Will I Regret Having an Epideral?

I just wanted to add that I am so happy to read all these great responses. A teeny tiny part of me thought there might be a few which said Hopie should absolutely NOT have one (or vice versa) but all you down to earth moms are so sensible. I agree with all the replies, what works for one mom might not be the right thing for you, so only you can decide. I would like to give everyone a flower!

Sorry this is off-topic, I just wanted to say that I am happy to be part of such a great group.

I loved my epi. I got to take a nap and read a book and then have a baby! it was the best day ever. :)

I have had friends who went the natural way at the hospital with "methods" to get them through, friends that had home births bouncing on a ball for pain, and then there is me, who decided ahead of time for the epidural and ended up with a c-section. You know what we all have in common? Babies. You get one in the end. And you know what? None of us really care too much about who did what to give birth.
There are negatives for all, positives for all. Honestly, I was relieved to not have the extra pain to deal with. I'm kind of a wuss when it comes to preventable pain.
I really feel like if at the end of the day, after giving birth, it doesn't matter.

Hi Hopie,

You need to follow your instinct and do what you are comfortable with. As an ALACE trained doula, I recommend working through the bad memories or your last birth because unresolved issues can affect this labor. I've had 4 natural, unmedicated births and found each one more empowering. I can also say I enjoyed my labors because I educated myself and chose a birth team that supported my birth plan. I encourage you to do the same.

Only you will know what is right for you and your family. Educate yourself now so that you can make an informed choice when the time comes. You may find this website helpful. They do a great job of presenting the side effects of epidurals.

http://www.natural-pregnancy-mentor.com/epidural-side-eff...

Best of luck,
J.

First off, I am a HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator. Check out HypnoBirthing to help you with trusting your body, releasing fears, and allowing yourself to discover that this birth can be different. http://www.hypnobirthing.com/florida.htm for HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educators in your area.
We chose HypnoBirthing for our daughter's birth, and we loved it. Our daughter was OP (Occipital Posterior), and so she was stuck. I got an epidural after 20 hours of labor, at 10 cm open, because she was not budging at all. 1.5 hours after the epidural, the nurses had my knees cranked up to my ears, and 2.5 hours after that, Sydney was born. HypnoBirthing does not advocate for forced pushing, with holding breath. It completely counteracts the body's natural processes, and limits the amount of oxygen to the baby, not to mention that it causes a lot of trauma to the pelvic floor region and the baby's head.
Sydney and I did not bond well, because the drugs in the epidural are narcotics which cause the mother to not have the rush of oxytocin and love hormones for her baby, in order to protect him/her. The epidural takes away the protective instinct, and I was no different. Sydney did not latch on well, because she was lethargic from the epidural. There is also research that states that babies that are exposed to the narcotics in epidurals have a higher chance of feeling a sense of abandonment. I don't know any moms or parents in general who would want that for their babies. On top of all of that, I have hip problems, almost 3 years after her birth, because of my legs being cranked back so far. I regret getting an epidural with every bone in my body.
Please research epidurals before getting one, especially after having a natural birth. This is a huge decision that can affect you and your baby for the rest of your lives.

-T. Dellabalma, HBCE
www.mygentlebirthing.com

I LOVED my epidural. I would have one every day if I could.

I didn't plan either way. My birth plan was that if at any point I got to the place where I felt like I would be better off with an epidural then I would get an epidural. If I didn't, then I wouldn't.

One note - and I know you were *semi-joking* - but PLEASE don't think of your birth experience as NOT natural if you have an epidural (or a c-section). EVERY woman's experience is different, but you are NO LESS of a woman or a mommy if you have an epidural or a c-section (which I know you aren't even thinking about, but the 2 tend to go together with the judgment of the NOT helpful people who I call the natural nazi's).

A happy baby is the one with a happy mommy. Your goal is a happy baby.

If the epidural makes you less stressed during labor/delivery then your baby is BETTER OFF because you had the epidural.

PS - I had friends, a husband (and a mother-in-law) just like your friends who have opinions about another woman's birth experience. POPPYCOCK.
You can tell your friends that 'technically' a 'natural birth' would be one with NO medical intervention whatsoever, including the benefit of ANY medical technology (this response was provided by my OB-GYN directly to my mother in law during a pre-natal visit when my MIL 'requested' that I have natural childbirth).
When ever anyone asked if I had a 'natural' birth I always responded with "I went the route of new fangled medical science and used both a Dr AND a hospital". Or if I was feeling cranky I said "nope. not natural at all - I had scotty beam her out".

It's none of their business, but I know it's tough and can make you feel bad when someone applies their own judgment to touchy topics.

Whatever you decide it should be what you feel good about so that you can have the best birth experience possible. Good luck!

Listen, do whatever you think will give you the best birth experience. I had 2 natural unmedicated births and one thing I can tell you is that no 2 births are the same. My daughter was 14 hours of very intense back labor. It was no picnic. I don't regret not getting the epidural for one second although I did have a moment through a particularly bad contraction where I thought, "I can totally see why women get epidurals." I had her at home so it wasn't an option anyway. With my son, I was in labor for 2 days, but I didn't have any pain except for the last 2 hours or so when I was trying to push him out. Again, no regrets on the epidural and as I was at a birth center, it wasn't an option anyway. I don't think I'm superwoman or better than anyone. It's just that hospitals and big needles scare the you know what out of me! So I chose hypnobirthing to get through my births.

