Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Epidural?

So initially i wanted to get an epidural because i didnt want to feel too much pain lol, BUT after talking to my sister, a couple family members and a few of my co-workers im having second thoughts. I heard from every one of them that after they had their babies they felt no pain! Thats without the epidural. So now im debating on getting it. It'd be nice to push him out and then not feel any pain!

Any advice ladies?
57 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I had epidural with my son. He came 7 weeks early so he was small but it was great! I had no problems with any of it & didn't feel pain when pushing. They had to tell me when I was contractions to push. The epidural actually helped slow down my labor. They tried other meds to stop the progress to no avail & gave me the epidural to help easy the pain & it almost made the contractions stop. So it gave my son a little longer to cook & let the steroids shot work to help his lungs.
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
Well I was talking to my husband about it (and for some reason my mom and grandma) and honestly, unless you show it off for a living I don't see the point of caring. I highly doubt your partner is going to sit down there staring at it, and I don't know many women who sit in their house staring at themselves with a mirror either. I know some women have botched stitching down there and blame the birth, but in that I blame the doctor. At the end of the day, that stuff is made to push out a baby, not look pretty.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Exactly, Ivy. No one is going to be checking out my hoo-ha and saying, "Gee look at the horror vaginal birth did to you!" Which it hasn't, btw. Things are just peachy and wonderful down yonder, not that anyone cares to know. LOL!
Helpful - 0
1035252 tn?1427227833
Yikes Joy! thanks for sharing!

You're right Clysta, I remember seeing that too...

but my thought is...more people are going to see my lower belly than are going to see my hoo-ha (I do wear bikinis when my belly is flat enough!) and so if I were doing it for vanity...I would totally choose to have the battle-scarred hoo-ha over the battle-scarred belly. and kegel exercises really do work wonders..or so my husband tells me ;-) LOL
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Clysta- that is a HUGE reason for our cesarean rate. I saw many, many quotes on that in the book but didn't post any. Most women want to preserve things "down there" but the truth is that a cesarean doesn't prevent anything from happening; most of it is genetics. More than one doctor is quoted in this book as saying, "In 20 years from now I can see every birth as a cesarean birth." They were very disheartened by that fact but that is the road we're on right now.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm due in 7 weeks with my 2nd child...I had an epidural with the first, and I'll have one this time too. I don't know what contractions or labor feels like, and I pushed 3 times and he was out! I never had to feel any pressure from the baby coming either. It was the most pleasant experience...I hope this time will be just as easy.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Okay I found the quote I was thinking of by WHO (World Health Organization; which is the health organization for the United Nations). It says, "The World Health Organization maintains that in a developed country, the proportion of cesareans should not exceed 15%; beyond that, the maternal injury and death consequent to major abdominal surgery begins to eclipse the lives and health saved."

A CDC study of 5.7 million babies born in the US found infants born by cesarean with no medical risk factors were nearly THREE TIMES more likely to die within the first month than those born vaginally.

Another quote, from an OB actually, says "This is not the way to practice medicine [talking about the high cesarean rate]. Why do women put up with this? I have no idea. You know, back in the 80's when I was in residency there was a feminist movement [lots of natural birth]. The women back then would never have tolerated this."

When an OB was asked what worries him. "I know that we should not be inducing so many patients; I know that we should be giving patients more time to be overdue; I know that as we speak somebody pregnant with twins is being told that she can't have vaginal birth and someone else is being told she can't have a VBAC, " he said clearly frustrated. "Meanwhile the insurance company is 'teaching me how not to get sued,' which means not taking vaginal twins or VBACs... and wheeling more patients to the OR at the first sign of difficulty."  

One of the same OBs above was also quoted to say, "You want to know why the c-section rate is so high? Right there. The electronic fetal monitor."  (*Which she talks about in great details and how studies have proven it does not prevent any problems but actually increases the likelihood of needing interventions, such as cesarean.)

Garber, an MD in maternal-fetal medicine is not like the typical cesarean-pushing OB. He says the solution to the problem is this: "This is my answer. The American system in my opinion is faulty. It tries to get physicians to be in two places at once. In the European system midwives run the labor floor. And they call the surgeon when they feel a patient needs surgery. Midwives are committed to labor. They't not committed to c-sections. They will spend 8, 10, 12 hours with a patient. And that allows me to go back to the office, see patients, take care of my life. The [cesarean] numbers are out of control. I think the medical community is not taking this as seriously as it should."

Okay Ivy I didn't see anything in the cesarean chapter on obesity and how it factors in but that doesn't mean she doesn't touch on it in another chapter. I'm only halfway through the book. Anyway thought I'd share the above quotes.

