I'm Having My Baby?!?

Question

My doctors are inducing me tomorrow morning at 5:30!! I'm uber scared of the pain of the IV and the numbing shot for the epidural! I need some last minute advice...best advice gets 10 pts!!! btw this is my first baby, as Im only 17, my pain tolerance is super low and unexperienced. I need some experts advice please!

Answer 1

Don't be scared of an epidural its not as bad as it sounds. Try to relax i know its hard but sometimes pain is worse when you are tense.

Answer 2

Congrats on the baby,
I was 17 when I had my son and I was so scared of having an Epidural but by the time I actually ended up getting it, I was in so much pain it actually felt good to have it! I don't have a super low tolerance but if I was you I would just keep your mind on something other than the needles and grab a pillow so that you can grab that and I would also tell them you are very scared and they might be able to make you more comfortable when doing this, but I really didn't feel the numbing shot of the epidural and it really didn't hurt that much. I think you will be fine and good luck with the delivery!

Answer 3

Just relax for the IV. Some places will give you some lidocaine to numb the site before they start the IV, some use another type of block. Some just put it in. I'd go for the last one since I'd rather be poked only once. Make sure you're well hydrated. It's much harder to put in an IV on a flat vein. You want plump, juicy veins for an easy and quick stick. Oh...and don't let the size of the needle scare you...it only goes in like 16th of an inch. The rest is a very small plastic tube (think small pencil lead size) that the IV solutions run through.

Can't speak for the epidural - never had one.

You're going to be fine. Take some music with you, if it's allowed. Maybe a magazine or two.

After the birth, don't be afraid to ask questions or tell your nurse if you are experiencing any pain.

Congratulations!

Answer 4

Well I might not have much advice to give but I do have a little which I hope helps...I am pregnant with my third baby...when I was 19 i got pregnant with my first and gave birth at 20,I am bad with any kind of pain and was scared to death of the epidural as I heard all kinds of horrar stories,i tell u what..it doesnt hurt!!!! The contractions hurt 100x worse then the shot..when they start to apply the needle u will be help close prob by the nurse and she will rub your upper back and tell u to breath and so forth when the needle goes in it is just a pinch,im not lying...the medicine works very very quickly and next thing u know u cant feel a THING!! its the best feeling in the world...dont worry about the epidural just look forward to it..

Now I have to say sometimes being induced does hurt but just learn to take nice slow deep breaths when contractions come and tell the doctors right away that u want an epidural so they can get it to you asap. Your labor will prob last for close to 13 hours at the least since this is your first baby,so bring magazines or watch the tv they have and enjoy the meds =)
I am not even close to an expert but I have given birth twice and just want you to know first hand at being induced (induced with both)...dont worry u will be fine,just look forward to your little one coming tomorrow night =)..your gonna be a mommy!!
Good Luck!! and Congrats!!!

Answer 5

GET SOME SLEEP!!!! Seriously, this is the single best thing I can tell you. Since you know when you are having your baby, you can rest up. I took Tylenol PM the night before my induction. My doc OK'd it. You need the rest for the work ahead. Also, the IV and the epidural are not all that bad. Don't wait too long to get the epidural...especially if you are being induced with Pitocin. This medication causes very strong contractions that are often too much to bear without the epidural. Once it kicks in it's heaven. Honestly, don't worry about the numbing shot for the epi...it really just feels like a little pinch. You'll do great and remember...GO TO BED!!! Good Luck and Congrats!

Answer 6

I'm not an expert, but I had a baby 6 months ago. I had all three of the types of drugs that are commonly available here.

The gas was my favourite, it worked really well for me. Some women have trouble with it and don't like it, but if you just trust it to take your worries away, with any luck it will succeed.

The pethidine shot didn't do anything for me, but all women are different, and this may be effective for you.

The epidural is the most effective pain relief. My epidural took away most of the pain. For most women it takes away all of the pain. I put myself out to it with the gas when they administered the epidural, so I actually didn't feel a thing. But ithey administer a local anaesthetic first. This is similar to when they take blood. Then the area goes numb and you barely feel the rest of it.

As for the IV thing which they put into my hand, I hated the thought of that, but once it's in there, it doesn't hurt unless you bump it really hard or pull at it.

Birth is a wonderful process. It's totally amazing that our bodies are capable of nurturing life like this. Women have been doing it for thousands of years. Just listen to your instincts. When you feel that baby's body slither out of yours, nothing else will matter. It's wonderful.

Answer 7

I was only 18 when I had my daughter it's not as big a deal as everyone says it is. I have very low pain tolerance as well and it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. The only time the pain was unbearable was before I got the epidural because I didn't want to have it at first, but after I got the epidural everything was fine. All up until right before I delivered, that was the worst pain I've ever felt, but like I said it still wasn't that unbearable. I want to have another baby because believe me after the pain everything is wonderful when you hold your newborn child for the first time.

Answer 8

You sound like I did when I had my first. I was 17 too and I was scared to death. The IV was fine. Just felt like a little sting and it went away. As far as the epidural.. oh my. I was having a contraction when they did it and guess what??? I didn't feel a thing. I was soooo glad to have the pain of the contractions gone. Just remember that you will have your beautiful baby. Also keep in mind that you are in good hands and that you can ask them to give you something in your IV to help ease your pain a little and make you less stressed. You will do fine. Good luck and Congrats. Tomorrow is your day to shine!!!

Answer 9

Congrats! I'm sure you will be fine. Can't offer much with the IV, but til you decide you need the epidural, you won't be thinking about the numbing shot. Most women just don't care at that point. That brief amount of "stinging" is nothing compared to intense labor contractions. And some anesthesia providers will do it during your contraction, sort of a distraction. Hope this helps!

Answer 10

In older women the risk of problems with the developing baby are greater, and women that are 50+ should really consider the needs of the child first ie will they still be able to manage when the child is a teenager and they are nearly 70... However, a teenage girl, in today's society can just about look after herself let alone a new life. Young women are still physically developing themselves so the trauma of child birth at such a young age can not be good... In my opinion between 21 and 35 is the best time to have children.

Answer 11

If you go in there scared it won't help your situation. You need to relax. Take calming breaths, think serene thoughts. Inductions can be scary but you don't have to be. Call someone up who can come with you and soothe you during the moments you're feeling tense. It might be too late to hire a doula but if you can find one on short notice, get her! She can help you to ease up during labor which will make your pain level come down. Don't think of it as a constant pain. Labor comes in waves, so you'll have a contraction, then a break, then a contraction, then another break. It's not hours and hours of constant, unbearable pain. I've had 3 kids without epidurals- if the pain had been constant and horrible the entire time I was in labor I probably would have gotten one. Good luck to you.