alternageek Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Why not just give women the choice of having an epidural the moment they get there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daven Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Why not just give women the choice of having an epidural the moment they get there? Because at 'the moment they get there' they will not have been examined or properly assessed. There are some occasions where and epidural would not be safe or advisable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppins Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I'm getting labour pains just reading these post, men don't know how lucky there are, do they ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daven Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I'm getting labour pains just reading these post, men don't know how lucky there are, do they ? I remember it as though it was yesterday - such pain is difficult to forget and my last child was born almost 20 years ago ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah-Lacie Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Why not just give women the choice of having an epidural the moment they get there? They have to get fully examined, and epidural, although good for pain, can cause a lot of other problems. If they have one, it can take 90 minutes to 'kick in' and does require a qualified anaesthetist to administer, which there aren't usually a lot of about, particularly at night. If the baby will be born in less than 90 minutes or within a couple of hours, its not worth doing. My friend had one last year, and ended up having to have a forceps delivery as she couldn't feel enough to push. She ended up paralysed from the neck down for a whole 2 days afterwards, which caused a lot of problems for her, and stopped her going home for a few days. A lot of women think they need an epidural and ask for one, when they actually don't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkler61 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I think you just have to take it as it comes and keep your options open. Everyone is different and handles pain differently. I didn't have anything with my 3 but, I'd made my mind up whilst I was pregnant with my 1st that I wanted to be in control. Had circumstances arisen where I needed pain relief say, an epidural for a caesarean, then I would have had to change my mind and go with it. As it happens, everything turned out ok, none of them could wait, my son was born in the living room. I think walking about during labour helps, if you can, rather than just lying down. I enjoyed been pregnant, all 3. Good luck and I'm sure it'll all go just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butterball Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 My experience with an epidural was terrible with my first. My son was back to back and I wasn't progressing well at all. When my waters finally went in the birthing pool there was meconium in them and my baby's heartrate had dropped below 100. I was pretty spaced out on gas and air and had to be dragged out of the birthing pool so I could have some procedure done to get some kind of clip on my baby's head or something (all a bit hazy). This was sheer agony, worse than the contractions. So I opted for an epidural. Looking back now I really wish I hadn't because I couldn't feel myself pushing at all. I just wasn't doingit right and it was going on and on and on. So the consultant said I had to have a forceps delivery and be prepped for a c-sec in case it didn't work. My son was born via forceps, with the cord round his neck and needing oxygen. It was the scariest moment of my entire life. Until a week later I passed some clots, passed out and starting haemorraging badly. I was rushed to hospital and it turned out I had retained product left in me (placenta) so I needed an evacuation and a two unit blood transfusion. This was a horrible experience and I have always blamed my lack of stamina for not being ale to handle the pain and opting for the epidural. Plus, my son was breastfed so all the time i was in theatre and not feeling great (up until the transfusion) he had to have a bottle. With my second I did it all on my own with just gas and air and I actually loved the feeling of pushing, and it felt so proud. My epidural experience was not a good one and this time, so long as my baby is not in distress and it is all ok for me to avoid an epidural I will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Iv'e got a bad back, and I bought one of them tens things but I wasn't all that impressed with it I only got it because Idon't like taking tablets,a bit of a waste of 15 quid if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkler61 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 My experience with an epidural was terrible with my first. My son was back to back and I wasn't progressing well at all. When my waters finally went in the birthing pool there was meconium in them and my baby's heartrate had dropped below 100. I was pretty spaced out on gas and air and had to be dragged out of the birthing pool so I could have some procedure done to get some kind of clip on my baby's head or something (all a bit hazy). This was sheer agony, worse than the contractions. So I opted for an epidural. Looking back now I really wish I hadn't because I couldn't feel myself pushing at all. I just wasn't doingit right and it was going on and on and on. So the consultant said I had to have a forceps delivery and be prepped for a c-sec in case it didn't work. My son was born via forceps, with the cord round his neck and needing oxygen. It was the scariest moment of my entire life. Until a week later I passed some clots, passed out and starting haemorraging badly. I was rushed to hospital and it turned out I had retained product left in me (placenta) so I needed an evacuation and a two unit blood transfusion. This was a horrible experience and I have always blamed my lack of stamina for not being ale to handle the pain and opting for the epidural. Plus, my son was breastfed so all the time i was in theatre and not feeling great (up until the transfusion) he had to have a bottle. With my second I did it all on my own with just gas and air and I actually loved the feeling of pushing, and it felt so proud. My epidural experience was not a good one and this time, so long as my baby is not in distress and it is all ok for me to avoid an epidural I will! That's just it - every pregnancy and every birth is different, you just have to keep your options open. Hope all goes well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeyb35 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I used a tens machine alongside gas and air in my third labour. I was induced, and in labour for a long time, and managed fine with just those - in my previous labours I'd had epidural, spinal block and pethidine. I personally think they are great and wouldn't hesitate to use one again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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