epi before it really kicks in

[gippymum]

My friend got an epi put in at the start of labour but no drugs used, then had it turned on for the pushing bit.

Is it worth getting that done?

[Harlequin]

I wouldn' t want an epi for the pushing to be honest.

My epi was on during the contractions beforehand cos I couldn't take them any longer.
Then it was allowed to 'run out' before the pushing stage. It was painful cos of the contractions and I had bad nerve pain in my groin... but I think it would be really hard to push with the epi still 'active'.

[gippymum]

what I want to know is DO CONTRACTIONS HURT? I mean Im sure they do or is it just really bad period pain and then it slowly creeps up? Is it bearable?

[OneBabyBoy]

I don't know what you mean by "an epi put in but no drugs used"?
An epidural isn't on an IV it is just a needle. There isn't anything that stays there. Just a needle and that's it. Well at least mine was.:confused:

[Harlequin]

Mine was administered every hour - the drug that is - so technically you could have the needle put in and not have the drug.

gippymummy - mine hurt a lot. It was like bad period pain times about a million. It would have been ok if it hadn't lasted as long as it did. Unfortunately I wasn't able to have the epi until about 18hrs in. It did give me 7hrs of rest :)

So yeah the contractions do hurt, but it's different for everyone.

Mine came on hard and strong from the get go but I have a friend whose contractions started really slow and progressed steadily, she was able to have a natural birth that didn't last too long.

Once you are in there your body kinda takes over... you'll know if you need an epi and you can ask for one... or the gas or pethidine.

But personally, I did need the epi so I could have a rest before the pushing came. The pushing for me would have been 100x easier if it wasn't for the nerve pain in my groin/thigh area but it would have taken a million times longer if the epi hadn't worn off before hand cos I wouldn't have even known where I was pushing.

[forbetoel]

what I want to know is DO CONTRACTIONS HURT? I mean Im sure they do or is it just really bad period pain and then it slowly creeps up? Is it bearable?

Yes they bloody hurt, and feel nothing like period pains. BUT it is all worth it, and you really do forget once you hold your baby in your arms. The worst/best pain ever!:goodvibes:

[Sanzinoz]

Yes they bloody hurt, and feel nothing like period pains. BUT it is all worth it, and you really do forget once you hold your baby in your arms. The worst/best pain ever!:goodvibes:

:iagree: Well.. maybe I didnt forget straight away, but definitely a short time later! My friend once said to me before my first child that it was a "good pain" - meaning there is a reason for it and a happy outcome. Not like the pain when you break a bone and get nothing to show for it!

[lulu 2]

There is one benefit to getting the epi at least inserted as if you are in too later stage of the labour they cannot give you one at all ,so in that case you do have it there if you need it. But then theres the question of if every hospital would allow that as if your not in enough pain to need it they won't always give it to you.If you were going to go down that path then its best to talk to your ob or midwife as part of your birth plan.

[Areca]

Would you be able to still get up and move around if the epi was inserted...even without the drugs? I imagine there could be some issues with you being up and walking incase the needle slipped or whatever.
The last thing you want is to be going through labour and needing to lie perfectly still so that your needle doesn't slip.

And you want to be able to feel something when pushing....generally they like to turn the epi down so that you can feel when to push otherwise you're pushing blindly which isn't really very effective at all.

For what it's worth, a lot of women prefer pushing over the contractions because they feel like they are actually doing something, rather than just waiting and riding out contractions.

Everybody's labour experience is different so while your friend liked that you might hate it.

[Sheer Bliss]

I don't know what you mean by "an epi put in but no drugs used"?
An epidural isn't on an IV it is just a needle. There isn't anything that stays there. Just a needle and that's it. Well at least mine was.:confused:

I haven't had one, but a friend said that the needle is inserted, then a thin tube, the needle is removed & the thin tube taped into place, and over your shoulder, so they can access it easily & give you a top-up if needed. There would be no risks woth walking arount etc as the needle is removed once the tube to administer the drugs is in place. It is a bit like an IV - just in your back.

With DD - it probably wouldn't have made a difference, i wasn't sure when to push, they kept asking if i had a contraction, did i want to push. so i just pushed when the contraction was there & they told me too.

DS - i told them when I was going to start pushing, and didn't ask for any direction/help the whole time. My body knew, and i think an epi would have hindered that feeling.

