Any not had an epidural and regretted it?

[Anonymous]

Or..specifically looking to hear from women who had one natural delivery and one epidural delivery. I had an epidural with my first years ago and didn't like the total numbness during and after. Looking to go unmedicated this one but my husband thinks that's crazy given the "ease" of delivery with the epi first time around. So ladies that had both...which did you prefer?

[Anonymous]

I had a natural birth and don't regret it for a second, which is totally not what you asked for... But this is an important thought: Your husband might not (probably won't?) care what a bunch of women on the internet say. I was dead set on having a midwife-assisted, med-free birth and my husband thought I was crazy. Kept saying that he didn't understand why I wanted to do this the hardest way possible when we knew so many people who had wonderful epidural experiences. I tried to explain my feelings and my reasoning, but nothing got through. UNTIL we went to a yoga workshop on childbirth (at Tranquil Space - I *highly* recommend) and something the instructor said got through to him. For my husband, the idea of having a med-free birth clicked when he understood the importance of gravity in helping your baby position and travel through the birth canal, and that an epidural would most likely mean that I would not be able to be up and moving around. My husband is now a HUGE midwifery advocate and tells everyone how great our experience was (even after a long, rather monstrous labor). I am not saying that that particular reason will move your husband, but I think everyone comes at natural childbirth differently. In order for your husband to get on board, he needs a reason *he* understands. The reasons of a bunch of internet strangers probably won't help him much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or..specifically looking to hear from women who had one natural delivery and one epidural delivery. I had an epidural with my first years ago and didn't like the total numbness during and after. Looking to go unmedicated this one but my husband thinks that's crazy given the "ease" of delivery with the epi first time around. So ladies that had both...which did you prefer?

I had an epi and was not totally dumb by any stretch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a natural birth and don't regret it for a second, which is totally not what you asked for... But this is an important thought: Your husband might not (probably won't?) care what a bunch of women on the internet say. I was dead set on having a midwife-assisted, med-free birth and my husband thought I was crazy. Kept saying that he didn't understand why I wanted to do this the hardest way possible when we knew so many people who had wonderful epidural experiences. I tried to explain my feelings and my reasoning, but nothing got through. UNTIL we went to a yoga workshop on childbirth (at Tranquil Space - I *highly* recommend) and something the instructor said got through to him. For my husband, the idea of having a med-free birth clicked when he understood the importance of gravity in helping your baby position and travel through the birth canal, and that an epidural would most likely mean that I would not be able to be up and moving around. My husband is now a HUGE midwifery advocate and tells everyone how great our experience was (even after a long, rather monstrous labor). I am not saying that that particular reason will move your husband, but I think everyone comes at natural childbirth differently. In order for your husband to get on board, he needs a reason *he* understands. The reasons of a bunch of internet strangers probably won't help him much.

I completely agree with what this poster says re: getting your husband on board. Are you able to articulate to him the reasons you'd like to try for an unmedicated birth? Or is he able to articulate anything other than what you posted?

[Anonymous]

my first was with an epi and I would not describe it as numb, it was easy and peaceful... with a midwife in a hospital

the second came to fast, no epi, nothing.... it was not easy and peaceful.... I did make it to the hospital.

It was painful and awful like one big train wreck .... but ... mine was not planned. Mine was only 10-15 minutes long from the time I arrive to the hospital till the baby was born. I could not imagine going an hour or two.

I would not chose to do it without an epi.

[Anonymous]

I've done it both ways. I feel like an idiot for having an unmediated birth. It's like insisting on a drug-free root canal. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've done it both ways. I feel like an idiot for having an unmediated birth. It's like insisting on a drug-free root canal. Why?

This is how I feel now too. With my first I got caught up into the natural hype, the way all women through the ages have done it...right? It was awful, like really hurt, and no breathing technique or ipod list took that away, it was really Fing terrible. 2nd and 3rd time I got the epidural as soon as I could and didnt feel a thing. It was great. My mom has a picture of me with my first DC, 2nd DC and 3rd DC all right after delivery in this 3 section frame and let me tell you it is BEYOND clear which birth was "natural", I look like I just went through a meat grinder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've done it both ways. I feel like an idiot for having an unmediated birth. It's like insisting on a drug-free root canal. Why?

+1

[Anonymous]

I'm totally with 15:18. I had 4 unmedicated, 1 of those induced. It was Ok, but it definitely was painful. Then had my last with an epidural. Loved the epidural!

[Anonymous]

Regret is too strong of a term, but I definitely preferred my non-medicated birth. It hurt, but it wasn't unbearable until a few minutes at the end, when the baby was actually coming out, and I really liked being able to labor in different positions, move around, etc. I also liked the fact that I was able to get out of bed right away after the baby was born--they had to put her in a warming table and I was able to walk over to it and sit next to her. I'm not an especially crunchy person and I don't think medicated births are unnatural or anything.

If you didn't like the feeling of the epidural, and you want to try for an unmedicated birth, then you need to stand up for that. (You also need to be committed to preparing for it.) There are valid reasons for both choices.

[Anonymous]

I asked the doctor for a "walking epidural." I could feel the contractions and I could feel it when the nurse or DH touched my legs, but no pain. It was great! I did wait until I was 7cm to get the epi and afterward, I wondered why I waited so long.

[Anonymous]

FTM here, so this is secondhand info. My sister had an epidural with her first but went unmedicated for her second. She doesn't say much about the pain with either (she labored for a long time with her first, though), but she has said that postpartum recovery was much, much easier without the epidural. She strongly recommends against my getting one if at all possible.

[Anonymous]

OP, I had an epidural for both of my children. The first experience was like yours-- really, really numb from the waist down and for a long time afterward.

With DC2, I could feel some pressure from the contractions but no pain, and my lower legs were not numb. The experience was so different from the first time that I was actually afraid the medication was wearing off or the dose was too low and had the nurse page the anesthesiologist back. He explained that he dosed me that way on purpose but could increase it if I preferred. I was happy with it that way and had a great labor.

In short, you can still have an epidural without such total numbing. Talk to your OB (and at the hospital, with the anesthesiologist).

[Anonymous]

I had three without an epidural, each more painful than the last. Quite painful. I don't regret it at all. I don't think this is a question others can answer for you. For some people, extreme pain = a regret. For me it didn't.

[Anonymous]

I didn't have an epidural and don't really regret it, but HOLY SH****T it hurts like you can't even imagine. Highly recommend you have access to a tub, that is the only thing that helped me. Breathing exercises HA HAHAHHAHA no.