We're totally on the same page on the c-section rates. It's just so unnerving to read all the quotes and read all the birth stories and wonder how we can get from this place of fear (malpractice) and money. I've followed so many L&D nurses. Many of them have home births and when asked why, when they see everything that happens in L&D they respond, "EXACTLY! I do see what happens here and that is why I'm having birth at home."
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
I don't think a lot of is only doctors though. I've seen women who get c-sections because they're proud of it down there and don't wanna make it look bad. You are right though Joy. When the c-section rate is over half (or close to half) there are huge problems. I read an old post on another forum on here and was shocked by some of the reasons women gave. I mean, to each their own but it is just shocking why some do it. My midwife told me that with the rate things are going c-sections will be done as standard labour and vaginal will be a option. That's scary to think about.
Helpful - 0
1035252 tn?1427227833
thanks, girl :-) I would be really interested in the statistics...it's what's always bothered me about the c-section "rate" numbers. I agree that it's sad. My SIL had a necessary c-section for her first, (I'm no doctor so maybe I'm wrong!) but an ABSOLUTELY unnecessary one for her 2nd...elective (turned down the VBAC she was offered) because she didn't want to go through the pain of labor. I won't judge anyone or say anything rude, but in my humble opinion....I truly disagree with that reasoning, for the baby's health AND the mom's health.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Poor Andrea, LOL! We did pretty much hijack.

I think the book touches on the statistics when you take out the unnecessary versus necessary but I'd have to find the quotes. Let me see if I can find something. I just think this is an interesting (and sad) topic about cesareans. A family on my Facebook, someone I was friends with long ago, just had a baby yesterday via repeat cesarean and the poor baby had so much fluid he's been in NICU and his family didn't get to hold him until today. The birth canal is the perfect suction for getting all that fluid out of baby and cesarean just can't mimic it no matter how small the cut they make.

Anywho I'll go see if I can find any quotes. I got the book on Amazon and so far it is absolutely AMAZING and comprehensive. She just presents the facts which is what I respect and she talks about the history of birth which is so interesting. Wish you lived closer and I could just let you borrow mine! Library near you might have a copy, too.
Helpful - 0
1035252 tn?1427227833
I agree 100% Joy I think this is a conversation that needs to be had, in public, where people can understand the issues involved...otherwise I'd message you in private and we can talk about our dislike for unnecessary medical inventions and debate good-naturedly about everything else...but this is SUCH an important education for women contemplating delivery types to understand...and I can not emphasize enough...

You. Can. Always. Call. The. Shots. Every woman needs to understand her body, it's capabilities, and learn to be an advocate for herself...that's the big thing here. We're expected to advocate for ourselves with regular doctors, and we can't stop just because we become pregnant..it's more important than ever to take charge of your delivery experience!
Helpful - 0
1035252 tn?1427227833
I'll definitely look into it! Well I think, like you said, it's a far more complex issue than just any simple explanation of cause/effect...the reason I think that the obesity rates affect the statistics on c-section is because of this....it's very unlikely for a woman who is obese to be in peak physical condition. That does not MEAN she will require a c-section, but let's face it...delivery is the ultimate marathon. So there are more chances that something alarming is going to crop up along the way...statistics prove that obese women (especially morbidly obese, a group which has been on the rise as far as pregnancies go because of the ability to defeat weight-related fertility issues) have a much higher risk of complications....(of course, they also have a significantly higher risk of complication during surgery!) so I think that doctors very often perform c-sections out of fear. You know what I mean? it's not that they want to hurry the delivery, and it's not a selfish choice...but sometimes they see something occurring that is worrisome and not currently life-threatening so it APPEARS to be an unnecessary intervention, but in reality it's just the OB's knee-jerk to something that could become a potential problem.

Now, I don't necessarily think this is the right way to handle it. I really don't. It's just that obesity has become such a serious problem and it's really quite a new epidemic and I don't think statistics have adjusted yet to the whole issue.

To me, the whole crux of the issue comes down to these two things:
1)OB's or midwives who push unnecessary c-sections, WHATEVER the reason
2)women who choose elective c-sections. we have to remember that there is a significant portion of women who actually CHOOSE to have a c-section. I've even heard the excuse "I want to just get it over with and recover" because they don't realize how very quickly you can recover from a natural birth (I was sitting up within 10-15 minutes of delivering my son, and moving around in about 20-30 minutes...peeing, changing my clothes, stretching my back etc.)

