Do women in labor feel the effects of an epidural like they do opioids?

Question

What I am meaning is do they get "intoxicated" from it like the opioids? I am semi-worried and would like to know the truth. I want to experience my son's birth, but would also like to have effective pain treatment. Thank you

Answer 1

You do not feel the pain and you do not feel loopy at all.
I could feel when I was pushing. Other women who have had a little more then I did, could not feel themselves pushing till it had worn off some or they slowed the IV. You can allways ask for less for your pushing controll. I did that because I had seen others with not being able to push.
I had 3 different kind of pain meds with my first two and felt like I did not have control of myself. With the Epidural I was very aware of everything around me.

Answer 2

No, it's not like an opioid. When I had an epidural, it was like I was paralyzed from the waist down. The bottom half of my body just wasn't there. After the birth, I looked down at my feet and they were woven into the metal rungs of the hospital bed and I didn't even know it. Plus, I was very cold - it apparently lowers your blood pressure. But the birth was a walk in the park.

Answer 3

I had an epidural and I experienced the birth just fine, I remember it in detail. It just stopped my pain which allowed me to be more focused on giving birth than being in pain. Don't be afraid to ask for something for pain it will help you be able to focus on whats important. There are other things that are somewhat helpful during labor but honestly none of them took the pain away and i was a reck , the epidural helped me through it.

Answer 4

I had 3 epidurals in 4 of my births. I didn't feel woozy or out of it AT ALL. I clearly remember the delivery of each of those children, I just wasn't falling apart from the pain of the contractions. My other child was c-section, so I had a spinal, a much different situation.

Answer 5

No. The only effect it had on me was my body was numb for the waist down. I was fully alert and awake. It didn't make me loopy or anything like that. It's like novocaine for the spine. For me, for whatever reason, it was only effective for a few hours. That was OK, because it got me through the most painful parts of labor. I could feel the delivery, but it didn't hurt. I was walking on my own abut 45 minutes after she was born. I did have a numb spot on my left leg for a couple of hours, but that was the only negative thing I can say about it. It allowed me to get a power nap during labor so I was awake and alert during and after her birth.

Answer 6

I had an epidural with my 1st baby...everything from my waist down was completely numb..no feeling whatsoever...the baby went into fetal distress and I had a c-section....

I'm pregnant for a 2nd time, and am opposed to an epidural because I also want to know what is going on with my body........

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/epidural.html

Answer 7

You feel no "dopey" effects from an epidural. It's a "block" of anesthesia that stays local to the point of injection (lower spine) to your toes. It does, however make it difficult to push. In my case, I had no sensation of "where I was pushing", hence, I had a c-section - BUT that was in MY particular case. Epidural is highly effective and in my opinion, soooo worth it!

Answer 8

you do not be out of it .epidural just paralyzes you from waist down .they usually have to tell you when to push.when it comes time to have the baby .it is a very good pain method i liked it .

Answer 9

I don't know but doctors like to keep people at least semi conscious and feeling in such cases as opposed to deep anesthetizing to make sure things are as they should be. There's bound to be some amount of hollering.

Answer 10

you wont be feeling any pain but when it's time for the baby to come out you will feel a little pressure, and yeah you will be just fine.