re: Epidural...or no Epidural ???

When the time comes u will know what ur choice will be

I've had 2 epis

1 drug free labor, and during this 1 I was screaming to give me drugs while I was pushing him out lol

Do rule it out, and see how u feel, as u go.

My 1st I was in labor for 43 hours by last night 7 hours before birth I was a hot mess, starving, contracting, dirty, and tired, the gave me shower put epi in and they had to wake me up to deliver  

thank you! ill do my research n go in with an open mind

<blockquote><b>Quoting Andrea Mayy:</b>" I know its a personal choice i just don't really know anyone who has had one and i dont know the pain level of the process if it hurt terrible or if it was more of a relief from the other pains"</blockquote>


It was definitely a relief for me. But I have known some friends (as well as heard of other women) that an epidural didn't work for or only worked on one side...I actually had a friend that the epidural only worked on one side during labor for both her first and second children.

And don't stress yourself out about it. Who cares what mom or anyone thinks. If you want it get it. Unless they are planning on laboring for you. Its a very personal choice and you have to want a natural birth to have one. I loved my natural labor, but I also could have probably loved the epi this time to. The important thing is that you have control in your labor

I got an epi with my first and was very happy I did, It didnt hurt, Ive never had any problems, and it made my labor a wonderful experience. Its up to you, not anyone else. Research about it and dont listen to other people when it comes to getting one, you will hear both good and bad things.

I didnt get one with my second and let me tell you, Im happy I have fast labor n deliveries because Ive never been in that kinda pain in my whole life. I wanted to use the birthing ball and get in the tub but couldnt do either and almost passed out due to the pain. Im glad I did it without one but if I would have done that my first time around I would have NEVER had a second baby.

Good luck with whatever you decided

Quoting TantricLemons:" I totally disagree, if you want a natural labor you have to prepare your mind for it. To have the strength ... [snip!] ... for it. To have the strength to get through it and the skills to cope. If you go into if not sure... you will probably get one."

like isaid, "personally i wouldnt make any decisions about it" to each their own, thats just me.

Quoting Brantley's mama 8-24-12:" like isaid, "personally i wouldnt make any decisions about it" to each their own, thats just me."

I am not saying you are wrong, I am just saying that I disagree. Getting through a 28 hour natural labor was INTENSE and there is no way I would have been able to do it if i had not been strong in my desire to labor that way. After the labor I did feel that it was overrated lol. Now a month after I am happy I did it.

Quoting TantricLemons:" I totally disagree, if you want a natural labor you have to prepare your mind for it. To have the strength ... [snip!] ... for it. To have the strength to get through it and the skills to cope. If you go into if not sure... you will probably get one."

I had my mind set on natural birth, but it didnt work. I hated how everyone told me "your gonna get the epi, blah blah blah". I always argued so hard that I wasnt gonna get it, and felt like a failure for having to have one   My contractions got so bad that they stopped my labor. The doc pretty much told me to either try the epidural, or go into emergency c-section, because my body had stopped labor for to long (3 hours stopped and 16 hours active labor). I took the epidural, and I went from 7 cm to 10 cm in 20 minutes lol. I'm gonna try natural again this time though   OP If you want natural, give it a shot, but go in with an open mind. If you want the epidural, then get one, and dont worry about what anyone else thinks. Your the one having the baby.

Quoting TantricLemons:" I totally disagree, if you want a natural labor you have to prepare your mind for it. To have the strength ... [snip!] ... for it. To have the strength to get through it and the skills to cope. If you go into if not sure... you will probably get one."

thats not true.. I wanted a natural with my first, did classes, and everything to prepare for it, had my heart set on it and got an epi because the pain was too much for me, with your first u can never truly know what your about to feel and prepare for that until your there in the moment..

Quoting Soon 2B Mom of 2:" I had my mind set on natural birth, but it didnt work. I hated how everyone told me "your gonna get ... [snip!] ... open mind. If you want the epidural, then get one, and dont worry about what anyone else thinks. Your the one having the baby."

People are stupid. They forget what labor is like. A woman shouldn't be made to feel ashamed of her choices. Forcing a women to labor naturally when even part of her doesn't want it is torture.

What I am saying is the majority of women can not go into labor nonchalantly and get a natural birth. If you want one you have to work for it. And you have to work hard. You have to have great support (couldnt have gotten anywhere without my doula). You have to set your mind on it and be firm that you want it. Unless you are one of those bitches that has an awesome easy labor   lol, my doula and i were talking about it last night. And how i wasn't there cognitively for most of my labor, i was in the zone. I was talking about the freak of nature ladies that are laughing and talking while in transition >.< bitches

Quoting Blessed x2♥:" thats not true.. I wanted a natural with my first, did classes, and everything to prepare for it, had ... [snip!] ... for me, with your first u can never truly know what your about to feel and prepare for that until your there in the moment.."

You are not understanding what I am saying. I am not saying if you are prepared you WILL have a natural labor, or even be able to do it. I am saying you can't just stroll in and have one without putting work into it or being firm in what you want. Unless you are one of them women who come in and are already to far along to get one. I wanted a natural labor with my first, and also prepared for it, I didn't get it. There is nothing you can do to guarantee that you have one. Though you most likely won't have one if you aren't 100% you want it.

I think with first babies you never truly know what its like until you're in labour and can be overwhelmed by the pain. Having an Epi doesn't make you a weak person. Labour HURTS! I've had 3 natural deliveries and each time I wanted an Epi but laboured as long as i could at home so there was no time, and I have relatively quick labours and easy births.

When the time comes you will know if you can handle it or not.
If something is on offer to make the experience more pleasurable then why not?! That's my theory anyway   go in with an open mind, you might surprise yourself

Quoting TantricLemons:" People are stupid. They forget what labor is like. A woman shouldn't be made to feel ashamed of her ... [snip!] ... in the zone. I was talking about the freak of nature ladies that are laughing and talking while in transition >.< bitches"

LOL! I agree with you, having a certain mindset will def affect your dicision. If you go in thinking your going to have a natural, you will be more likely have one, vs if you go in thinking there is no way you can handle natural birth, you prob will get the epi. I was just saying it didnt work for me. I really wanted to do natural, and everyone told how much pain it was, and how I wasnt going to be able to do it, which pissed me off, and made me want to do it more, but my body just didnt cooperate. Now the only person I told I wanna try natural again is my Husband, and everyone else can think what they want, but I am more determined than ever   Hopefully my little girl wont be as difficult as my Son was.

Quoting Soon 2B Mom of 2:" LOL! I agree with you, having a certain mindset will def affect your dicision. If you go in thinking ... [snip!] ... can think what they want, but I am more determined than ever   Hopefully my little girl wont be as difficult as my Son was."

Yeah I feel you, it didn't work for me with my first either, I totally felt like a failure to. And smurf people for making women feel like they have to live up to a certain standard. The funny thing is when I did labor naturally, I thought it was overrated after lol. Though now I am proud I did it. As far as pushing, I don't know what that feels like naturally since I couldn't make it past the cervical lip and had to get one this time to avoid a RCS and failed VBAC.

Get a doula though, no life. There is NO WAY i could do it without mine by my side.

Quoting [[Breezy]]:" My epidural was so lovely, that I kinda can't wait to have another child just so I can have another epidural LOL."

I agree. I had an epi with both births.