[Harlequin]

I walked around with mine, the midwife just held the tubes for me and wheeled the metal thing everything was attached to. They put the needle in with the numbing stuff and then you get this big sticker over your back so you can't knock it out or anything. When I was pushing I was moving all over the bed, I got tangled a few times but someone always untangled me - so i think it'd be pretty hard to knock the needle around in your back.

I had a walking epi, I was able to move around while the drug was in my system. It was rather difficult to pee though. I remember thinking i'd be really good at peeing while on the epi. I so wasn't, I only managed a trickle tho my bladder was full haha

[our little treasures]

Yes they bloody hurt, and feel nothing like period pains. BUT it is all worth it, and you really do forget once you hold your baby in your arms. The worst/best pain ever!:goodvibes:

:laughing:I couldn't have said that BETTER!!

[OneBabyBoy]

I haven't had one, but a friend said that the needle is inserted, then a thin tube, the needle is removed & the thin tube taped into place, and over your shoulder, so they can access it easily & give you a top-up if needed. There would be no risks woth walking arount etc as the needle is removed once the tube to administer the drugs is in place. It is a bit like an IV - just in your back.
Oh ok. Mine wasn't like that at all. It was just a needle in the back. No tube's or tapings or anything.

[pkbub]

what I want to know is DO CONTRACTIONS HURT? I mean Im sure they do or is it just really bad period pain and then it slowly creeps up? Is it bearable?


I had an Epi before I was induced cause they were breaking my waters and putting the drip in to get me started. I knew it could come on hard and fast, and I didn't want to have to wait for my Epi if I was in terrible pain.

I was glad I had it because it worked for the first couple hours. It was taped in place and I had a top-up, but unfortunately I did feel contractions and pain because the labour progressed so fast. It does hurt. It is scary, I know. ( I think I was more scared about the pain for the 9 months leading up to the birth, rather than on that day) But your body can handle the pain...as others mentioned it is there for a purpose...just think of the millions of women before you who have also done it - you can too!

[angelickaren]

i had an epi with my first and i didnt with the others two as i was so sick throwing up etc i really didnt enjoy it at all the other two i did with no pain relief as yes it hurts but its not forever and i knew once you have the bub the pain is gone and i just really went into another place in my head was really quite strange but that how i delt with the pain

[Freya]

what I want to know is DO CONTRACTIONS HURT? I mean Im sure they do or is it just really bad period pain and then it slowly creeps up? Is it bearable?

Yes but that is apart of having a child..

The pushing stage is the most amazing and empowering part of labor, I wouldn't want to miss it.

Plus not being in total control of you body whilst pushing a baby out could lead to even more intervention.

I couldn't think of anything worse.

[Harlequin]

I don't understand why people think having an epi means you are going to miss or you aren't in control of the pushing.

When I had mine they let it totally wear off before I even started pushing. I was in control of everything (except my wits, I was kinda mental by that stage lol) but, most importantly, I could feel everything.

Is it not the same everywhere?

[Freya]

I don't understand why people think having an epi means you are going to miss or you aren't in control of the pushing.

When I had mine they let it totally wear off before I even started pushing. I was in control of everything (except my wits, I was kinda mental by that stage lol) but, most importantly, I could feel everything.

Is it not the same everywhere?

Yeah I am talking about in a situation where she is having the epi JUST for the pushing stage.

[Harlequin]

Yeah sorry OB, I just see it mentioned heaps on BH and your post prompted me to wonder why.

:)

Would a hospital really allow someone to have an epi for the pushing stage? It seems silly like they may as well book you in for a caesar cos it would be near impossible to push a baby out with epi drugs in you.

[Freya]

Yeah sorry OB, I just see it mentioned heaps on BH and your post prompted me to wonder why.

:)

Would a hospital really allow someone to have an epi for the pushing stage? It seems silly like they may as well book you in for a caesar cos it would be near impossible to push a baby out with epi drugs in you.

Yeah the chances of having no intervention (CS or Vacum Extraction) I would think would be very high.

But hey I have heard of it happening before, I don't get it..

Plus wouldn't it be better having an epi for contractions because contractions go for so long they might tire you out with no pain relief...

I don't know too much about it though...

[Harlequin]

Same here. The contractions were the most annoying part for me because they lasted so long and were so tiring. Though I was in heaps of pain during pushing because of my sciatic nerve I think by that stage I was like "whatever". Haha when you have a long labour you are kinda in a stupor by then. :D