Should I have an epidural when I deliver my baby?

Question

My mother freaked out when I brought up the idea of having an epidural and she told me that I should go completely natural and to not be a wuss about it? Any thoughts?

Answer 1

i had it both times i was pregnant
i would reccomend the epidural, or other pain relieves they can give

it makes it easier to deliver, and helps out on the pain

Answer 2

It's all about your comfort level. If you have a high-pain threshold and are comfortable with the idea of going "Au-natural" then go for it. However, if you hate the idea of being in a lot of pain, then there are other ways besides an epidural to combat it (both natural and medicinal) i.e. breathing techniques, saddle block, local anesthetics, etc.
Nobody should make you feel bad about choosing the type of birth experience you want. It is after all your body, and the birth of YOUR child. Everyone has a different approach, and there are so many different opinions on the subject. Not to mention that everyone's labor is different. Some women have fast, relatively stress free labors, and others do not. My advice is to talk to your OB and get as informed as possible on the different pro's and con's of using different types of pain relief during labor. That way, you can make an informed decision for yourself and you'll have the information at your disposal should you require it.

Oh, and no matter how old you get, your mother will always think she knows what's best for you ;)

Answer 3

I just had my son 4 weeks and 4 days ago. I did it without an epidural. But, it was EXTREMELY difficult. It was the worst pain in my life. I don't ever want to think about that pain again. But, you get through it. It's possible. If you can handle every contraction until it's time to push, you can do it. But, believe me, it's the worse undescribable pain in the world. You can do it though, women have been doing it for 1,000's of years without meds. I did it...and I have a really low pain tolerance. I'm a wuss when it comes to pain, but I pushed through the pain cause I couldn't want to see my son. He's here now and it's totally, totally worth it to do it without meds and I feel so proud of myself.

The reason I chose not to have one was because of the complications that can occur with an epidural. Not only that, I wanted to get up immediately after I had my baby, With an epidural your legs are slightly paralyzed for a few hours after the birth since they are numb. I also didn't want a needle going into my spine. Too dangerous.

Answer 4

i went natural with both my boys it was the best thing ever (and they were big boys 8lbs and 9lbs 91/2 oz)
if you have an epidural then you have to have a cathadur and a IV and everyone i know who has had an epidural has tore or been cut which totally sucks i never tore or was cut bc you have better control over your pushing if you are not drugged up and when the nurses tell you to slow down so you don;t tear you can respond immediatly you can be up and moving right away and there is no lasting pain i always fed the baby had a little nap soon as the baby feel asleep then after that i was up and moving and i could never sit still during the pain i would have gone nuts if i had to stay in the hospital bed that whole time bc you can't walk once you have the epidural plus it goes right into your spine gross

also talk to a lactation consultant so you are informed about breast feeding because it is way easier once you get through the first couple rough days and its a great bond with your baby it makes them healthier and smarter

p.s. you can get an epidural headache which can last for a couple weeks my friend had it it makes it so much harder to take care of your baby the first few weeks

Answer 5

I had my first 3 natural and my fourth with an epidural. It was wonderful during labor and delivery, but I had headaches and back pain at the insertion point for a few weeks afterward.

Make an informed choice- weigh the risks against the benefits and only you can know what your pain tolerance is. It doesn't mean you are a wuss if you choose pain management!

Answer 6

Go natural it is better for you and baby. Millions of women have done it. The best thing is to prepare yourself and be informed. Many women go for epidurals because they dont properly understand how the body works to birth a baby and instead they just become afraid of pain. I found this next bit of information really interesting.

"What is a labor contraction? It is, most simply, the tightening and releasing of a muscle. When giving birth, the muscle in question is the uterus. So a contraction can be described as a tightening and releasing of the uterus for the purpose of opening (dilation) and effacing (thinning out) the cervix to allow the baby to descend from the birth path into your waiting arms.

And now for a little lesson in female reproductive system anatomy: the uterus is composed of two layers of muscle fiber, one that runs horizontally and another that runs vertically. It's the job of the vertical fibers to pull up on the uterus while the horizontal fibers push the baby down further into the birth canal. This is a very important point, so read carefully. A labor contraction in itself is not painful. No, it's not. It's your reaction that makes it painful. Yes, we create our own pain. I sense your skepticism, so I'll elaborate further.

Let's talk about those uterine muscle fibers again. Let me preface by saying that this discussion presupposes that a woman perceives that a contraction will be painful. So what does a person do when anticipating pain? She tenses up. Wrong move. Seriously, the wrong move. Why? When the vertical uterine fibers pull up and the horizontal fibers push down, the cervix is supposed to dilate and efface so that the baby descends effortlessly. But when a woman tenses, her cervix tenses too. So as the uterus is doing its job and the horizontal fibers are pushing down, they don't meet a relaxed cervix. It's like meeting a brick wall instead. And what the result when someone runs into a brick wall? Yep, you guessed it. Pain.

It's the same principle that applies in a drunk driving accident. Have you ever wondered why the drunk driver walks away but the family of four is in critical condition? It's because the drunk driver was relaxed. He wasn't anticipating the collision, so he stayed relaxed. When the other family saw his car barreling at them, they tensed, understandably."

Answer 7

Epidural all the way!!
Seriously though--you do what's best for you. This is not your mother's choice--it's yours.
There are possibilities of complications, but the serious ones are quite rare, and speaking from experience, having an epidural makes giving birth a much better experience in my opinion. (None with first, epidural with second.)

Answer 8

It really depends on you I am going to have a natural birth but everyone is diffrent. It depends on how well you can handle pain.

Advantages of the Epidural

*A pain free labor!
*Rapid pain relief
*Medications can be increased or decreased based on your comfort level-without additional injections
*No groggy feeling or cloudy-headed side effects

Disadvantages of the Epidural

*A common side effect is a drop in mom’s blood pressure (repositioning or medications are used to correct this)
*Fewer than 10 percent of women report itching all over their body
*Labor time may increase by approximately an hour
*You will need to be connected to an IV and monitor- and if you are mobile, need to move with your equipment
*A small percentage of women, usually first time moms, will spike a fever during labor.

Answer 9

its up to you, but let me tell you. Ive had 3 babies, two with an epidural, and one without (but only because he came so quick I didnt have time to get it!). Oh my gosh, the natural stuff wasnt for me. I tolerate pain well, but it was still pretty bad. Epidurals are safe and I dont see a reason to do it natural when you can have relief!

Answer 10

I went natural but only because I was already crowning when I got to the hospital. Get the epidural or saddle block. Believe me. Natural is no picnic. Next time I think I'll go to the hospital early, like a month early! LOL

Answer 11

get the epidural!!

just because your mom was nuts doesn't mean you have to be...i'm not being a meanie...my mom told me pretty much the same thing...but once the pain became more than i wanted to handle i got an epi...

i am currently 8 months pregnant with #2 and plan to get an epidural as soon as it is offered (some dr's wont okay it until you dialate like 3-4 cm)