a relaxed, pleasant experience. the only problem i had was that i couldn't feel my contractions, so i didn't know exactly when to push. i had people watching my monitor, though... so i was still able to push out my baby in less than 30 minutes. i had no headache, no back pain, no problems at all afterward. i highly recommend it!
2007-03-12 04:04:10
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answer #1
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answered by Emily H 5
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Copied from Webmd.com
( http://www.webmd.com/baby/Should-I-use-epidural-anesthesia-during-childbirth )
What are the drawbacks and risks of epidural pain relief?
With an epidural, you may not be free to leave your bed to walk or use the bathroom. Talk to your health professional about:
Having medication light enough that you can walk or at least stand. Walking and changing positions helps you feel more comfortable during labor.
Whether the required fetal heart monitoring and IV line can be adjusted to allow walking.
Epidural anesthesia using standard medication doses increases your risk of:
Having a prolonged labor. The average epidural labor takes an extra hour to deliver the baby.2 (Some studies suggest that epidural labors are no longer than average labors when medication is not given until the cervix is at least 4 cmdilated.3)
Having a drop in blood pressure (hypotension), which can lower your baby's heart rate. This is why you receive fluids through an intravenous (IV) line beforehand and why you're encouraged to lie on your side, which improves blood flow.
Being unable to feel your contractions and to push. This increases your risk of needing an assisted (forceps or vacuum) delivery and possibly your chance of needing a cesarean section you wouldn't otherwise have needed.2
Having your baby move into the wrong position (malposition) because of slack pelvic muscles and a slack uterus. This increases your risk of needing an assisted (forceps or vacuum) delivery. Some experts question whether malposition may happen first, causing pain that leads a woman to ask for an epidural.2 Talk to your health professional about his or her experience with this problem.
Having a seizure related to the medication. This is very rare.
After childbirth with an epidural, you may have:
Back soreness at the catheter site during recovery. This is uncommon. Some women fear that an epidural causes chronic back pain-studies have not shown a connection between new back pain and epidural use.2
Severe, prolonged headache after delivery, when the spinal cord sheath has accidentally been punctured during the procedure. A puncture occurs in about 3% of women receiving an epidural. About 70% of these women develop the headache after childbirth. The puncture is repaired by an anesthesiologist, using another injection in the puncture area. This usually relieves the headache.
2007-03-12 11:10:17
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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My first delivery was natural and wasn't bad, really. I had the epidural with my second child and it helped me to relax. I did wait until the last minute to get my epidural though and asked for a very light dosage (which I didn't know existed, until my labor class). So, I could still feel the contractions and immediately after wards, I could walk, etc. I've heard if you have an epidural from like dilation 4 until delivery, it is difficult to feel your contractions and after wards your legs are basically like jello and you can't feel a thing!
2007-03-12 11:09:22
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answer #3
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answered by downinmn 5
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- drop in mom's blood pressure
- mom develops a fever and requires monitoring to make sure there is no infection - antibiotics which then increase the risk of thrush in both mom and baby
- mom can't feel to push effectively - increased risk of episiotomy and/or tearing
- mom can't change positions when laboring or pushing and baby isn't able to descend in a favorable position (dystocia) - can lead to c/s
- spinal headache
- nausea and vomiting
- mom might get the shakes
- fluid overload from the IV so mom is badly swollen post-partum
- backache (I had a friend who had back problems for over a year)
- possibility of infection at epidural site
- respiratory arrest is possible
- anaphylaxis (allergic reaction to the meds)
- baby can experience fetal distress - bradycardia
- oxytocin augmentation of labor if the epidural slows down labor too much
- constant fetal monitoring instead of the intermittent monitoring you could have if unmedicated (again, limits mom's movement in labor)
2007-03-12 11:13:43
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answer #4
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answered by momma2mingbu 7
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It feels great during contractions, although I had chills after a while, but long term side effects are rare and I haven't heard of them nor did I experience them. Some people say that the terrible back pain you experience a few days later are due to that but my OB/GYN explained to me that it had nothing to do with the epidural...
2007-03-12 11:09:41
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answer #5
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answered by shygal 5
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Do a google search and educate yourself. There are risks that no one mentions or conveniently forget to mention. Not trying to scare you, its just better to see what you could be getting into. I had something happen to me that occurs in only 1% of people recieving an epidural, but I didn't even know it was a possiblity. Just educate! Best of luck
2007-03-12 11:15:20
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answer #6
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answered by duckygrl21 5
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Epidural slows down labor, which increases your chance of needing a C-section if the doctor feels labor is progressing too slowly to allow a vaginal birth.
2007-03-12 11:05:26
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answer #7
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answered by vallygval 5
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Our childbirth class teacher told us that having an epidural can raise your blood pressure quite a bit, so they will monitor that pretty closely, they can also make you feel nauseous and have the chills. Hope this helps!
2007-03-12 11:09:12
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answer #8
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answered by FirefighterWife 3
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Headaches, back aches, you have to be careful because sometimes your neck get pains as well. I didn't have any problems. I know I had a slight migraine, but I think that was from the baby crying.
2007-03-12 11:07:54
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answer #9
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answered by Jamonican 4
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidural_anaesthesia
http://www.geocities.com/birthingjourney/epidural.html
Both of these websites are wonderful concerning epidurals.
2007-03-12 11:17:28
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answer #10
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answered by Tenn Gal 6
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