Anesthesia during labor?

Question

ok. i was just wondering. i can't deal with a lot of pain. and i know when i had my miscarriage a few months back they gave me a Anesthesia, and got the baby out of me while i was sleeping. ( Natural, not with a c-section ) i was almost 4mths then. i was wondering, if everything goes ok while im going into labor, could i get a Anesthesia, and they get the baby out of my natural like they got the baby out of me when i had a miscarriage? .. cause i DO NOT want a c-section. and im tryin to find a method that i want have to deal with too much pain. hopefully this makes sense. if not i'll try to explain a little better! thanks.

no epidural for me! .. my mother & sister, and everyone else that i know says they still have problems with there back cause of the epidural .. i would rather have the baby natural, and feel all pain through that then get a needle going in my spine

Answer 1

if you go under anesthesia the baby will get the effects also. you can get an epidural. as soon as you feel the first painful contraction ask for one, you only feel one little prick from the numbing medicine and then no pain at all.

Answer 2

No, they will not do this - it's very dangerous for you and the baby. Only as a last resort if you have to have a c-section and there is no time will they put you all the way under. Everytime you have anesthesia, there is a risk you won't wake back up. It's low, but there's a risk. They would give you an epidural - where they stick a needle and catheter in your back. Those are not without risk either. Usually, you can't feel enough to push if there is an emergency and you need to get the baby born RIGHT now - then you might be sliced open and vacuumed or c-sectioned. Understand? Every thing you ask for to help with pain is actually putting you at greater risk to have more things that are unnecessary done. I didn't want a C-section either, or to be cut in any way shape or form, so I used a midwife and had baby #1 and #2 at home. I found a dr when I moved for #3 that agreed not to do anything I didn't want - unless there was an emergency - and baby #3 was great. #4 was in a clinic (house) with nurse midwives - all was well!
Now, I think that's ridiculous that you say you can't deal with a lot of pain. A miscarriage is very very painful, I know, I've had 2. Labor wasn't as bad as all that. Labor is a temporary pain. Contractions come and go - it's not constant. I had back labor with each of my four kids and that's as bad as it can get! - I felt it ALL and I got through it, just fine! I wanted the HEALTHIEST birth and the SAFEST birth experience possible for my baby and for me. Isn't that the most important thing here?
There are risks for every medical intervention you have in labor. Tell the doctor you want perineal massage to keep from tearing, you don't want an episiotomy, you don't want a c-section, unless there is an emergency. Tell them no epidural and not to offer it when you're at the hospital - or FIND A MIDWIFE!!! This is how you have the least pain and the least risk and the fastest healing time.
Breast feeding also helps your body heal up and weight come off afterwards!
I wish you well - If you have any other questions, e-mail me.

Answer 3

Agree with XOUT.

You won't get a general for labor. Pregnancy puts you at a high risk for anesthetic complications, like inhaling your vomit. Labor may take many, many hours (especially if it's your first baby) and we don't like to keep people out for that long. You also couldn't afford the bill for a 14 hour anesthetic (we have to sit there with you the WHOLE time for general anesthesia).

We don't even like to do general anesthesia for C-sections, because it is far riskier. We'll do it in an emergency, and for other medical reasons, but not just because you don't want to be awake.

The back pain that your friends and relations have is not likely to be because of the epidural - it's more likely to be caused by the pregnany and delivery. Women who don't get epidurals still get back pain just as often as those who do. I wouldn't use that as an excuse not to get an epidural.

You can try IV meds, but the vast majority of women who get IV meds in my hospital end up getting an epidural about an hour later. IV meds just don't work very well.

I used the Bradley method, and screamed my way through all three of my deliveries. Childbirth hurts. Epidurals take most of the pain away. It's your choice. (I chose no epidural, because I went home 4 hours after each of my deliveries. I'm weird that way.)

Be prepared. Once you are pregnant, there is no easy way out.

Answer 4

Unfortunately there is no pain free way to deliver. There are a lot of ways to cope with the pain but most will have an affect on you and/or the baby and might increase your need for a c section. Believe it or not, the best way to have a baby is to go natural. Your labor time is shorter, recovery time is much shorter and you will be able to leave the hospital much sooner because you and baby didn't have any artificial interventions. Lots of ladies have reactions to even epidural. I would get into as many birthing classes as possible, do research on natural childbirthing and ask your hospital if they provide doulas or birthing assistants. They can really help with pain management. Good luck. Remember the pain is only temporary and a natural birth is the best gift you can give your child.

Answer 5

Doctors almost never do labor under general anesthesia unless there are extenuating circumstances. It's not terribly safe. Your best bet is an epidural. Complications are rare, and if you can't deal with a lot of pain, trust me, you'll be begging for it after a few hours. It's no big deal and brings wonderful pain relief. Unfortunately, there is no way to have a baby with zero pain. You just have to pick the option that manages it as well as possible.

Answer 6

If you do not want an epidural there are iv pain meds they can give you to dull the pain but they cannot totally knock you out. Your body won't be able to push out a full size baby without you there to help. I hear that a method called hypnobirthing is great although the classes are way out of what I can afford they do have study at home books and cds.

http://www.hypnobirthing.com/
This is the best info I could find for you on your options.

http://www.womenandinfants.org/body.cfm?id=620

Answer 7

If your asking if you can be put to sleep during a natural vaginal delivery, no you can not, you need to be awake to push out the baby. Even with C-sections they give you a spinal, you are still awake when the baby is delivered. If you do not want a c-section but are afraid of pain, get an epidural, you don't feel alot of pain just lots of pressure, and trust me at the time your not thinking about the pain you just want the baby out, and once the baby is out you are so overwhelmed with emotions you don't feel the pain!

Answer 8

Sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I have had epidural with my deliveries and no problems with the back.
A lot of people have back pains and not always is related to epidurals, It will make your delivery experience more enjoyable and you can focus on pushing and breathing instead of the pain, so it will work better'


Don't be afraid millions of happy mothers back this up.

If you have anesthesia the baby will have the effects too and t can depress her respiratory function at birth.

Wish you the best.

Answer 9

You can have an epidural when you are in labor, but you are going to have to deal with pain in some form or another. The epidural will numb you from the waist down, but I heard the injection is a painful one. I didn't have anything when I gave birth to my daughter, there wasn't enough time... but trust me, you won't remember it and it's all worth while. Good Luck!

Answer 10

Having GA for a delivery is hardly natural, and in fact is quite risky. You would need to have a plastic tube put into your voice box after receiving drugs that put you out and paralyze every muscle in your body. If you don't want an epidural, explore one of the many alternatives to this that do not involve drugs, or those that involve getting IV narcotics.

However, contrary to some of the above posts, general anesthesia IS possible for delivery, and was used extensively in the past. The queen of England was anesthetized with chloroform for delivery many, many years ago. I might use it if the obstetrician insisted on it for, say a retarded or extremely uncooperative patient, in other words, those who would be at high risk of harming others or themselves.