Did your hospital PUSH you to have an epidural? Because I want to TRY to have a drug-free and natural birth, but of course I am not ashamed to give in to medication if I really need it, or to have a c-section if there are complications.
But I went to a birthing class at my hospital and when the nurse was describing the birth process she added the epidural in like it was necessary. My partner and I started asking questions about going natural, but she just laughed it off and said EVERYONE had epidurals nowadays (although she admitted that pushing time was generally much shorter with natural birth than with an epidural).
Did your doctor or hospital try to push you towards an epidural, even though you said you wanted to try it naturally? And how did it work out for you?
2007-07-12 17:58:30 · 18 answers · asked by grayhare 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Gah, I meant NATURAL...that's what I get for not hitting spell check!
Oh, and this is the ONLY hospital in town, and we have no midwives in my area...it's very rural.
2007-07-12 17:59:16 · update #1
I wouldn't let anyone try to push you one way or the other. My Dr. and hospital are all about what mom wants. They are so very helpful and thats the way yours should be. I had an epidural with my 1st but they shut off the drip so that I knew when to push and then I ran out of time to have it turned back on. So I felt it all. With my 2nd I didnt get to the hospital in time my labor and delivery was only a total of 4 hours. The nurses with my 2nd were absolutely great because I wanted the epidural and was upset that I wasn't able to get it. Now I'm preg with #3 and not sure what I will do. The best advice I can give you is that this is your pregnancy and you do what you want to with it. Obviously you haven't ruled out the epidural so if you try to do it naturally do it for you and no one else and if you get the epidural do it for you!! Good luck and congrats on your pregnancy!
2007-07-12 18:07:17 · answer #1 · answered by r_u_kidding 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, I took a "let's see how it goes" approach and they were very good about not pushing the epidural. We tried everything else first, and they only put the epidural in after I threw up the oral medication, sat in a warm bath that wasn't helping for a while, panicked from the nitrous oxide, and asked for an epidural. I had my midwife looking after me in the hospital along with whatever staff nurses were usually there though, so I am not sure whether that would be the same for a standard hospital delivery.
I will say that as a student nurse, I none of the patients I dealt with in my day long rotation through labour and delivery had a natural birth; there were a couple planned c-sections and a lot of epidurals.
2007-07-12 18:12:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is every patient's right to refuse or accept treatment.
You should make it clear to staff and your doctor that the use of an epidural is not what you want, unless its an emergency, in which case it would be more likely to be a general anesthetic anyway.
To do an epidural on every patient is ridiculous. It is an unnecessary intervention, and does carry risks to the mother (migraines, paralysis, infection) and the infant, extending birthing times. It is an option, but certainly not the only choice for pain relief, if it should be required.
Discuss the options, and make a decision on what you want, and what is best for you and your baby.
2007-07-12 18:07:45 · answer #3 · answered by Barb Outhere 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wanted to try pain relief other than an epidural.
But I woke up in the middle of the night and arrived at the hospital 20 minutes later - 7 cm dilated. By the time I was switched into a room, I was fully dilated and no chance for pain meds. It was awful.
2007-07-12 18:44:23 · answer #4 · answered by buterfly_2_lovely 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was coerced into having an induced labor. They urged me although didn't push me to take analgesics at about 6 hours in hoping to speed things up. I agreed, although wasn't really in much pain then. At 12 hours the doctor recommended an epidural, I agreed quickly, because I wanted to speed things up and wouldn't have made it much longer. To make a long story short; no. They gave suggestions and wouldn't have pushed me had I said I wanted to wait. It didn't work out for me unfortunately. I had to ask for 3 epidurals and the last 2 didn't take, before they agreed to do an emergency c-section. My son was stuck and they hadn't noticed, so he was born despite 18 hours. My second child was a planned c-section. Don't let them push you into it, don't let them induce if you can avoid it. Some women go through labor and are done in 2 hours, I wish that for you, although your first one is usually longer than subsequent deliveries. Good luck!
2007-07-12 18:13:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
With my first child I wanted to try to do everything natural. It was going good and than things just got really hard and I was so tired. I first had Demerol which was suppose to take the edge off. Whatever! And then laughing gas I did it that way and ended up pushing for almost 1 hour before they rushed me for a c-section and then I took the epidural.
2nd child same thing Demerol (no laughing gas) but I had to go c-section again.
I think if this is what you want than stick to your guns. BUT be sure that when you change your mind they are somewhat prepared and have the epi ready. trust me when you want the easy way YOU WANT IT NOW!!!
2007-07-12 18:07:03 · answer #6 · answered by cvhuntaylor 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In a way yes I was conned into it. I so very wanted a natural birth but there were two things convincing me, the Doctor and the Pain lol. The IUD won!! No epidural for me though.
2007-07-12 18:03:00 · answer #7 · answered by Mommy to 2 A.n.g.e.l.s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, my hospital didn't push me to have an epidural, but as soon as that pain kicked in--no question. I might have named the baby after the anesthesiologist if I'd been having a boy!
2007-07-12 18:10:37 · answer #8 · answered by Valkyrie 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi there,
Well I put it off so long that it was too late to give me anything. The doctor said "You've come this far, I promise the pain won't get any worse than it is right now, so if you're ready... let's just do this!" Nobody really pushed anything on me and I was SCREAMING. But I did it au naturale, much to my OWN surprise.
Don't worry... it's YOUR decision. That teacher just gave a biased class, that's all. I'm sure you'll have your baby YOUR way.
Good luck and congrats!
2007-07-12 18:23:24 · answer #9 · answered by ღ†Rocker Wife†ღ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had 3 completely drug unfastened births. I even have 4 little ones and with the 1st I had the epidural. I basically felt that i ought to do it devoid of drugs with the subsequent one and that i did, so with the subsequent 2 I additionally went drug unfastened. i might desire to additionally inform you that the longest i became into in exertions became right into a splash over 5 hours. I went on the instant to problematical exertions from the begining. Like I tell all pregnant women it hurts like H*** besides the indisputable fact that it became into well worth it to me. basically right of success in what ever you come to a determination to do.
2016-09-29 21:43:37 · answer #10 · answered by torrez 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