So i think that while, yes, the statistics say 40-50% of women are having c-sections..I think that the number is including a significant number of necessary c-sections, and it's also including a great number of c-sections that are performed in a prophylactic sense (which like I said I don't necessarily support, but I understand the logic behind)...and I'm not sure it's fair to include those 2 types of sections in the statistics, because they inflate the numbers. I think we need a comprehensive understanding of how many are performed entirely unnecessarily; either by the doctor's pressure or by the woman's choice..and those are the ones we need to focus on. But I'll definitely look into that book :-)\

sorry for the hijack andrea LOL
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
PS I'm totally not trying to argue with anyone at all! I totally see everyones' points and agree with many of them. ;-)  Very good discussion we're having here and I think a discussion women do need to have. Just sharing my own points and opinions and I hope it is coming off respectfully. If not I do apologize as that is NOT my intention.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ivy- do you mean that obese women need more cesareans than non-obese women? Hey you like to read, right? I recommend the book Pushed by Jennifer Block. She is a woman reporter/researcher who has never been pregnant herself. But she has used her amazing researching skills to delve deep into the issue of childbirth in America and all of these statistics from an unbiased point-of-view (though her point-of-view after research becomes very biased as I'm sure mine seems pretty biased, LOL!). I think you might find it quite interesting! I don't think obesity is making the rates that much higher but that is my opinion. It is hard for me to truly articulate everything into a short little comment here because birth is so complex and will be so different for each woman.

But many obstetricians that are pro-natural birth (not necessarily birth without epidurals but vaginal birth without unnecessary interventions like Pitocin) have stated that 9 out of 10 women would give birth without a problem if we left them alone to let their bodies do what they need to do. When the cesarean rate reaches HALF there is something very wrong- when did someone decide womens' bodies didn't know what to do anymore? I don't think that is the case.

Jennifer Block outlines the history of birth and how it has changed over the years. In the 70's there was a HUGE natural birth and midwifery movement and if you check that out you see the lowest cesarean rates ever. Not saying it's the ONLY way but definitely saying that we need to take a step back and see WHY women are lying down and letting their doctor (or even midwife) tell them how to birth and when and where.

I'm not anti-drugs or even anti-OBs. I know there's bad midwives and bad OBs just as there are good ones. It just makes me sick how many women are given cesareans when they don't NEED them. It is major abdominal surgery (and the number 1 surgery in American right now) that carries risk to the woman but more importantly to her newborn baby.
Helpful - 0
1035252 tn?1427227833
You mention some good points to think about as usual, Joy. Like I said...because my first 2 deliveries were essentially epidural- and pain med-free, I might as well avoid pain meds/epidural during my next one. However, I have and always will be a supporter of using OB's...just...the RIGHT OB. My worst experiences have always been with midwives, but there are GREAT OB's and GREAT midwives..and not-so-great of both.

I've also said before and will say it again...you have to take the obesity rate of American women into account when you're looking at the c-section statistics. I think you can meet halfway between the obesity rate and the rate of OBs pushing c-sections for selfish/inappropriate reasons and probably the average out of "unnecessary c-sections" to be closer to %30....which is still unacceptable.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
mom2ariana- nah, I don't think you're starting an argument. I think that there are just so many factors. I was making general statements because the vast majority of obstetricians aren't very good. But like another poster said her least favorite person she saw was a midwife. I was trying to get so much information on natural birth out that I made broad, sweeping generalizations but I do hear you.

I think it is also important to note that midwives can and do prevent many dangers as well. They're just not as recognized for those instances. A midwife rushes a home birth mama to the hospital in an emergency and yet the doctor who sections her gets the credit when in fact the midwife's quick and decisive judgment got that mother to the hospital where she needed to be for her specific situation. Midwives are HIGHLY trained professionals in one area and that is birth. They know what to do if a mother is hemorrhaging, if there is cord prolapse, if baby is breech, etc. Most midwives do not take high-risk patients; they leave them to OBGYNs. Midwives usually only take low-risk women, as it should be.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
ammanda- I don't think all OBs are all about cesareans but when our country has an average cesarean rate of 40-50% there is something wrong. WHO (World Health Organization) states that the cesarean rate should NOT exceed 15%. So anyway all that is to say that there are gems of obstetricians out there who are more genteel and into natural birth than others. That is why it is important to "shop around" for your health care provider. Just as there are great OBs there are not-so-great midwives who push interventions just as much as many obstetricians.

I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea that I'm making enormous generalizations (which I did mistakenly do above) but I do get that there are good OBs; many of them backup midwives and are on-call for emergencies. The most important point is that women need to find someone they trust, who listen to their concerns and who also have a record to backup what they say because many OBs tout that they are great but then they cut your perineum and tie you to a bed when you're finally in labor.