You might decide that your labor the second time around just isn't as intense and you can handle it fine without the epidural. Or you might feel you need it to get through your birth. Do what works for you and forget about labels. I do wish more women would have faith in their bodies and their abilities to birth and I think the medical system is set up to shake our confidence in ourselves. But, I don't have to give birth to anybody else's baby. It's not my business HOW other people do it- meds, no meds, csection, hospital, home, birth center, whatever. I'm sorry your friends are so judgmental about how people give birth.

Good luck making your decision and I H. you have a beautiful birth!

I've only had a med free birth and plan on doing it again this time. But like someone else said...the end result is a baby...so who cares how you do it. If you feel havnig an epidural will make you enjoy the birthing process more...than definitely do it and don't let anyone make you feel bad or like you're doing it unnaturally.

I've had friends who have had side effects such as nausea and vomiting from the epidural. Of course you can read up online about other side effects...but typically those are rare. It's like any medication....there is alwas the possiblity of an unwanted side effect.

Good luck!!! :)

You will not regret it and it won't make you "any less of a woman". Go with what your body is telling you.

Hi there,

I guess my labor was quick for my first baby, 13 hours from start to finish. I had intense contractions in my front and back and they were a minute apart for a long time. I had an epidural and don't regret it for a second! It was the best pain relief I have ever had. After I got the epidural, I did have uncontrollable shaking. It didn't stop right away after my son was born. But, compared to the pain of the contractions, I didn't care. I also had to have an oxygen mask on since his heart rate was dipping up and down (not drastically, just slightly). This was after I got the epidural, so I am assuming it was related. I also had a slight fever, but I think that's normal as far as labor goes. A few hours after he was born it was gone.
Also, I had no problem with pushing, as far as feeling numb. It was just perfect.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Epidural was the best $1000 I ever spent. Actually, I did not pay, the insurance did!! Regardless, I am so glad I got it and never regretted for a second. The needle poke in the back was less painful then the IV they put in my forearm. I did get the shaking too, but it only lasted for about 10 minutes. Then I felt warmth in my lower body before I got numb. I was not completely numb. I could still feel my legs, it was like when you are sitting on your leg for too long and it gets numb, but without the prickly needle feeling when the blood rushes back to your leg. I had a textbook labor, 1 cm per hour and did not need any other interventions like pitocin, forceps or C-section. When I got close to 9-10 cm, my contractions were so strong, I had to breathe through them even with the epidural, so I am glad I got the epidural. Pushing was easy too and did not feel anything when the baby came out. Other than a little minor soreness where the needle was, I did not have any side effects the next day. It’s ultimately your decision, but I strongly recommend getting an epi.

I don't regret having an epidural at all. My son was 9 lbs 1 1/2 oz, delivered vaginally and I was in labor 36 hours with him. Without the epidural, I would have been too exhausted to push once I was fully dilated.
Someone once told me that cavities were natural, but who would have one filled without numbing the tooth first?

"Natural" birth is overrated. Don't get me wrong - I admire moms who have the fortitude to do it, but since it is not harmful to the baby for mom to be medicated, I don't see a reason to choose pain over peace.

I tried natural the first time, and when the pain was too great and I wasn't dilating enough for hours and hours, I got an epidural. For my next two births, I got the epidural right away. Because I was in no pain, I vividly remember the births in a wonderful, positive way, in particular the birth of my daughter, where they put a mirror in front so I could watch my daughter's funny little face emerging.

My kids are all very bright and healthy. Go for the epidural.

That term actually bugs me... "Un-Natural"?.. Really ? Do they give birth out of a different opening?... You take asprin for a headache, you take medicine for pain... So what if you would like to enjoy the entire process and have wonderful painless memories... In the end you get a baby...(and that baby comes out of the same "NATURAL" opening as someone who decides to do without an epidural... 4 kids later , I think I can say I know what I'm talking about...No negative side effects at all... my babies were all perfectly healthy and alert right after birth... Enjoy your day, virtually pain free :)

I've had two children with epiderals and no complications. The birth was much more enjoyable when I was in less pain. I'm sure even your friends would not find it unnatural to use air conditioning in the summer, drink pasturized milk or talk on a cell phone. Those are all "unnatural" but they do it anyway. It's 2010 and most of us have evolved. What you decide for your labor is your business and no one elses. If they are real friends, they will support your decision. And if there are any complications, you and your baby are far safer in a hospital. Good luck.

I had an epidural with both my deliveries and had no negative side effects. My labors were relatively short (about 7 hours each).

