I seriously do not know how women give birth naturally. 8cm contractions with Charlie was by far the most pain I've ever been in my entire life! I guess if I had no choice I could do it, but I would seriously think about whether I could have a second child!
With Olive, I was only in pain for about 2 hours, got my epi, progressed quickly, pushed for a little while and she was out. I loved my epidural!
Do you think you could have given birth without one?
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22276 posts
My epidural wore off the last hour and I was in hell. So no probably not. I mean, no.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Mine only worked about half the time, failing the first time during transition, so I think I *could* have, but I'm immensely grateful for the much-needed rest I got from it. I'm doubtful that I would have had the energy to push if I hadn't had it. So maybe? But I can't see myself deciding to go without it, it would have to be out of my control.
ETA: My baby was posterior, and my contractions were all back contractions. I have no idea how I'd deal with normal contractions.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
I very nearly did with Wagon Jr. It was such a tease because all 3 of my epidurals worked beautifully then wore off and never worked again until I was re-stuck. Contractions right before transition were the worst thing I've ever gone through in my life. I very completely sincerely thought I was going to die. I was begging them to put me out. Just like in the movies. I lost control of all bodily functions and fluids at the worst point. NOT just like in the movies. I was wilhem screaming with 10 anesthesiologists in the room.
With my second it turned into a dural puncture but pain-wise, I was totally pain free and delivered my baby so easily and quickly!!
I don't know how people do it naturally. Maybe I would have done better with a doula but I could not stop screaming. That's why I was going to get a doula for my second, but then I needed an induction because of GD so I knew I'd probably just have to deal with another epidural, failure or not, because I'd be having pitocin contractions.
pear / 1599 posts
Yes! I wish I had not gotten one. I got it at 8cm and although I was in a lot of pain I was still able to breath thru it. I only got it becasue of the fear of fealing the actual birth. The worst pain to me was the epi, I cried when they put it in. And it caused probelms with my BP that made me have to wait to push.
pomelo / 5073 posts
I know I will want an epidural. When I was induced they gave me Demerol and I started to feel pain. The next step up was an epidural. I had to suck it up with the pressure. Then, contractions started and they hurt. I wasn't even full term, so I don't know how you guys do it! I will definitely be getting one. Yikes! Major props to those who went all natural.
honeydew / 7917 posts
I wish I had someone there with me who could coach me through the contractions. I held off on getting an epidural until I was 7cm along. I would like to try to go longer or even give birth naturally the next time around.
pear / 1769 posts
I don't know, and I don't want to find out. I had it from 5 or 6 cm on and it was glorious.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
I often think so... epidural wore off for 2 hours of pushing and that was more painful than any of my contractions.
coconut / 8279 posts
DS was stuck at a really bad angle and face-up. They tried to turn him many times, no go. Eventually they just gave me a huge mediolateral episiotomy. I knew the epidural was doing it's job when I couldn't feel the cut or the 100+ stitches.
The contractions (all back labor and immediate after my water broke, like zero to sixty, there was no gradual progression at all) felt like I was having a seizure or electrocuted, total loss of control.
My mom - who is a WIMP - said her labor was all in the abdomen and was like really bad stomach/period cramps. If it weren't for the bad position I do wonder if I would've been able to go without.
squash / 13764 posts
Nope. I literally thought I would die. I had fantasies about them giving me a c-section just to get him out. And I had a really short labor! I will definitely be getting an epi with all other labors.
nectarine / 2054 posts
I definitely couldn't have. I originally thought I would see how labor was and whether I could handle a natural birth (I even had a doula just in case), but contractions were the worst thing ever and there's no way I could have gone any longer without an epidural. I think I got mine around 4-5 cm, which I was happy with.
GOLD / papaya / 10166 posts
no freaking way!!! I got mine at 3cm and I already thought I was dying.
grapefruit / 4669 posts
Absolutely not. I got it at 3cm, I think (right after water breaking + pitocin starting) and it wore off 3 times--once at 5cm, once at a time I can't remember and once at 10cm, almost through with pushing and right before she crowned. I thought I was going to split in half waiting for the redose to arrive and kick in!
apricot / 263 posts
I ended up dilating all the way to 10 cm without an epidural (much to the surprise of me and the OB, who thought she was doing the exam wrong when she checked me), so I think I could have gone the rest of the way. But I'm still glad I got the epidural because it restored my physical/emotional energy levels for pushing and saved me from feeling the unpleasantness of tearing, being stitched up, etc.
pomegranate / 3388 posts
Yes, but I'm glad that I got mine in the end. The main reason that I asked for one was that I had been laboring for 3 days (literally), and my doctor told me at 7 cm that she wasn't even going to bother to check on me again for another 2 hours. It sounded like too much, so I asked for an epidural. 45 minutes later I was already pushing, so I think I could have made it all the way without the epidural. Still, I don't regret anything about my birth experience.
coconut / 8498 posts
@MsInformation: Same. I was at 10 with a cervical lip. I couldn't stop pushing, and my dr said I was close to rupturing my cervix. That was enough to convince me to get the epi. I halfway hope that #2 is even faster and that I won't have the option.
honeydew / 7488 posts
I went in at 8cm with DS and was uncomfortable but not that bad, so I sometimes wonder if I could have made it. Labor was really short and I only pushed three times.. It was really nice to have the epi though! Instant relief...
pomelo / 5628 posts
No way. I puked twice before getting it and consider myself to have a high pain tolerance. I got it at 4cm. I was already desperate at that point.
pomelo / 5331 posts
Nope. I was 7 cm 1 hour after my water broke and was 8 when I got my epidural. I was starting to throw up. No thanks.
bananas / 9973 posts
No way!!! Like @hilsy85: I literally contemplated begging for being put out or getting a C-sect. I didn't get my epi though until I was at 8cm. If I wanted a natural med free birth, I'm sure I would have had baby within an hour instead of the epi.
I seriously am scared about a #2 delivery and if I could get an epi in time!
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
It was really, really hard to push even with the epidural. I still felt all the pressure and I had back labor which was excruciating. If I didn't have back labor? Maybe.
honeydew / 7968 posts
@BabyBoecksMom: ummm.. I was dying at 2cm.... As soon as I got to the hospital, I was like epi, now! I was only 2....
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
Nope. Mainly because the epi allowed me to get some rest through the night so I had energy to push in the morning.
| Today | Monthly Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Topics | 0 | 1 |
| Posts | 1 | 3 |
Ask for Help
Make a Suggestion
Frequently Asked Questions
Bee Levels
Acronyms
Most Viewed Posts
Hellobee Gold
Hellobee Recipes
Hellobee Features
Hellobee Contests
Baby-led Weaning
Bento Boxes
Breastfeeding
Newborn Essentials
Parties
Postpartum Care Essentials
Sensory Play Activities
Sleep Training
Starting Solids Gear
Transitioning to Toddler Bed
All Series
Who We Are
About the Bloggers
About the Hostesses
Contributing Bloggers
Apply to Blog
Apply to Hostess
Submit a Guest Blog
Hellobee Buttons
How We Make Money
Community Policies
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
28 comments