For anyone who has had an epidural?

Question

what does it feel like? can you feel anything? Is it hard to push? What is the whole experience like? Thanks so much for the answers!!!

Answer 1

you have no feeling.

Answer 2

During an epidural, if it's placed correctly, you can't feel anything, you can't walk, or even lift your legs much if at all. Pushing is hard because you can't feel the pressure of how to push downward like you are going to the bathroom, cos that's what delivers a baby. I've had 2 epidurals, and I wouldn't have a baby without one. Having once placed can be kinda scary, because you watch the TV shows where the needle is really long, but you only feel a small pinch in your spine when the needle is inserted, and then a tingling in your lower back and legs when the IV catheter is placed, and then the needle is removed, and if labor slows down you may even get Pitocin to help move laobr along...... so it's not bad at all. They docs will tell you how to push and they may even turn down the IV flow enough to where you feel the pressure to push, but not the pain of childbirth... I felt NOTHING on my first delivery, and pushed the baby out in 45 minutes... the 2nd they turned down the IV a little so I could feel how to push, and the pain was very minimal. Just depends on your delivery doc and hospital.... I hope this has helped you out a bit, but that was my experience... every delivery is different. There's been people that complain they have back problems after wards, so you just never know... depends on your body, how delivery goes, and the anesthesiologist that placed the Epidural... Best of luck!

Answer 3

I wouldn't do it any other way. Once your water breaks and you dilate a lot and your contractions are so bad - you want anything.
The epidural hurts when they put it in and you have to be completely still. But the pain of that for a couple seconds is far worth it.
Most of the time if it is giving enough medication through your body you won't feel anything but pressure. When it is time to push, you will know it. You feel the need and you feel pressure. It is hard to know how hard you are pushing, but the nurses will help you. They turn it down once you start pushing as well, so that kinda helps. Once you delivered and everything is done, they turn it off and you get feeling back soon after. Then they will come and take it out of your back.
I have had one 3 times and plan on it again with #4.
Sometimes now, I still get tingling down my spine and it is probably from the epidural, but not enough to do harm.

Answer 4

When i was in labor i never thought owww i am going to get an Epidural. I just went along with the labor and when my body needed a break i decided on the Epidural.
I remember leaning over with my back pushed out as much as i could and they enserted the needel, not once did i see it all i felt was some pressure and then something going up my back. It didn't hurt but felt kinda weird, it's hard to explain since i know you haven't felt anything like it before.
It didn't take long at all at they were done.
Once the medicine starts going it feels like cold water running down your spin, seriously the wiredest feeling but no pain at all. I few minutes later your in heaven. You can actually rest and forget about the next contraction. I went to the hosptial at 11 pm and was there all night long so i actually got to sleep through some of it:)
Once i got father in to the labor i did start to feel tremendous pressure and wanted to push.
I couldn't move my legs which wasn't a big deal since my husband and nurses did it for me. But pushing is the best part, it feels like you have to go to the bathroom baddddd!!!
So pushing feels amazing. Finally the baby is out and you can relax, well not really because of all the excitment.
Once the baby is out you forget all about the pain and the hours of labor and can enjoy your new life.
It's really not that bad, just go with the flow.
I think most women are more afraid of the Epidural than the actuall labor and delivery but truth is it's not all that it's made out to be.

Answer 5

Well that depends on what you mean by nothing lol i did not feel the epidural go in or anything but while they were doing it i sure felt contractions. They first give you a shot to numb your back, then they give you the actual epidural, i didn't feel anything but contractions. It did not make it hard to push at all, i mean you still feel the urge to push and all that. The whole experience was nice, i got to rest instead of screaming every few minuets. That way i got to save all my energy for the pushing, and afterward when my baby came. Trust me you'll need all the energy you can get!

Answer 6

I had a 12hr labor with my daughter that left me very tired. They gave me an Epidural so I could sleep and have the energy to push...you sign the consent, and the needle going into you back spinal area. Like any shot you do feel it but it's nothing compared to the contractions! lol I feel right asleep and woke up to "PUSH"! Although I did not feel the contractions, the nurse told me when I was having one according to the monitor. I delivered quick enough without pain. Untill afterwards when they grinded my stomach to get the afterbirth out.....it was a bit difficult to push, but that is just focusing that force on that part of your body. Just Bear down and don't let you face get tense or you'll blow a blood vessel in your eye. No worries on getting the Epidural...I would recommend it to anyone as being whats best for you and baby. Afterall, if your too tired and sore to push that baby can be deprived O2 while in the birth canal.

Answer 7

An epidural is a large needle that they put in the base of your spine.... I had it with my first child, I was contracting so much... I did not even feel the needle go in. You do not end up with any numbness to the extent you are unable to move... it just limits the amount of pain you receive with your contractions. You do still slightly feel the contractions... just not as much as you would without the epidural. In my honest opinion.... I did not like it. If I had the option to get one again... I'd probably pass. With my 2nd child I had a shot in the arm ... and I handled that one much better than the epidural. I am now pregnant with my 3rd... and I am opting for the shot in the arm during delivery.

Good luck to you... hope you make the right decision that will ease your pain during delivery. :)

Answer 8

For me, it didn't take all the pain away (Maybe because I had back labor?) As soon as the epidural was in, suddenly instead of horrible back pain, I felt like my pelvis was exploding lol. The epidural itself only hurt for a minute or so. The worst part is when it punctures your spinal column...I felt it. Anyway, it was a lot better then NOT having one, that's for sure.

As far as pushing goes, it comes pretty naturally.

Overall, the whole experience was like a fuzzy dream. I was so focused on the sound of my son's heart on the monitor (he was having trouble keeping his heart rate up) that I really couldn't hear anything else going on around me. All I knew in my head was "push him out or he could die!" talk about being motivated lol.

The day after my son was born I told my husband "never again!" lol...but now here I sit typing this, three months pregnant...the pain of one day of labor is pretty easy to forget :)

Answer 9

hey...my son is six months and i did have an epidural people try to srace you into having a natural birth but if you dont have a high thresh-hold for pain you need to do whats best for you. the epidural isnt scary...you will feel like a bit of cold rushin up your back when they first give it to you but after that you will be very grateful you got it...it is still pretty tough to push out your child but i believe its easier because i remember the pain i felt before getting the epidural and i cant imagine pushing and being in the pain too. it is a wonderful experience to have a child and none of it matters when you are able to hold your beautiful baby for the first time!!!

Answer 10

By the time you get it your in so much pain from labor you dont feel much more than a poke. You have to stay really still, which is hard because you are hurting so much. It isnt hard to push because they cut you off of it before it gets to close to the time when you will deliver. I was so glad to have the epidural, and once I did I took a little nap, when I woke up I had gone from 4 and half to nine and half and was ready to deliver. It was because I was so relaxed that the labor process speeded up. I think you should get one, it helped me a lot. The dlivery will still hurt, but not as much as if you didnt have one.

Answer 11

I had one with my first child. I was in labour for 28 hours, so I decided to have one. It hurt when he put the needle in (more like a sting up my back), but then when he inserted the tube, I didn't feel anything. Believe me, the pain you feel when they insert the epidural is nothing compared to the contractions. They normally will insert it during a contraction. It took around 15 minutes to start taking effect. Soon after, I didn't feel anything (which was great). I was still able to walk to the bathroom, but your legs do feel weird. The pushing part was a bit harder with the epidural since you can't feel when you are having a contraction. Sometimes I just knew I was having one, and others I had to look at the monitor that they strap to you (which tells you when you are having one). The doctors and nurses will guide you along.

I don't think I could give birth without one now.