I had an epidural with both of my births. It was the best thing in the whole world to me! LOL I enjoyed every second of both of my labor and deliveries. It was truly the two best days of my entire life. I was blessed with two wonderful pregnancies and two textbook labor and deliveries. So, I have absolutely NOTHING negative to say. I was so scared with my first though. But, it turned out to be no big deal. All I felt was the little pricks of the numbing shots....then, nothing. I was in the middle of very strong contractions when I got both of my epidurals. So, compared to that pain....the epidural was a cake walk! =0) I felt the second one more than my first. But, it wasn't pain by any means....it was an odd "pressure" in my back. Very weird......but then........the glorious NOTHING! =0) I was able to feel just enough to know on my own when to push. I didn't need my doctor to tell me when to push...I told her when I was going to push. I get all excited just thinking about those days. I seriously could do that over and over again. It was wonderful. Go for it. It breaks my heart that you have horrible memories of your first labor and delivery. You deserve to experience the pure rush and excitement about this next one! And not be blinded by pain and just wanting it to be over as quick as possible. You did it the natural way, now try the "un natural" way as you call it. =0)

i had an epidural 6mths ago with my 1st baby i loved it no pain whatsoever the only down side is now i have low back pain on and off if i bend over for a long period you start aching but other than that it a great choice to consider good luck

I believe that what you experienced was wonderful. Take it from me, I had a tough labor with my first child and I wish that I had spoken out and said that I wanted to give it more time. I must have asked for an epidural a 100 times. I literally had to start screaming. I didn't want to be induced and I thought my water had broken but when I went into get checked by my doctor, he broke my water and my son had another month to go. I didn't know what hit me. He never even checked to see if my water had broken. I was so mad. They sent me to the hospital and it was not a great experience. I finally did get my epi and it didn't take so I started screaming for more as when they break your water, they induce your labor which If I was able to labor on my own, it wouldn't have been that bad. Eventually, I couldn't feel anything but then when I went to push, I really couldn't feel to push the baby out. His head was right there but my doctor only came in once to check me way before this time. They never did any interventions and I wanted to scream for the doctor that I have now. I still have issues from this birth because I feel, I needed more time. The nurses said, "you did a great job, but we're going to do a c-section". I wish I had spoken up but didn't think that anyone would listen.

I have a new doctor and almost switched again so that I could do a VBAC but I love Dr. Cohen and I wanted him to deliver my baby. After all, it was he that I wanted to deliver my first but I never switched and let the doctor that I had at the time deliver my son who had planned all along to do a C.

I have a beautiful daughter and this was a great delivery but now I want to discuss the time after a c-section. My daugter is 5 1/2 months and I'm still sore. This was my second c-section and it took longer to recoup. I barely remember her first month of life because I was so busy recouping and I ended up getting a post-partum infection.

If you had a home birth, I would have loved to have had one. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it much differently. I would go to a birthing center and I would love to have a water birth. Hospital's are prisons.

It seems a lot of women plan to have a vaginal birth but end up having c-sections.

I wish I could show you my hospital bills from both my births.

I would try again and this time, the birth should be easier. I know that my mother had a tough time with my brother but my other brother and me, were quite easy.

My husbands grandmother had five out of six children at home. I was robbed of these experiences and doctors are to blame. We really need to go back as birthing a child is what our bodies are meant to do.

I H. this helps. I do also want to add that I have two healthy children and that's all that matters; your birthing experience stays with you for life. I had a great time the second time around. Everything was planned and my doctor is wonderful and made jokes during delivery. I felt more at ease. I know for me a c-section a second time around was the way to go. I was glad that they had fun. What a truly wonderful carreer to bring new life into the world.

I cried knowing that I was going to have another c-section. I know that I would have been fine but Dr. Cohen's office doesn't allow them to do VBACs any more after doing them for 18 years.

So what ever you decide, that's what's important.

No one can tell you that you will regret it, only you can say that once you have done it. From my personal experience, I couldnt have done it without it. I did plan on going without any meds, but my water broke, my daughter had not even dropped. So, they let me wait it out through the night and come morning, almost 22 hrs after being in the hospital, they had to put my on petocin, and that medicine really started the contactions and got the process moving, and the medicine of course brought the pain. She was my first so I have nothing to compare it to. I am told petocin brings more pain. So I did get the epidural as soon as they let me. And even then I didnt have her for almost 11 hrs after that. So, its going to base a lot on your own, and what you do and dont want out of it this time since you've already been through childbirth. From what I understand, your second should be even faster. But, if you are going the hospital way this time, you know its there if you need it. But if you get in and dont...then great dont. But if it gets to that point, and again you are the only one who will know that point, then it will be there. Good Luck!

Dear Hopie,
When things got rockin and rollin with my first baby, things happened so fast there was no time to discuss an epidural.
My second baby was different and I don't regret for one moment that I had an epidural to get me through it. I had no complications, no side effects, just a beautiful healthy baby.
I know many people are all for "natural" childbirth, but having a baby is the most natural thing there is regardless of how it gets here...c-section, epidural, etc.
Babies are miracles however we get them here.

Best wishes!

I had an epidural during my first birth, and I plan to do it again with my second. The relief is just indescribable, and there were no complications with my son at all.

I personally experienced a "complication," in that I was in labor for 17.5 hours, and the first epidural wore off during that time. The second dosage of the epidural medication didn't take (they don't re-stick you, they just add medication to your existing catheter), so I had to endure some very intense labor before they could come give me a 3rd dose, and this gave me a taste for what labor without an epidural must feel like! Yuck! The 3rd dose did work but was not fully-effective, and so I could feel some pain during birth (I have had friends who have felt almost nothing during birth, and this was not the case for me). I had been warned in advance that subsequent doses of the drug were not always as effective, though, so I guess it didn't come as a huge surprise.

This little experience did not in any way change my perspective about getting an epidural. I loved it the first time, and I will definitely do it again!

