https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 25 Apr 2026 23:34:15 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446704 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:31:07 +0000 hilsy85 446704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope my epi was awesome and helped me have a great birth experience! Will definitely get one next time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446644 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:27:34 +0000 heffalump 446644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No way. I thought I was going to die before I got my epi and I was barely even dilating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446634 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:07:04 +0000 mamabolt 446634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd consider it - I had some residual back pain from my epi that lingered for a month or two. I would have taken another hour or two of pain (which was all the time I had the epi before giving birth) over that back pain! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446625 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 06:51:56 +0000 SAHM0811 446625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ditto @Sloaneandpuffy... I had an epi the first time and went natural the second time. But I ended up loving having a natural birth. It was a fast labor though so i was lucky in that regard. But while "planning" #2's birth, I was pro med-free for a few reasons. Mainly, I just felt I could do it and that I could maximize the chances of the baby's outcomes being as healthy as possible. </p> <p>I was and still am open to epi's though. I had a good experience with it the first time around. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446353 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:39:49 +0000 mamimami 446353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an epi the first time and went natural the second time. I don't think there will be a third time but if there is, I'm not sure which I'd pick! I didn't find natural birth to be the be-all and end-all experience I had heard it would be. But by the third the kid just comes walking right out anyway, am I right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446282 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:07:05 +0000 Mrs. Pen 446282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a natural birth but looking back on it I'm thinking sheesh I cannot believe I did that - why didn't I get pain meds?!?! But I still plan to go natural next time :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446277 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:05:33 +0000 runsyellowlites 446277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did. I had a medicated labor &amp; cesarean with my first. This time I had an unmedicated vbac. I'm for unmedicated homebirths from here on out! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-446260 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 21:58:47 +0000 sarac 446260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>YES! I had planned for a natural birth, then got derailed with a ton of painful interventions. I hated my epidural, and the stupid thing failed anyway. All the pitocin was hideously painful, though. But I despised the way it made me feel, during and afterwards. I felt so disconnected, I couldn't even feel when I'd delivered her. I just asked 'is that it?', because she wasn't crying. </p> <p> I will be avoiding the epidural if at all possible in the future. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445893 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:09:04 +0000 Mrs. Bee 445893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hell no. i loved my epi the second time around! i had a great labor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445852 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:58:58 +0000 mrs. wagon 445852@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I considered it since my epi experience was so bad. I was convinced that my spine was cursed. But when I found out I had GD and my doc's policy is to induce at 39 weeks for GD moms, I knew I'd probably end up with an epi. I was ok with it though because after experiencing contractions during transition with the first, I knew I probably wouldn't make it without pain intervention. I did labor as long as I could without one though, because I was worried that the epis had slowed my labor the first time (24 hours). I got to about 6 cm and pitocin up to about 16 when I got the epi the second time. It ended up confirming my cursed spine theory (it went too far and became a spinal, which resulted in a spinal headache 2 days later, and a blood patch procedure during which I had to get poked in the epidural space twice because they missed the first time) but it made delivery amazing-- an hour later I was fully dilated and I pushed LMW out in 15 mins completely painlessly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445727 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:30:28 +0000 Weagle 445727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm thinking about it, but definitely keeping my options open. If I hadn't had a cervical lip and been close to a ruptured cervix, I would have done it with LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445720 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:27:37 +0000 sorrycharlie 445720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>helllll no!! I did labor naturally and got the epi at 10 cm, +3 station.. and was so happy I didn't feel her coming out. or the awful tear, or the stitches!! </p> <p>I &lt;333 my epi. HAHA. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445676 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:20:06 +0000 loveisstrange 445676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I was laboring without pitocin, yes! If I had to be induced again, no way. I'm getting the drugs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445666 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:17:36 +0000 kml636 445666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I may... The Epi gave me a fever and stopped my progress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445665 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:17:36 +0000 LemonLong 445665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I loved my epi, I would do it again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445658 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:16:40 +0000 MamaMoose 445658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ha, no. My epi was amazing. I could still feel every contraction and pushed very effectively but I didn't feel pain. I may have even proposed marriage to my anesthesiologist.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445650 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:15:33 +0000 yellowbird 445650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My epi was heaven on earth! I won't be able to make that decision until I'm in the situation though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445643 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:14:22 +0000 DillonLion 445643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since I had to be induced and loaded up with a shit ton of Pitocin, I'd love to be able to go into labor naturally and experience natural contractions...but I'd probably still get an epidural eventually. I'd prefer the crowning/pushing/potential tearing to be numbed a bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445639 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:13:28 +0000 Andrea 445639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yup, that's the plan! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445634 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:12:36 +0000 glimmersnaps 445634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in labor for about 35 hours with no epi but I ended up getting one so that I could sleep. Within one hour I was ready to push... but flat on my back it took 2.5 hours. I thought I was going to die! I think next time I will focus on getting labor to go more quickly (acupuncture during labor was the only thing we didn't try last time) and just pray for the second-babies-come-faster thing! </p> <p>Although I will say that once it kicked in I was kinda pissed that I had been suffering for so long. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445622 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:10:02 +0000 mrsjazz 445622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I planned on a water birth in a birth center and ended up transferring to the hospital and having a c-section. My hope is to VBAC next time. I want to do it med-free but would get an epi if it meant I could still vbac. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445614 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:08:48 +0000 Bao 445614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a wimp, definitely another epi for me...even though it wore off during my pushing, I'm sure it took the edge off still. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445583 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:03:25 +0000 Lozza 445583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, I'm hoping to go without for #2, but it depends on so many factors. I was so tired and overwhelmed by the time I even got to the hospital with #1 that I don't think I could have pushed a baby out if I hadn't had some breathing room from the epi. I've heard second babies often come much faster, so that would help. Also, I think I'd try to put off going to hospital longer and therefore have more freedom to move around and sit in the tub and stuff like that, and I think that would help me feel like I could go med-free. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445567 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:59:59 +0000 Honeybee 445567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I considered going med-free for #2, but after a pre-term labor scare, I remembered how glorious my first epidural was. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445542 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:55:29 +0000 Running Elley 445542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope!!! I loved my epi! Once it was time to push I could feel pressure without the pain so I was able to push effectively. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445527 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:52:27 +0000 X0X0X0 445527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends on how long my labor is. If my labor lasts one day, then i would do it natural. But if my labor lasts as long as my previous one THREE FULL DAYS, then no I would get an epidural. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445518 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:50:27 +0000 mrsmenow 445518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes. I had a birth with no pain medications with pitocin (with an episotomy +tearing), then a birth with an epi at 10 cm.</p> <p>With this delivery I am planning on going natural again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445515 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:48:17 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 445515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Heck no!! I was so relaxed and rested because I wasn't fighting through contractions. I want that again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445509 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:45:35 +0000 immabeetoo 445509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope it worked exactly how I wanted it to and was a great experience. I only pushed for about 40 mins though, and got the epi more out of exhaustion than pain- labor started before I could sleep the night before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/would-you-go-natural-after-having-an-epi#post-445491 Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:34:39 +0000 chopsuey 445491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope! Epi all the way! Can't imagine pushing and possibly tearing as much as I did without it! </p>