Does epidural stop pain completely?

Question

Please tell me it does as i'm terrified of pain!do you just feel pressure?

Answer 1

Only the Pulling, but it doesn't hurt. It feels like you are being pulled in two different directions, and your body feels like its moving on the table, but No - no pain, at least in my case. I did however have severe pain after the epidural wore off- the nurses said I shouldn't feel anything when they gave me meds--finally after 7 hours on/off they called my doctor, and she recommended morphine drip- you pressed a button and med would come out so that the nurses would stop complaining about me cying every other hour or so...the doc was great, but the nurses really had no sympathy for a first time mom, and an emergency c-section (not bikini) insition.
So, not to scare you, talk this over with your obgyn, so that they are aware- I wish I would've known, it probably would've been a better expierience. Good luck honey, the more you talk with your obgyn, the more you will have a better expierience.

Answer 2

No, not always. You need to do extensive research on this before you decide anything. In some cases it only numbs half of your lower body, in others it just temporarily paralyses you whilst leaving all the pain. It can give you a severe headache which can take months to go, leave you with back pain for years and in rare cases leave you permanently paralysed. Also having an epidural increases the risks of interventions such as forceps/ventouse or even c-sections, it can also slow your labour down.

An epidural is not something that you should just decide to have on a whim.

good luck

Answer 3

Having the actual epidural put in your lower back is uncomfortable especially as you have to keep very still (not easy when in last stages of labour!!) but in my case I could not feel anything after and my labour was very long and stressful. However dont rule out going without one a whole different you comes out when you are in labour and you will be surprised what you can deal with, also I was told by my midwife that often an assisted delivery (ie forceps or suction cap) need to be used as you cant feel to push so this is more stressful for baby. I had a c-section in the end so I didnt have this problem.

You will be fine, just keep an open mind and relax!!

Answer 4

For me yes it did. I had an epidural for my first and laid back in bed watching the contractions peak on the monitor! It was brilliant!! I chose to let it wear off slightly for the delivery so I could feel to push and not have the need for forceps. But even then it was like a dull ache with pressure in my bottom when the time came to push.

Incidently, I had an epidural for a hip-replacement last year too. I was heavily sedated at the same time so I wasn't aware of much going on around me and certainly didn't feel a thing!

Good luck! x

Answer 5

well yes and no. I too was terrified of the pain. I have two kids.and had an epidural with both of them. With my first it was like magic... no pain..i slept through the WHOLE thing. I woke up and thirty minutes later she was born... now my son was very different!
They gave me the epidural and max out on pain meds... and i still felt it all. Not fun.. but doable! I really regret the epidural.. since it didn't help with the pain.. but my legs were partially numb.. and couldn't walk on my own for a day. by far the strangest feeling ever.

Answer 6

I think it varies not only on the individual person but also the anesthesiologists as well. My epidural worked so well that four hours after giving birth I still could not feel one of my legs and had to be able to walk to the bathroom before I could have my IV taken out. I did not feel any pressure at all. Some feel pressure when delivering but I did not and was able to push my son out just fine.

My suggestion would be to ask a lot of questions see if you can meet with an anesthesiologist before you go to the hospital and are in labor. Some hospitals ask you to go in for an meeting and some do not require it but do not be afraid to ask questions and write them down as you are thinking of them so that when you go the hospital and are in pain you will be able to know what you wanted to ask.

Answer 7

TENS machines are familiar for the duration of childbirth interior the united kingdom, yet interior the U. S. they are in many situations prescribed only by skill of exact therapists for continual discomfort. some midwives or perhaps doulas could carry them and be familiar with their use in childbirth. "gas and Air" is likewise hardship-unfastened in Europe, yet i do no longer think it rather is been authorized to be utilized in childbirth interior the U. S.. i'm undecided why no longer, to be honest, different than there is little call for for selections to the epidural. in reality, who's going to marketplace gas and air to the FDA? some docs and authorized Nurse Midwives nevertheless use specific IV drip narcotics which includes Nubain, Stadol, and Demerol. those could desire to be timed nicely so as that they are became off a minimum of two hours before the delivery as a fashion to shrink the prospect of respiration issues interior the toddler. i did no longer use discomfort meds for the duration of hard artwork, yet I did have a lot of supportive, knowledgeable human beings around me. I replaced positions many times in accordance to what grow to be comfortable on the time (something you may't do in any respect while you're paralyzed from the waist down from an epidural). I stayed upright for the time of hard artwork and delivery, employing "strategies" such using fact the warmth bathe and a delivery ball. some human beings locate water very relaxing, yet I in no way had a water delivery. a sturdy doula is additionally a staggering source for help for the duration of childbirth, in spite of no count in case you employ medical discomfort alleviation.

Answer 8

my epidural worked,i was in active labour taking about every day things was fab no pain what so ever but i was due it topping up just as i was about to deliver, i was still numb from the chest (just under ribs) to my toes but felt some discomfort as baby was being born.

epidurals are great if they work, i wouldn't have another though as i hated not being able to take a shower to freshen up after the birth. But that's just me

Answer 9

In my case yes it did. I could not feel anything but it did slow things down for me. If your terrified of pain i would advise you to get one!!!
Good Luck

Answer 10

Yes, it will stop the pain completely if they shoot enough medicine into your back. I had one with the birth of my second child (my 2nd C-section). I don't want to scare you because they really do work, but initially they did not give me enough, so they had to stop and shoot more medicine down my back and wait a few more minutes and restart. It was fine then.