on one side, then it kicked in and I felt nothing!)  

Oddly enough, despite having had so many epidurals in the past, where I live now requires a class in order to receive one, and I *will* be registering asap ;o)  So, you might want to check that out if you are considering that route, apparently here they don't let you change your mind at the last sec :o(  Anyway, whatever you choose, you will do GREAT!  Don't let anyone choose for you, just research and talk to your midwife/doctor and decide for yourself!  Good luck!

DoulaSummer · Answer

I suggest you find a birth doula in your area and she will help you figure out what is best for you.  She will give you tons of fact-based information and it will allow you to make a decision that works for you.  DONA . org is a great organization.  You can look up doulas in your area.   If you email them directly, they will email you a list of trained doulas who are working on their certification for a cheaper rate.  It will be well worth the investment.  She will be there to support you and your spouse through the whole process and will never leave your side while you are in labor (unlike nurses and doctors).

jenkaye21 · Answer

With all four of my babies I had minimal medications (Stadol, I think) for pain.  It really didn't do much but "take the edge off", but I guess it was better than nothing!  I always plan not to take anything, but after hours of labor, I cave.  I have never had an epidural, tho, I'm terrified of needles! 

bernie40 has good advice, don't rule anything out.  Go in with an idea of want you want (Do you want an epidural right away?  Or do you want to try it without drugs?)  but be aware that things can change, may *have* to change, as your labor progresses.   

If I have another baby, I still plan to try it naturally.  I just think I would feel so proud if I could do it without medicine-- although giving birth is an amazing and miraculous thing regardless-- that's just how I feel. ; )

bernie40 · Answer

Hi, I've had 4 successful pregnancies and each was very different.  The first was an emergency c-section under general anaesthetic and i wouldn't want to go through that again, I certainly wouldn't choose it.  My second pregnancy the baby was facing awkwardly and I was in agony despite only being 2cm dilated.  I had to beg for an epidural as i really could not cope with the pain - although the pain immediately went it did result in a long labour and forceps delivery which left me with a severe tear requiring a lot of stitches, it took me nearly as long to recover from that as it did the c-section!

With my 3rd and 4th children I coped with just gas and air, admittedly there were no problems with these to births.  I was amazed at how quickly I recovered, it was so nice to be able to be up and about within hours of the birth.  I did have to have an epidural after the birth of my 3rd due to a retained placenta, however I needed no stitches with either of these births.

My advice would be not to rule anything out, it really does depend at the time on how well you are coping with the pain and whether or not there are any complications.  If you are able to cope with little or no pain relief then it is certainly IMHO the quickest to recover from but don't put yourself through unneccessary pain.

Hope this helps.