Do epidurals hurt a mothers firstborn child?

Question

My BF and I were having a chat about childbirth earlier today (we're random people, I know). He told me that his mom told him a few months back that a women should go through natural child birth with her first child, because having an epidural while in labor with the first child can harm the baby. She told him that after a woman has had her first child naturally, it is okay to have epidurals with her future children.

I'm curious to know... is this true?

Answer 1

it didn;t hurt my first or second child

i would say no based on my experience

Answer 2

NO. You can have an epidural with almost any birth. She probably meant a woman should "feel what it feels like" to give birth naturally. I think it is a personal choice and one that should be planned ahead if you want one. You can change your mind at the last minute but there is a certain time in labor when it's "too late" and if you're not prepared, you lose out on the option. I have had one natural, one epidural where they literally had to wake me up to push the baby out because I couldn't feel anything and a 34 hour labor where I had an epidural and I could still feel all the pressure (they can get rid of the pain but not the pressure.) When they work right, they are a godsend during a tough labor, or if you know you have a low pain tolerance. Labor can be the worst pain you've ever felt in your life.

Answer 3

I don't think that you have to wait till 2nd baby to have an epidural but they certainly have a lot of complications if you do have one. I personally had two natural births without epidural as I don't like the risks involved such as...

epidural not working at all
failure to dilate or progress in labour
1 in 100 women can be paralysed all over, for some it can last hours, other's days, other's permanent
ineffective pushing as you can't feel anything, therefore baby can go into distress or has forceps/ventouse delivery which has complications in itself
complications leading to c-section
the list goes on

Epidurals aren't for me but maybe I just have a high pain threshold. I had one shot of pethedine, 1hr before delivery with both, this gave me the strength to push through the last bit and it didn't affect my children, other than make them sleepy after they were born. Some will say thats a bad side affect too but, better then being paralysed or not working at all.

Answer 4

I work for several physicians, I travel from clinic to clinic as needed. Some of the physicians I work with are OB/GYN's. All recommend epidurals (no matter what child it is). I don't think they would recommend patients have an epidural with the first child, if they thought it would hurt the child. I've read many publications about childbirth, and have never heard anything about epidurals and your 1st child.
My first and only child is fine, 26 graduated college, and working on a family of his own, and I had an epidural.
Also, think of it this way, if it harms the first born, why wouldn't it harm the rest of your children? Same medication, same procedure no matter what child you are having.
So, I think your Mother In Law is telling an "old wives tale"

Answer 5

I think that may be a wife's tale. An epidural is effective for easing pain for any expectant mother, whether the child is her first or her eighth. I imagine the epidural acts as a narcotic, or pain killer, which wouldn't affect the baby's birth, because why would the medicine hurt a firstborn, and not a child who would go through the same process as a second? Sounds elementary, but that is broken down logic.

Also, if you are scared of the needle of the epidural actually touching the baby, forget it. It is injected at the base of a woman's spine.

Answer 6

Whether it is the first or the twenty first child it does not matter. I believe that natural childbirth is the only way to go, however I do believe that everyone is entitled to treat their body however they wish. But remember, all drugs have the potential for everything from mild side effects to very harmful reactions and whatever goes in your body, goes into your child. To all of you who said that epidurals are oh so safe, do some research, they are not as safe as you think for you or your baby!

PS - the statistics are that only about 50% of women get epidurals, and here is a website for all of you people who think that there is not possiblity of harm for you or your baby -

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/epidural.html

http://www.healing-arts.org/mehl-madrona/mmepidural.htm

Answer 7

NO!!! NOt at all! That's just a a fairytale! I had the epidural while in labour with my first and only child, and my son is perfectly healthy! I'll tell you more: the epidural is way better than natural birth , as the child comes out in a relaxed way, without going through any trauma. Should I ever get pregnant again, I'd definitely go for the epidural again; I heartfeltly recommend it to you.

Answer 8

I had an epidural with my first child and everything was fine. I have never heard anything of this harming the baby. If this was true doctors would not allow patients to have epidurals with their first babies. It's just not true.

Answer 9

Wow that lady gave you a line of bulloni. Seriously i have NEVER ever heard of that and i went through all the pregnacy books and classes. And i did have an epidural with my first child, she probably just anti-drug. But seriously when that labour pain gets heavy its really hard to turn down the drug lol. So no it doesnt hurt the child, my son is very healthy. Ide almost ask that lady where she heard that from? lol

Sheky

Answer 10

Wow, what a load of crap. Where do people gt this stuff?
An epidural, administered correctly by a professional is not going to cause the baby or mother any harm, regardless of whether it's her first child or 5th.

Answer 11

I had an epidural with my first then just the gas with my second. Both my children came out just fine and perfectly healthy. There are risks to you and your unborn child, but many women have this drug and you should discuss this with your doctor before labour. I didn't have it with my second because I couldn't feel enough with the labour the first time and the second time my son arrived too fast.