I LOVED my epidural. But about two hours before I had to start pushing it moved in my back so then I started to feel EVERY SINGLE PAIN!!!! It was horrible going from nothing to EVERYTHING. But the second they got the new epidural in it was heaven on earth. I had friends that came to visit me and they were all laughing at how chillaxed and happy I was. To this day they are still talking about it. But even though I had to get two, I feel it was the best. I got to enjoy the birth and don't regret it at all. I do suggest a heat pad for about a week after I think because I was pricked twice it made me super sore. But with the rest of the after birth pain and soreness, it was nothing.

I cant say you wont regret it for sure, as only time will tell. I did not want one either but I had to have a c-section last minute so of course that comes with a whole host of drugs. yeah, I do feel bad about it but it was out of my controll and I have to remind myself about that all the time. I did not have any side effects at all the nurses actually could not belive that I was still awake after asking to see my baby they told me I should be sleeping! now just bc you want to go to the hospital this time, does not mean that you will deff. need an epidural. you can go there and use all the methods that you would like to w/o one. I went natural for 13 hours b4 I needed to take one for the c-section. You can find a dr/midwife that will help you w/o one even in a hospital. good luck.

I don't regret it at all. Mine wasn't only effective during contractions. I can't imagine NOT having O.. I never considered not having O.. I wouldn't have a root canal naturally when anesthesia is available. I guess you could call me the Parking Lot Epidural Mom--I was requesting it as I was walking into the hospital! LOL

No, you will not regret it. Just because you take advantage of available options to reduce pain does not make you less of a mom or not tough. There is nothing unnatural about reducing pain. Humans have always searched for ways to reduce pain. In response to an earlier poster: I once had a cavity filled without being numb and it was stupid. Hurt like s*** and hurt worse the next day. Again, it was stupid. When I had my daughter I was determined not to have painkillers or an epidural. I didn't spend the time researching my options because I wasn't going to have them. Well I ended up getting staydol which was horrible and made the whole thing worse, and finally had an epidural. When I finally decided to have the epidural I had to wait forever because the anesthesiologist was not at the hospital since I insisted I wouldn't need him. Definitely explore all your options so you are prepared. Good luck!

Okay, so you are getting more responses here than you can probably read. But I will chime in too. I had a hospital delivery with my daughter and wouldn't do it any other way. I went into it with a very open mind. I thought I would give "natural" a try, but was quite open to the idea of an epidural. I have several friends who have delivered one or more children, some "natural", some were for epidural all the way. One even had a VBAC. So I was fortunate to be surrounded by ladies with a wide variety of birth plans, and NONE of them were judgemental about anyone else's. I H. that you too have or can find that kind of support.

I ended up having an epidural that went very well and have absolutely no regrets. And I have wonderful memories of the birthing process. I experienced enough labor to grasp what it was like, prior to the epidural. So I don't feel "cheated" out of any sort of true motherhood experience.

It sounds to me like you have regrets over the natural birth choice you made with your first. There are potential complications no matter which direction you go. But just because women have been birthing children the "natural" way for hundreds of years, doesn't necessarily mean it is the best choice. Women used to have their baby's in the field or the barn, but I don't see anyone suggesting we should revert to that practice. You should make the choice based on what is best for you (perhaps taking your husband's feelings into account...perhaps). You have gone the "natural" route, why not try the medically-assisted route? Then you will have an experience-based opinion on both, and can defend both sides of the argument if you feel the need to. This is a personal choice. Do NOT let other women pressure you into achieving what they see as the "best" or "perfect" delivery. It sounds like you have plenty of time to do research on the various practices, if that makes you more confident in your decision. But ultimately you need to make the best choice for you.

Personally, I don't think you will feel like any less of a woman or like you were cheated out of any experience, by using an epidural. And it is such a standard practice now that the anestheticians are pros. So there is a pretty small chance of any significant complications (I think), other than it just not "taking", which just leaves you with a natural experience anyway, so what's wrong with that!? From what I remember from my researching the topic, there really aren't any negative effects on the baby. That would be the only regret I personally would have difficulty overcoming. If you can look back on your birthing experience with fond memories instead of bad ones, why wouldn't you at least consider it.

Just because you give birth at the hospital does not mean that you HAVE to have an epidural, or any other pain meds, for that matter. I know you can sometimes get severe migraines after an epi...that can last for days, or even a week. And, of course, there's always a risk having an epi because it goes directly into your spinal column, that something could go wrong. That is a very small risk, but a risk, nonetheless. Also, sometimes even when you get an epi, it doesn't work, or doesn't work completely. My sil only got numb on one side, for example. Once you get an epi, you have to have a catheter, which I hated. Although they (thankfully) waited until I was numb to insert it, I ended up with a string of UTI's afterward, which is pretty common. I don't want this to be a negative post at all, but you did ask what some of the risks, etc. were. When the epi works, it's great! ;)

I'll make this quick, since I had two births without epidurals (by the way--I think "unmedicated" is a better description if you have to say anything). BUT they were very different. My first was quick and rough in the hospital. Twelve hours, start to finish, but a lot of bumps in the road. With my second, I was in prelabor (just strong Braxton Hicks, really) for three weeks, then woke up at midnight in active labor and had my son at 2:34 am. It was awesome and very uncomfortable, but easy and right and I felt so strong and amazing...and all in 2.5 hours!

