Question about epidural and backlash?

Question

I have been on Yahoo Answers for awhile and I always come across women who have questions about labor. The first thing out of there mouth is how they plan on getting an epidural. When I come on here I often ask, but why not try it natural? I often get panned for this---why?

I am not some natural childbirth thumping kind of person but I often feel mothers to be sell themselves short by not trying to go naturally or with minimum pain medication. Whenever I hear a pregnant women its OH I am getting an epidural, no way I am going through the pain......Most women don't even give it a second thought like an epidural just comes with the package.

I know alot of has changed since the "stone ages" of giving birth without pain medication but why do women just immediatly shut down the possibility they may be able to do it? I was 28 when I had my first child and was scared of labor and the pain. But for me I went in thinking maybe I could do it.

It did get to a point when my tailbone was jotting ot of my back that it was beyond painful. By then I was 8. I almost caved (Not that they would of given it too me) I ended up delivering my daughter with just some IV drugs (They didnt help)

I don;t know, for me it was a sense of accomplishment that I did as women have done before. I am not not knocking women who have epidurals, but sometimes I think that aloty of women can do it without it

I hope it doesnt sound like I am attacking women who had epidurals I just think women don;t know how strong they truely are. I am just trying to find people who may agree with me or want to make a point against what I am saying

Also I know that there are problem that sometimes occue with epidural. Two of my friends have permanent numbness

I know that pain and not feeling it is a main factor. I don't know why I feel so strongly about it. I guess just because natural childborth seems to be a last resort in peoples minds

I didnt scream when it was happening. That happens in movies alot but when I was in the labor ward I didnt hear women screaming all over the place

I am not asking for people to get all hurt about it like a couple have. I enjoyed my birth as well even through the pain. I am pregnant again and even though it was painful I plan to try again without an epidural

And as usual someone believes I am saying you are less than other women and I am not

Answer 1

I know that when I have a child I am having a natural child birth. I had Leg surgery recently and they gave me an epidural. I did not like the way it made me feel, or rather not feel. It was like I only had half a body. If I were giving birth I would like to at least know that I'm pushing my baby out, not be in a half twilight and not even know that I'm giving birth b/c I can feel it one bit. I would rather feel that natural child birth pain then not feel anything at all and not have the birth experience that my mom did and my grandma did. Its the experience of a life time. This is not something men can do, only women. Besides once you see your child, won't it all be worth it?

I think so.

Answer 2

I think it depends on the person. Each person and each labor is different. I myself was terrified of the pain. I did have an epidural. I waited until I was at a 6. It was midnight and I knew if I was up all night with labor that I wouldn't have the strength to start pushing at 5 in the morning. I was glad I did it. I ended up having a "level 4" episiotomie. The doctor spent almost an hour stitching me up.

I have several friends who have gone the all natural way. I think it is totally commendable. One of them has short labor. With her 2nd child labor was 3 hours start to finish. Her baby was well over 10 lb. Her 3rd was 9lb. 13oz. her labor was 2 1/2 hours. My sister-in-law had all 3 of her kids all natural but she also has short labor.

My cousin is a labor and delivery nurse. She said that family and ethnicity have a big influence on how a woman labors. She has had some women that the whole floor could hear screaming. Other women labor in silence. My cousin has walked in the room and the woman delivered the baby all by herself without a doctor and without having made any noise.

I think with my next one I will give natural a try. I think I was most afraid of the pain, my response to the pain, and the unknown. I know so much more about preparing your body for labor now. I didn't know anything about perineal massage before. Now that I know what labor is like I feel I have have more options.

Answer 3

When i was pregnant with my son, 3 yrs ago, i didn't have a computer so i was never afraid of going into labor because i didn't hear the horror stories about labor and delivery like you do now, which is why a lot of women go into it with fear.
By the time my son was due i was crying and couldn't wait to go into labor, i was so tired of being pregnant!
Epidural was never on my mind in the first place but once the contractions became more intence my body just broke down.
Although breathing methods helped a lot it didn't help once i became unable to control myself from crying out in pain.
They actually offered me the Epidural and i didn't think twice about it. Once the Epidural kicked in i was actually able to calm down some and get some rest. I was in labor for 17.5 hours and of course i didn't have the pain releife the entire time so i did sufer for a long time before the medication.
Some poeple just don't have a high tolerence for pain (ME)!!
I still felt tons of pressure, so much that i thought my bottom would just blow right off. I was dialated to a 10 for an hour before they let me push, feeling that much pressure for an hour was tremendously painful.
Once i did finally have my son i could feel the contractions so i knew when to push. Also my doctor had to perform an eptisomy so thank goodness i didn't have to feel that, of course later the burning sensation didn't allow me to sit for two weeks!!!
So i totally have to disagree with you about pain relief during labor.
I also know women that said no to the Epidural before labor and once they were actually in labor and went as long as they could with the pain they did decide on the Epidural.
It doesn't make you any less of a women to have medication and if most women could handle the pain they probably wouldn't even have pain relief in the first place.
Everyone's pain tolerence is different. My second baby is due April 8th and i'm going into this with my head high knowing that anything can happen.
If i need an Epidural than by God i'm getting one, it's my own experience and even if my husband didn't aprove of it i'm the one going through it.
*My husband knows better! Lol

