Epidural or Not to Epidural?!
Question: I am scared to death when I think of an epidural. I saw this one lifetime movie where the lady was in a wheelchair after she gave birth because of the epidural. I have had people tell DON'T get it. But I have friends and family who told me that they had one when they gave birth and never had problems or trouble. They said they only thing that bothered them was having no control over their legs. What's your feelings on them? Any bad stories? Good Stories?
Answers: I am scared to death when I think of an epidural. I saw this one lifetime movie where the lady was in a wheelchair after she gave birth because of the epidural. I have had people tell DON'T get it. But I have friends and family who told me that they had one when they gave birth and never had problems or trouble. They said they only thing that bothered them was having no control over their legs. What's your feelings on them? Any bad stories? Good Stories?
I had a great epidural with my second birth! I had control over my legs they just felt really heavy...
I much prefer the epidural to the thought of having to deliver another baby without one.
They have risks but serious risks are rare.
I have had two and was very happy with them. I could feel when to push and all but no pain. I was alert, no screaming and yelling like on TV.
With any medical procedure there are risks. But, I am planning to have another one with baby # 3 this spring.
My legs were in stirrups during birth so, it was no big deal that I didn't feel them to me.I was focused on the baby. The feeling came back quickly for me.
if u can go in labour urself nd get fully dialated get it if not dont.i hope i helped
I have a 2 year old son i had an epidural when i gave birth .I also have two sisters that got an epidural in the last 2 years they had no problems unlike my self i now have numbing in my back arms and legs and have pain that is in my back all the time. but if i had to go threw it all over i be live that i would still want to do an epidural . it does help alot with the pain and makes it a little essayer to relax and the chances of have the problems that i have went threw are rare
I ended up with scheduled c/s both times, and had no problems with my epidurals at all. It wasn't painful getting it, and I was terrified of labor without it. I would have had one with a vaginal birth also. This is probably a minor point to most, but if you are in labor and don't have an epidural and then suddenly have a problem requiring an emergency c/s, they may not have time to do an epi and then they would have to knock you completely out for the birth. An unlikely scenario, but something to consider.
I have heard of one case of a friend with an epidural headache, not fun, but can be easily resolved by someone who knows what they are doing.
Do what you feel comfortable with, not what anybody else wants you to do, and by all means ask around to get the best anesthesiologist you can find if you do decide to get one.
An epidural should be done by an experienced anaesthesiologist, as it means administering drugs in an exact space of the linings of the spinal cord. It should be done in such a way, that the patient has control of the legs, but is in a state of light analgesia (not feeling the full blow of pains, only about a third of it).And the doctor would be accompanying throughout the course of the delivery. There is a chance of paresis if a nerve is damaged, but the complication is extremely rare.
Do not worry, it is a common procedure, and is routinely practiced in almost every Ob/Gyn clinic throughout the world.
Consult your gynecologist, and have a talk with the anaesthesiologist assigned to these procedures, informing them about any health conditions that you have, that might compromise the epidural.
There can be some side effects from having an epidural, the most common is what they call "post dural puncture headache" . It still isnt that common though, about 1-150 chance of getting one. I had an all natural birth with my son, and although to be honest it hurt more than anything i can describe, it was worth it to be able to walk around on my own right after the birth (i had an epesiotomy so i was quite sore) but after he came out, i had no pain other than the stitches. Its ultimately your choice though. No matter what you do, once you are holding your baby in your arms you wont think about whether you are numb or not though.