So every birth is different and my two "unmedicated" hospital births were night and day. I will say that I had a doula (birth assistant) the second time and a much better relationship with my midwife/practice. A doula is wonderful because they know SO much about good positions and techniques, and they know you and stay with you the whole time. They really know how to help you, as a good delivery nurse will--but you don't always get those.

Good for you for educating yourself--it's great that we have so many choices these days! Have a wonderful pregnancy and birth!

I don't get what the huge deal is over having a "natural" birth. I saw my sister have to go through her labor and she was unable to have one due to medical reasons. She suffered and was in a lot of pain and begged to have one. When I had my baby, I had the epidural. Why suffer if you don't have to?

That being said, it's a personal decision for you. Do what is right for YOU. Not your friends, not what people tell you, not what you feel pressured to do. Don't feel guilty for whatever your decision is either!! It's no one's business but yours. Whatever you choose, there are great points for both arguments. Good luck!

Natural means no interventions but doesn't refer to where you birth - hospital, birth center, home or the car!

Is the hospital the same one you were at previously? If so, make sure that you could still have the type of birth you want. Since you had done natural (no medications) at the hospital, I don't see why you would need an epidural.

Keep in mind epidural means IV, catheter, staying in bed, etc. Basically, one intervention usually turns into a spiral.

Good luck with your decision. C.

You should give birth where you will feel safe and comfortable and if that's a hospital then that's a hospital and just because you go to a hospital doesn't mean you have to get an epidural but it's there for you if you want it. (I highly recommend getting a doula no matter where you decide to give birth. Even my totally skeptical husband is now a huge doula fan.)
I did talk to a few of my mom friends before I had my son who said that their epidurals either didn't work or only worked partially and that that was worse, to have been promised pain relief but not gotten it.

Both of my births were "un-natural" in that I chose the epidural both times. I have a high tolerance for pain but I can also get week/dizzy when watching medical procedures, etc. I wanted to enjoy it and not get that way so I chose the epidural. It was great, we slept all night and the nurses periodically came in to check on me. At 630 they told me I was ready. We called my mom and they called the doc. They were both there by 7:20. I maybe pushed for 10 minutes and our son was here. It made it way easy without the pain. At least until the epidural wore off. Ouch! But I don't have to tell you that.

The only unnerving thing for me about the epidural was not being able to get out of bed and when they had to increase the dose not being able to feel or move my legs. Everything did go back to normal once it wore off with no complications. If we were to have a 3rd kid I would do it again.

You should do the research on medications such as epidural before making a decision, it's a very personal choice that affects you, Baby and your family. You no doubt will hear stories of how much easier and wonderful they are, but you rightfully need to also read/ know very important things regarding epidural such as possible side effects for you and your baby, the fact that you will have a much higher incidence/possibility of csection due to how it alters/changes the normal course of delivery/labor in a negative way, that the use of other additional drugs will then be very likely such as pitocin, cervadil, other meds, forceps etc and the fact that once an epidural is administered you will be confined to bed which also slows/ changes normal labor thus reducing chances for a vaginal delivery. I'm not trying to be negative, it's just that this stuff has become so accepted and commonplace in America and prople sometimes dont know or realize that the csection rate is in the upper 30% due alot in part to these interventions into what the body is trying to do on it's own. Sure, eliminating pain would be nice, and if it came with no worries of complications then everyone would do it.... But the ones labeledor'natural 'natural' have done some research on this and not just go with the flow on what is most convenient, regardless of the outcome, then label all the other resulting interventions, drugs, surgery as 'necessary' ....

I highly recommend renting the movie 'Born in America' and 'The Business of Being Born' as well as researching everything about the interventions you are considering and the statistics in how they affect your delivery. It's def NOT just about bring pain free....

I had epidurals with both children and it was great having a pain free delivery. I was not going to do it with my first because I wanted a almost completely natural birth (though I did want the IV pain meds cause I'm a baby when it come to pain) but after 16 hours of labor I decided to get one. It was great with my daughter, I felt the anesthesiologist stick me with the Lydicain (sp?) needle then nothing after until they took it out. The first time they came back to check me after I got it (about an hour and a half later) they didn't have to because they could see the top of her head and I hadn't felt it at all. With my son, however, it was a bit different. I think the person that did it just hadn't done it enough to be really efficient or something because he didn't give the anesthetic enough time to take effect before putting the epidural needle in so I felt it go in the back bone and then at first it only took on one side so I had to lay on the other side for a bit to get it to take over there and then it made me physically ill. Though the throwing up did get me to contract quite a bit and get him ready to come all that much faster. The birth itself with him was as great as with my daughter and neither myself nor my children had side effects after.

H. this helped and that you have a great birth no matter what you choose.

I had 4 natural births!!! My last one I had a Epideral.......oh so nice. I thought it was wonderful!!! No side effects at all.

