How come some women in labor don't use epidurals?

Question

Are there major health risks? What is the point of an "all-natural" birth if the pain is so bad? (I don't mean to judge anyone who doesn't use an epidural, I just don't understand the reason behind it.)

Answer 1

Maternal Risks
Hypotension (Drop in blood pressure)
Urinary Retention and Postpartum Bladder Dysfunction
Uncontrollable Shivering
Itching of the face, neck and throat
Nausea and Vomiting
Postpartum Backache
Maternal Fever
Spinal Headache
Uneven, incomplete or nonexistent pain relief
Feelings of Emotional detachment
Postpartum feelings of regret or loss of autonomy
Inability to move about freely on your own
Loss of perineal sensation and sexual function
Very Serious and rare risks
Convulsions

Respitory paralysis

Cardiac arrest

Allergic shock

Nerve injury

Epidural abscess

Maternal death



Labor Side Effects
Prolonged First Stage of Labor
Increase of malpresentation of baby's head
Increased need for Pitocin augmentation
Prolonged Second Stage of Labor
Decrease in the ability to push effectively
Increased liklihood of forceps or vacuum extraction delivery
Increased likelihood of needing an episiotomy
Increase in cesarean section


Baby Side Effects
Fetal distress; abnormal fetal heart rate
Drowsiness at birth; poor sucking reflex
Poor muscle strength and tone in the first hours.



so yeah, there are some risks, ones i'm not willing to take.

Answer 2

I have had two natural births without the use of an epidural. They were 9 hrs induced and 8hrs natural. My first was excrutiating as i went into 3min contractions piggybacking for 9 straight hours from the moment they broke my waters. I came close to asking for an epidural but had pethedine instead and this was all I needed to re-focus, breathe and push. I'm so glad I stuck to my decision not to have one. Pethedine also has the added benefit that given at the right time can speed up labour and get you dilated the last 2-3 cm's. It worked for me! I and baby had no side affects from it.

My second, whilst still being painful, I again trusted my instinct, waited until the right time to have the pethedine, and got through the last hrs fine.

For me the risks of complications arising from interrupting the labour is too high. The statistics of epidurals slowing down labours, leading to baby distress, non-dilation, possible paralysis, eventual emergency c-sections and so much more is just too high.
I accept that some women are just in labour for hours and hours and need a break and thats completely fine. I just made the decision that if I could avoid it, I would.

As soon as my babies were born, I was up and walking (a little awkwardly though!) and the pain was forgotten.
I was very lucky to have relatively short labours but if I had a 2day labour I very well may have had an epidural too. I'm not against them, I just think women need to trust that they can do it and research the risks first.

Answer 3

Yes, there are major health risks, to you and the baby.

There are times when an epidural is really necessary, so it's worth the risk. But in routine births, the pain is manageable, even though it's hard.

The risks are many, but include:

The medication causes mom's blood pressure to drop, which affects the amount of oxygen the baby gets, so baby's heart rate plummets.

Paralyzed mom (including paralization below the epidural insertion site, or short-term Bell's palsy -- a paralization of one side of the face)

Headaches, long-term backache

Epidurals can slow labor down dramatically -- and some epidurals don't work, or only work on one side. So, you're still feeling the pain but now your labor is potentially slower and you can't get out of bed or really change position (you're stuck in bed in most hospitals once the epidural is in place) to make yourself more comfortable.

If the epidural slows labor down, the doctor will want to start Pitocin, an artificial hormone to speed labor. Pitocin can cause unnaturally long and hard contractions, which in rare cases has caused uterine rupture.

Numerous studies link epidural use with increased need for c-section, because the epidural can negatively affect your natural ability to labor. You can't change positions, and position changes help the baby move down to help labor move along.

Those are a few of the reasons... oh, and other moms are against epidurals because it requires a really long, large needle to be inserted into their spinal column. ...

Answer 4

Because it's possible to give birth without one. SO many women years and years ago have given birth without it. It's not necessary and the pain is horrible, but you don't die from the pain. It's not like the pain isn't for something. You know once it's all over, the pain will be gone. I didn't have an epidural and I labored for 18 hours with my son and was induced, which makes my labor even worse than a natural labor!! If I can do it, anyone can cause I have a low pain tolerance.

Answer 5

im sure there are various reasons why some women opt not to use any drugs doing labor. if u think back to our ancestors and all those people who had babies before the technology today became what it is, they had no choose but to go natural. now-a-days we have become so pampered. we have drugs for almost every kind of pain but people have managed for years without this type of help. i know for mothers who don't have the drug doing labor, they are more oriented and able to interact betterwith the baby. the baby is also more alert and oriented because the drugs can make the baby sleepy during labor. this is also one of the reasons why you can't get an epidural beyond a certain point. the baby needs to be able to do it's part for the laboring process. all in all, epidurals are just another "option." it isn't necessary (unless you are having a c-section) but some people choose to have one. it doesn't make them a bad or better person if they get it vs. not get it, just makes them more brave in our time for not having one.

hope this helps

Answer 6

For me, ideally...

going without the epi means that I'll be bale to feel when I need to push. I want to feel this. It just seems more right to me. Also, your chances of tearing or having an episiotomy are less because you know how hard you need to push. Also, without the epi your free to move about, and deliver your baby in a position that is better for both you and your baby. When the baby is born they are more alert. It makes the beginning of breastfeeding easier. Just a few of my reasons...

Now should I not be able to handle it. (And what I mean by that is... should I not be able to relax enough through the pain to progress labor. If I'm too stressed and my labor stops, then I'm not "above" getting an epi.) I see it as a tool. Something that may be useful in assisting me through my labor. But even then, I refuse to lie on my back to deliver. It's just a bad idea. All that pressure on your back and perineum. It doesn't even make sense. I'll most likely attempt to deliver on a side if that ends up being the case.

Really - it's all about what you want out of your labor. I recommend childbirth classes. The one I had was awesome! And there's really nothing better than feeling like you have some kind of control over your situation. Knowing your options...

Best of luck to you. I hope some of that makes sense?

Answer 7

There are risks with any medication in childbirth. I'm planning on going with out an epidural because honestly I'm just afraid of the giant needle.lol I know that sounds ridiculous but I have an extremely high tolerance for pain and I would much rather deal with the pain then have that giant needle in my spine.

Answer 8

Well with my first one, I was dilated to 3.5, for hours and my water hadn't broke, they broke my water and I went to 10 within 15 minutes by the time they got to my room for the epidural, I was already in hard labour and pushing, so they didn't give me one...I had her natural not by choice.

This time around if everything goes according to plan and I dont need a c-section I will be going all natural again. I did it once and I can do it again. Plus I've heard epidurals slow the labour down, and the thought of a needle near my spine and in myy back freaks me out.

Labour is natrual people ahve done it for millions of years without epidurals, so its not like you have to have one

Answer 9

I had a natural birth with no epidurals, but did have some gas.
It was my choice not to have a epidural, because I am phobic of needle when i cannot see them. I can handle them in my arms, but not in the bum or back!!
Also they scared the holy out of me, because i was scared they would hurt my back and i would never walk again!!

I done alright though without the epidural!!! Gave birth in 2 and a half hours to twins!!

Answer 10

I had an epidural with my first one. It was great for me, and it still went pretty fast, although I think I could have pushed harder had I had feeling below my neck!
With the second, there wasn't time for an epidural. All I had was a local antestetic given with a shot. You know what, I didn't mind it, and there came a time when I couldn't feel anything down there anyway.
But both of my labors were pretty short ones. I don't think I'd like to go for more than four or five hours with that kind of pain.