Answer 4

First of all, what is the accomplishment if you go with-out an epidural?... The accomplishment is HAVING the baby - not what drugs or lack of drugs is being taken/not taken.
Second, of course there are risk factors to it, and not everyone really needs one.
Thirdly, if a woman knows she has a LOW pain tolerance...why wouldnt she want to make it the best memory ever, not an extremely painful one...?
Lastly, if a woman is just getting one because she knows she can, and she "just doesnt want any pain.." , than she shouldnt because she's being (in the true sense of the word) - ignorant. You have to get the facts straight about such a procedure, and make sure the staff that would be doing it is knowledgeable and has a lot of experience.
Fact is, epidural's are not for EVERY delivery. But it sure HELPS to have a memorable day of one of the very most important days of your life.
Women must be educated and do what they need to to feel good about the whole delivery and about bringing their baby into this jungle of a world.

Answer 5

I wouldn't look down on a woman for choosing an epidural, but I agree with you - at the very least it's worth a try.

I was induced, and they didn't manage the pitocin very well. Contractions hit me out of the blue and so hard I couldn't do anything but gasp in pain. They turned the pit drip off and gave me a shot of magnesium. Then they turned the pit back on. In the meantime, I opted for the epi, which they didn't insert correctly and less than an hour later I was in excruciating pain again. I didn't suffer any ill effects from the epi, BUT -

next time around, I want to go into labor on my own. I really want to try to deliver without meds, and let things happen on their own. I've been told that a pitocin contraction is far worse than a "natural" one, so I really think I could handle it. I'm not afraid of the pain. I certainly am going to give it my best shot.

Answer 6

I had a natural birth, I did have demerol to help with the contractions then after my baby was born I ended up with complications and ended up bleeding internally because my baby was too big. I was a screamer the contraction pain I handled until the baby dropped down and you get that feeling like there is a ring of fire there. They could have probably heard me through the whole hospital i was screaming so loud. A lady before me was screaming before I went into the delivery room. After experiencing that pain and the complications after I had a c-section scheduled with my second baby. The only reason my doctor recommended this is because of my first delivery and because my second baby was going to be bigger than the first (1st baby 8 pounds 15 ounces, 2nd baby 9 pounds 15 ounces). After they pulled my baby out they said if I did try vaginal delivery they would have rushed me in for an emergency c-section because the baby wouldn't have fit. Now I'm pregnant with my third and have a c-section scheduled. My sister was in the delivery room with my first baby and she was pregnant at the same time and after she seen me deliver vaginally she got to scared and seen all the pain I was in she ended up scheduling a c-section. Either way in my opinion there is pain involved I wouldn't do natural again, i would pat anyone on the back for doing that numerous times.

Answer 7

I am happy you posted this. I totally agree with you. I never wanted an epidural, but I am just someone who only takes medicine if I HAVE to. With my first baby, my labor only lasted 3 hours so I was lucky. Yes it hurt crazy bad! I did yell I think, I know I cursed! It was bad. But I am looking forward to going all natural again with #2. I tell you, I feel like an incredible woman warrior and connected to all women before me who did it all natural. It's a rite of passage, and when times get hard for me, I always look back and say "Well it's not as bad as labor!" Plus, feeling the amazing feeling of that squirmy baby sliding out of my body is priceless. I am not sure you can feel that with an epidural. It was amazing, though awfully painful.

Answer 8

I understand what you are saying. I mean if they did it for all those years without drugs or anything, it IS possible. Most women dont even think about going natural just because of the movies, tv and how ppl say labor is so painful and the epidural can rid of the pain. I will probably get one but I am going to try and hold out. Because they said I was having braxton hicks contractions and i didn't even feel them, so maybe ill be able to deal with the pain(YES I NO BRAXTON HICKS R NOTHING COMPARED TO THE REAL ONES LOL)

Answer 9

OK first of all any kind of delivery is a NATURAL birth. Even a C section because BIRTHING is a natural process. And there are some women out there who do not want to suffer in pain. Some women do and that is great for them. But other would like to take advantage of the pain relievers out there so that they may "ENJOY" the birth with thier significant other or not be SCREAMING the entire time. And i suppose some women are much more WOMAN than me cuz I chose to have an epideral my second time because my first time was so miserable (labor wise). I was in labor for 24 hrs contractions 2 min apart and they couldn't give me meds due to complications and he was 6 weeks early and still 9 lbs. So I chose to "ENJOY" my second childs birth and make it the joyous occasion that it really should be.

Answer 10

I had an epidural with my first child and I wish I hadn't
because every now and then (usually when the
weather is cold) I get back aches in the exact spot
that I had the epidural. With my second child I didn't
have any pain meds and did fine. With both I had a
short labor. But I don't knock it if someone wants
to get an epidural. But they might think twice about it.