I loved my epideral!!! While my labor wasn't horrid the pain was draining and so I opted for pain relief! It allowed me to SO enjoy the experience! I was able to talk with my family and docs and smile and laugh ect.... I was so into the whole moment and didn't have the pain taking over my thoughts.... it wasn't painful getting at all- that was my biggest fear at first.
I had a second one with my last baby and again loved it!!!!
I will say you can't really feel the pushing and it is kinda a learning curve, but the nurse and doc coach you through and after awhile I got the hang of it.
Good luck with your choice- but my moto was I'm not a super hero, so no sense in being in pain! :)

I have 2 children, 20 & 9. I had an epidural with each. I thought it was the greatest invention ever. The 1st time I had it as soon as they offered it. The 2nd time I waited a while to see if I could handle labor without it, I was wrong. I had no side effects whatsoever. I was very lucky, my labor with my 20 yr old was 45 min & with my 9 year old it was an hour & a 1/2. Good luck to you.

I have 4 children and had epidurals with 3.. I DO NOT regret it for one minute!! It made the whole experience so much more wonderful!! There were NO side effects, at all!!! It also made it possible for my older children to be present when my younger ones were born.. because I was way more pleasant.. You will feel it in your back when its time to push!! Good luck and God bless!!! =)

You have to do what is right for you-it does not matter what your friends say-I know there are mothers who are into "all natural" etc and that is fine if it is a priority in your birthing plan. With that being said-your not receiving a medal for going natural and an epidural does help the difficult labor process more comfortable-I had an epidural with my first and I was so glad I did-it made the labor more easier and my husband felt more comfortable (as he was nervous already and watching me in pain made it more difficult) with the epidural I felt pressure and felt I could follow the drs instructions better. I had a good experience, I am pregnant with my 2nd and I plan on an epidural as well. Talk to your doctor and husband and do what is right for you. BTW my sister who is amom of 5 went natural with her 4 and had an epidural with her 5th she could not believe the difference. She did not regret it one bit..You have already done the natural route if you feel you want to try the epidural , there is nothing wrong with that. Good Luck

I totally agree with Silvia. You might as well be able to actually concentrate on giving birth rather than be in so much pain. Its still natural, you're just able to enjoy it more.

The problem is no two births are exactly alike....some will give you lots of negative horror stories of their experience with an epidural and some will give you positive experiences. You just have to do what is going to be right for you. I would talk with your doctor and check out some labor and delivery type books from the library and read up on the different medicines available and birthing methods out there. Then you will be informed when the time comes. I think its great to have some general guidelines to go by, but having an exact birthing plan is unrealistic in my opinion. You never know what is going to happen and you will ultimately do better if you can sort of roll with the punches. Giving birth isn't something you can totally control as you found out the last time, so I H. you will allow yourself the freedom to make the best choices during the actual labor that work for you--don't get caught up in being so inflexible that you feel like you failed when things don't go as planned----you are just setting yourself up for disaster if you adopt that kind of attitude.

For the birth of my daughter, I just decided to wait and see when it came to the epidural. I read up on the different meds and took birthing classes and practiced the Bradley method. When it came time, my doc broke my water and holy hell---the contraction pain was awful! I begged for the epidural within 30 minutes =) I got the epidural which was a breeze compared to the contraction pain and had a very pain free labor the rest of the way. I basically rested until I was fully dilated (even beat my hubby at scrabble while we waited) and then pushed my daughter out. The whole labor was 9 hours start to finish and I will definitely get an epidural the next time around. Every woman is entitled to their own opinion, but for me--the less pain I have to feel, the better. Heck, if they could knock me out and wake me up when it was over, I would probably do that. But I've never gotten into the whole "beauty" of giving birth---I didn't feel anything natural about ripping a 9lb baby out my lady-parts while sweating like a pig. I love my daughter and she was worth it, but if I don't need to feel the pain, then why would I? Best of luck with whatever you decide.

I had an epidural with my first and then decided to go totally natural with my second. I actually ended up having a homebirth. I actually had way better feelings about my first birth. The second was so darn painful and I remember it pretty much THAT way. So with my third I went back to the hospital. Do what feels right and trust your gutt. I wanted the all natural home birth and to this day... wish I hadn't bothered. It isn't for everyone!

i had an epidural with my first. my son. and boy did it work great! when i got pregnant with my daughter i said there is no way i would do it without one. and when i went into labor MY OBGYN was on vacation, so i got the dr on call. and she wouldnt give it to me. it was horrible. i was screaming and cussing and being the most horrible person. i swear it was bad. there would be no way in hell i would do it again without one. (luckly i dont have to worry about that since i got my tubes tied). but i HIGHLY recomened getting one! It is 2010!!! there is no reason a women shoul dhave to endure that pain. thank you modern medicine!

I had an epidural with both of my births and was pleased. I think it is different for everyone, both physically with what their body can handle and mentally/emotionally with how they anticipate their birth will go.

No one gets a prize for "doing it better", so whatever decision you make will be the right one for you.

That being said, I loved my epidural but I will say that once the baby got into his 'final descent' and during pushing, when I had contractions I felt everything. It wasn't without pain. I thought, okay this was my first child and maybe the epidural wasn't working properly...wrong! With my second child it was exactly the same way. Fortunately, while I was dilating from like 4 cm to 10 cm, the epidural was fantastic and I could rest and relax, saving my energy for 'the big event' instead of wearing myself out during laboring and having nothing left for the pushing. I had zero side effects after the fact and was able to walk immediately after the birth - well, after they cleaned me up and finished everything they needed to do.