My feeling is that if an OB wants 9-5 birth where s/he can control when women deliver then s/he needs to find a new profession. Because evidence shows births are happening during the week, during business hours and most of them are inductions and cesareans.
Helpful - 0
689528 tn?1364135841
I delivered my son without any type of drug whatsoever! I don't have a high pain tolerance and wanted to go natural but wasn't sure what the pain was like so I went in with an open mind too.
I read up as much as I could about how to cope with the pain during labour and watching "The Business Being Born" is what got me started in educating myself. I also read a book about The Bradley Method (amazing method, helped me a lot) and another book called The Birth Book by William and Martha Sears.
The biggest thing that got me through was that I would actually tense up when a contraction came and I relaxed right away and breathed through it. The more you tense, the more it hurts. And I agree with the others. Pushing doesn't hurt until the infamous burning ring of fire but it only lasts mere seconds and is gone. I tore a lot, not on the outside but on the inside so I can easily say that the worst part was after he was born and  I was being stitched up. It took her about 2 hours to do it and that's what HURT! Imagine! LOL and I don't think you'd still have the epidural for that! I had a 9lb baby so I was walking funny and was in pain for like 2 weeks!!
Good luck!!
Helpful - 0
1561668 tn?1347413863
I delivered all 4 of my children naturally. I had my first baby in less than 6 hrs and only pushed for 21 min. Then when my 2nd one came along my water broke at home at 3am and he was born at 5:16am after 60sec of pushing. My 3rd the dr broke my water at 9:30pm she was born at 11:57pm now number 4 was a little different the dr broke my water at 7:30am and I expected to have him in 2 hrs like the last to and because I didn't go to the bathroom my bladder prevented him from dropping and he was born at 1:21pm about 15 min after finally going to the bathroom. What I tell most women is you have to realize it is pain with a purpose and it will end and it will bring about a beautiful new life into the world. My dr actually commented after I had my 3rd that I needed to teach women how to have babies, because I make it look so easy. She said she had never seen a women with such control without an epidural. It is also benefical for you baby, they are much more alert and have less problems with nursing if they are not groggy from the drugs. I wish the best and most wonderful experience no matter what you choose.
Helpful - 0
1276121 tn?1420860600
I know this post is a couple days old but im sure you will value my story as well. When i had my oldest son in 04 i was 16 and did not want to feel any pain at all. Mind you i was admitted and induced due to being in a car accident at 39w5d. I remember getting patocin at 6:30pm and was 1 cm, moved to birthing room about 9pm and given epi was about 4-5cm. I remember i kept feeling pain on my left side and asked for more meds and they boosted it twice. At that point i was told i could not have any more but i still had pain on my left side. When it was time to push about 1:30am i could not feel my contractions, down there, or anything at all from my waist down. I had to have my family hold my legs and the nurse tell me when to push. My son was born at 2:10 am and i was numb until 7am ish...
Then my second son i went to the hospital at 33w5d having contraction only to find i was 4cm and they could not stop it. I did not get an epi until it was almost to late i think i was about 7cm. then with in an hour i was at 10cm and ready to push. I was happy because i did not have any pain but could feel everything down there and my pushing. So in my opinion if you do decide to get on id hold off as long as you can.
Helpful - 0
1123420 tn?1350561158
Most people will argue the fact that OBs are all about C sections.. as aposed to Midmives.. which is not the truth.. I BEGGED for a c section.. just as I begged to be induced and my OB would not do either, he refused with me.  he kept telling me I can do it and I need to let Nature take her course on the whole labor thing...  

and when it came down to the labor, my OB was in and out of my room checking on me the whole time..  But after teh labor he only checked on me maybe 3 times.  but I was okay with that, because i had amazing nurses and Coles Ped. was there the whole time.  
Helpful - 0
719902 tn?1334165183
Wow, so many great comments already!  I've had 4 babies w/o an epidural. I'm not that tough, just terrified of needles, LoL   I wanted to add that, like some of the others mentioned, I had NO pain after delivery AT ALL.  I mean, I literally could've taken my baby and walked out within 5 minutes of the birth.  My early visitors were shocked to find me sitting cross-legged on the bed, getting in and out of bed, etc.  And the baby and I were both perfectly alert and able to bond w/each other. :
Helpful - 0
1510919 tn?1298825067
I was pretty stuck on some kind of pain meds but reading all of this has made me think I want to atleast try without the meds and if in the end im exhausted or can't take it anymore then ill resort to another option. I really don't like the thought of being help down to the bed and with the epi I know thats what ill get.
Helpful - 0
1330108 tn?1333677304
I had the epidural and it only lasted an hour then j felt everything for the next 5 hours (all of active labor pushing and transition) honestly it didn't hurt without an epi!  Never cried or even made a noise the whole L&D
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Pregnancy Community

Top Pregnancy Answerers
13167 tn?1327194124
Austin, TX
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Get information and tips on how to help you choose the right place to deliver your baby.
Get the facts on how twins and multiples are formed and your chance of carrying more than one baby at a time.
Learn about the risks and benefits of circumcision.
What to expect during the first hours after delivery.
Learn about early screening and test options for your pregnancy.
Learn about testing and treatment for GBS bacterium.