Again, it's a very personal and individual decision, so good luck with whatever you decide!

Will you regret having an epidural?? Heck NOOO! I TOTALLY enjoyed my delivery BECAUSE of the epidural...why suffer????? Absolutely no reason!!

There is a reason that 95% of women get epidurals during labor. It's because labor HURTS LIKE HELL for most women. My friends who got one never regretted it for a second. My first labor started naturally when my water broke, but didn't progress, so they used pitocin to induce me, and I got an epidural at 10cm with no regrets, especially since I was at full dilation with no progression for the next 6 hours and ended up with a c-section. When I was open, they saw that the bony structure of my pelvis was too narrow and I would need c-sections after that. My second labor started with contractions, and I was at 8 cm and still wondering if I was in labor because the contractions were minor compared to the pitocin labor. If I had been capable of natural birth, I think I could have done the second one without an epidural and been fine. But this is what you get: every labor is different. If you are in the hospital you don't have to make the decision ahead of time. You can wait and see. If you need one, get one. If you don't, you don't. Honestly, no one cares either way. It's what you do with the baby that makes you a good mother, not what you do with the birth.
And any birth where everyone lives is a spiritual birth. I have a friend who was very attached to the Bradley method and was dead set against drugs. She was determined to have a spiritual birth experience. During labor the cord prolapsed and her son coded. Thanks to an immediate c-section and resuscitation he lived, and he is a delightful, extremely intelligent little boy. Without that intervention he would have died. At home or at a birth center he would have died. So now, she says it was a spiritual birth because he was born where everyone who needed to make sure he survived was there. I think that's a pretty sound way to see things.
It is your baby and your body and don't let anyone tell you how you should birth your kids.

I have had two epidurals and zero side effects (except for perhaps the initial sting, but I've had worse pain from a stubbed toe). Epidurals are heavenly! With our first child, I had zero pain during delivery and was able to talk happily with family until it was time to deliver. Second child, the epidural proved critical because our daughter was face-first and by the time they realized that, it would have been too late for pain relief of any kind (and the doctor & nurses said it would have been excruciating). I didn't get 100 percent pain relief due to her positioning, but it really took away the edge. In both cases, I was 100 percent in control, very alert, very coherent.

Honestly, I think you should just do what you want and don't worry about how it's labeled. All that matters in the end is a good outcome with our babies.

I had an epideral for both of my pregnancy's. I had problems with both. Not major problems, but problems none the less. BUT, even after the problem with the first delivery, I still had the epideral for the second delivery. AND even though I had a different problem with the second epideral during the second delivery, I would still have an epideral if I ever got pregnant again. I H. this helps. If you want to know more, please feel free to contact me.

I highly recommend getting an epidural. My epidural failed on my third child and I had the unfortunate experience of feeling EVERYTHING. The first two were a lot less traumatic and stressful for me with a fully functional epidural.

Just thought I'd add my two cents.

I got to an eight by myself (pat on the back...lol), but after being in labor for a day, I was exhausted and here's the kicker, my husband wasn't there yet!!! I was determined to not have our son until he walked through the door. So, I got the epidural in hopes of my labor not progressing any faster. Aww, never felt a thing and I could finally rest.The hubby FINALLY got there....that's what I get for having our son during hunting season....and got to see our little man come into the world!

Repeating, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, got me through it! Next time, I'm getting an epidural upon arrival!!! All the best girl!

Loved both of my epidurals....wouldn't do it any other way! Made both of my birth experiences so far very pleasant and something I look back on with good memories.

The most important thing for you to do is to decide whats right for you and your family.

Having said that, I personally had a hospital birth with an epidural and I felt so much more present. My labor was only 6 hours because I refused Pitocin and I kept the epidural turned down to its starting setting (mine had a button I could push for more meds if I wanted them, but didn't.)

Nothing hurt, nothing went totally numb, I could feel pressure and intensity, but no pain. I felt present and calm.... I felt very in control. I was able to focus and relax in between pushes because I wasn't flipping out inside about how much it hurt.

After all was said and done I had delivered a 9+ pound lummox of a baby boy, first baby, with no vacuum, forceps or c-section. He was born in 6 hours and was as healthy as could be.

I firmly believe that it was my state of mind. Girls - please hear me when I say this! *I firmly believe it was my state of mind.*

I was calm, cool and collected.

NOW - that being said.... each woman will be different. One of my best friends has had 3 wonderful water births at a birthing center with a midwife without so much as an aspirin - and she has likened all of her births to mine - and the are opposite! But it was her mindset. She was calm and cool and collected. She didn't let those horror stories get to her. And neither did I.

Watch your frame of mind, whatever that means for you. If having an epidural is something that will reassure you, and help you to stay calm and keep the pain in check - then go for it. But not all women feel like that, as a matter of fact, another friend of mine is anti-medication BECAUSE it freaks her out so much. Hospitals, doctors and needles freak her out and the thought of having to deliver in a hospital bed with a needle in her back is the *last* thing that would bring her peace of mind for a calm delivery!

Examine yourself. What is your state of mind when you think of delivering this baby? What would you consider your threshold of pain to be? High, Medium, Low? What would help you relax and actually look forward to your delivery? Because thats the best part! Enjoying your delivery and looking forward to meeting your new angel - not dreading it and hoping to God everything goes okay.

No matter what - you are the only one that can make the right choice for you. And by the way, my epidural felt like a bee sting, and then nothing. It was nothing like some kind of terrifying spinal tap.

Good luck!

I had epidurals with both of my children and don't regret it one bit! I don't feel like I missed out on the beauty of labor - only the pain. I felt those contractions before I was given the epidural so I can say that I know how they feel. I was so calm and at peace when my babies were born because there was no pain to stress me out. I had no side effects and didn't find it very painful when I was given the injection.

Good luck with your decision and your new baby!

Everyone is different but this is just my experience. I had an epidural (because I was induced) that stalled my labor and I ended up with a c-section. It was very traumatic, but again, that is just my experience.

You have 51 responses so I don't know if you want 52.

My daughter (only child) was born 6 weeks early. I had an epidural & would do it again. Did the epidural work- kind of- let me explain. For the area it was to numb- yes- worked great. But my daughter was pressing on my sciatic nerve- no help there. I even had them give me more- instructed to lay on my side that hurt to get the meds to go to that side- impossible to do I was in so much pain!!!

I didn't even need the contraction monitor- the pain got worse as the contractions came along.

Do an epidural again- You bet. I think I should have asked for a C-section earlier. Can't say next time- because there won't be a next time.

I had two epidurals and I would not have it any other way. I got to fully enjoy the birth of my children without the pain. I just had to push. The pain of contractions was too much for me. The whole time I just kept saying I'm never getting pregnant again... then I would swear, cuss, and say this is horrible etc. As soon as I got the epidural the labor pains went away and it was wonderful experience.

I obviously don't know your experience the natural way but did you do a water birth? I would not do it any other way. I did not have an epidural but was having some back labor. As soon as I got in the water it took all the pressure and pain away and I was able to push and be aware of the contractions. I have not had a labor with an epidural but my friend had both ways. She said that the delivery with the epidural was a longer recovery. Plus, research shows that babies whose mothers had epidurals are more lethargic and aren't able to breast feed as well. Those may not be a concern of yours but just to let you know. A great book to read is the Hypnobirthing Method. It talks about the differences between the two and maybe it could help you. As I said, I don't know your previous experience and there are definitely cases where drugs are indicated.

12 hrs. labor 1st baby, full epidural for 3 hrs. at 7cm. 24 hrs. labor 2nd baby, less than half strength epidural at 9.5cm (typically not allowed at that point, enjoyed the lower strength so I could feel pressure and know where to push. No pain, just pressure) Epidural was administrated for only 30 min. Comparision: Could not feel to push out baby #1, almost C-sectioned and she was vaccuumed out at full suction/emergency delivery. Recovery more difficult for both of us--she was drugged, I was very sore on my spine and like a truck ran over me. #2, epidural didn't have time to reach baby...he was awake, nursed immediately--eyes open and very interactive...I was too...recovery great and easier on my body. This is just me though and my kids and my story--take with a grain of salt....'to each their own' but I liked the 2nd time with less epidural. Never had full blown 'natural' without epidural...just different doses given at different points in labor. Good luck--listen to your heart.

No! You will not regret it. It allows you to enjoy the birth and be more present...IMO

I have had one before epidurals existed and one after. epidural is a lot better. I got headaches from it for about 2 months. other than that great unless it wears off and your too far to get another which happened to me i was in labor 20 hrs though the last 3 I was doing with no epidural left and to far dialated to get another

I have had an epidural with both my girls and am glad I did. I do not regret it, but that doensn't mean I will or will not have one with #3.

With my first daughter I decided right away to have an epidural. Thank goodness because I got an infection and so did my daughter. It was a big ordeal and they had to use suction to get her out while I pushed. With our second daughter we decided to just go with our gut feeling. I prayed about it and just kept feeling like an epidural was the way to go for some reason. So I got one. Her labor was great, no problems, until it was time to get the placenta out. My midwife had to yank it out piece by piece. Can you imagine that without an epidural. So now with #3 I am leaning toward an epidural because he is weighing in at 27 weeks and I'm only 24 weeks along. He is estimated to weigh between 10-11lbs. But to be honest I haven't had that overwhelming feeling to go for it. So we will just wait and see.

I didn't have any side effects with my epidurals. Once I got into recovery I was up walking around.

Mothers just know. Go with your instincts. I think if you follow your heart and stick to your guns, you will have nothing to regret. Good luck and I H. this labor and delivery goes much smoother for you and your family.

My only delivery so far was a normal one with epidural. It was smooth and I didn't have any side effects. I would definitely do it again. Epidural does not mean that there will be no pain. In the last phase where you have to push there is really no effect of the epidural. It is a completely natural birth if you look at it like that. Epidural is effective only during the contractions.

Epidural is the way to go! I've had one with all 3 of mine and for sure plan to have one with the 4th.

I would definitely recommend getting an epidural! The only thing I have to add to that is that there are other pain meds you can get before an epidural. I had to be induced with both my girls and I didn't want to be bed ridden with an epidural. As my labor progressed, I had some other pain meds and then when it really picked up I had an epidural. With my first baby, I didn't know that I had the option - I thought it was epidural or pain. I knew I would end up with an epidural but they really freak me out so I needed to be in enough pain to want one! Good luck!!!