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Epidural or IV?
Added: 843 days ago.
Added by: sunshinedaydream
Section: General.
Status: This question is Closed. (Questions will be closed after 10 days.)


I am doing a little preparing for birth. I wanted to know your comments about using an epidural, IV, or best to just go natural?

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LGK616 - 841 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I wanted to go natural and was well on my way but my daughter went into distress with contractions and I wouldn't progress past 3 cms. I finally took the epidural, more for my daughter than my pain, and she came out of distress and I went from 3 cm to 9 cm in 5 minutes. xox

bebe77 - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) EPIDURAL. Amazing. Made the whole experience so much better. I know there are women who opt to go "natural" but to me that's like undergoing surgery and waiving anesthesia. Are ya nuts? good luck!

Julianna - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I've done both...the Epidural was INCREDIBLE!!!

rosye13 - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I loved my epidural the first time. I decided I was definitely going to have one again, I had no pain at all during birth! Well, for some reason it didn't work the second time. I felt everything . . . ugh. Awful. Personally, if we have another, I will be trying to get an epidural again and asking them to turn it all the way up! :) But that's just me, I don't see any reason to feel pain if you don't have to. But, if you are a person who feels like things are better done naturally, then I would say that it's definitely do-able. It hurt . . . but it was manageable.

readyfornumber2 - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) educate yourself on all the options but I wouldn't put too much time in trying to make this decision before hand. You have no idea how your labor will go so just keep all options on the table. I wanted to go as natural as possible but then I stopped progressing and had to get pictocin. I was able to handle about 3 hours of those contractions before I threw in the towel and got the epidural. I'm glad I did too because I went through another 14 hours of labor and had to get a section. So I would say just know the ins and outs of what is available and play it by ear. Good luck

skittles0607 - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I have delivered 2 times. Both times I did not get an pain medicine. I chose not to because I am afraid of having something stuck in my back. I had back labor with the first and my labor was about 15 hours or so. The second I was on labor for about 2 hours. I will admit that it did hurt alot. But there are ways that can help you get through the pain. Breathing is one of them. You can try going to a lamaze class for other ways to help out. This is more of a personal opinion that one has to come up with because noone can tell you exactly how your labor is going to be. Everyone is different. I guess it depends on how much pain you can tolerate. Good luck...

heidismummy - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) keep your options open and talking to other mothers will help. what i found is that people would say the pain disappears after the baby, and nobody ever told me about any after pains such as cramping and soreness when doing the simplest of things like sitting down, or having a wee! i suppose its the kind of thing thats kept quiet but im just letting you know about it. when i started having bad cramps afterwards when i was breastfeeding they said it was normal, but yet they never told me about these after pains whilst i was pregnant?! i also wouldnt listen too much to mothers who say 'it was a breeze, do it naturally' etc etc as often you find some women that want a brownie point so make out that they are the bravest women on the planet, this in turn makes you hate every one of them when you are going through labour!! lol! i was quite suprised by my pain threshold when i was in labour so i didnt have anything, not even the gas and air (but thats because it made me throw up)! i dilated far too quickly for a first time birth so i didnt have time to think of what i could/couldnt take! i had a back labour and was told that they are the worst to have as you cannot control them as easily. if i were you i would read into things, ask your midwife/doctor of your options and then see how you find the pain when your labour kicks in. best of luck with your pregnancy!

RobinG - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) It a decision that needs you to be open to both options. Evenwhile laboring... Some moms want natural and then the pain is unbearable and then they feel they failed which I feel is very sad ~ a mother never fails anyone when they choose and epi. I had one with my vbac and it was my Godsend. Bearing through the pain and feeling horrible doesnt make me a hero. Just my humble opinion and notto say moms here feel that way ~ its just my view. I see no reason to endure the pain.. I had the epi when I was 4cm and I felt every contraction and need to push when I delivered. I wasnt completely numb and certainly never felt I didnt experience birth. Natural is vaginal IMO whether meds or not ~ not natural is a c section. Dont let anyone tell you that if you use an epi you aren not having a baby the natural way. Its a very hard decision ~ if you do choose to deliver natural without meds that is wonderful too but the epi is wonderful too ~ I wouldnt want IV for labor pain though ~

jumpingbean - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I had gestational diabetes and never wanted an epidural or any pain medication. I ended up having a tiny bit of morphin that kicked in too late , way after my daughter was born. I was warned of c-section and all the harm of epidurals and since I broke my neck 5 years before my daughter I wasn't taking any risks. The nurse explained that the morphine could be given only up to a certain time and the epidural could be given at any time, I would find out what you can have when and talk to the nurses about your choices...they are there to help you and do what you want.

wwatters18 - 842 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) epidural saved my life! you just wait, its a whole other world of pain!

MsModernBeauty - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) i went natural and wouldnt change my experience for the world :D good luck with your decision!

mariettap - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) It's such a personal decision, there's just no right or wrong answer. If you are considering natural at all, then sit down with a book and start reading birth stories. It's a way of viewing your body and its functions, and you either embrace it or you don't. So if you read natural birth stories and feel empowered, then go for it. If you read them and feel frightened, then consider other options. I have 2 very different birth stories posted on my page for my children. You're welcome to stop by.

babymama1989 - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Epidural all the way and if you are gbs positive you will need an IV anyway to get antibiotics into you before baby comes

vickiessecret - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I didn't get an epidural, we learned alot about it in lamaze all the pro's and con's of epidurals. In some cases, it can slow your labor process down which can lead to other intervention such as a c-section. Some women get them and everything goes well..I don't like the idea of a needle going into my back and just being there. I had an Iv medication given to me..it was phernegan....I have no idea how to spell it. It just makes you sleepy in between contractions but doesn't do ANYTHING for the pain at all lol. I felt everything...but sorta felt drunk or something..very loopy feeling. I was induced with pitocin which makes your contractions 10x's worse and stronger than normal. I hope I don't have to be induced this time, but I'm going to try to do it completely natural with no Iv medication either. Yes it is very painful, but once you push that baby out, the pain is instantly gone...it's a feeling of relief. Good Luck :)

juels101 - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) Depends on your pain tolerance really. There are risks to an epidural, but nothing like they used to be. You can rest a lot before pushing. Other pain meds can stall the labor, but will take the edge off. Make sure you know which ones cross the plasenta, you dont want the baby being groggy and weird when it first comes out, the epidural only goes into you, not the baby. Going natural is better in the long run, you can get around right away, and the pain does go away as soon as the baby comes out. If you cant handle much pain then go with meds, if you can brave it out, good for you.

mama2be12.24.09 - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) out of both pain med options i would go epidural little to none goes in your bloodstream meaning baby gets little to none, iv can make your baby just as tired and drugged as you and u still feel pain. plus where rachy said u cant feel pushing through the epidural, they can "turn it off" so to say if u are still really that numb, which most arent

mommy-to-be-2010 - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) i was thinking the samething except im in 27 weeks, i wanted to go all natural but my family told me that i would never beable to do it with no medication, so i will most likely get the epidural. good luck & congrat on the little one! =)

mommy-to-be-2010 - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) i was thinking the samething except im in 27 weeks, i wanted to go all natural but my family told me that i would never beable to do it with no medication, so i will most likely get the epidural. good luck & congrat on the little one! =)

rachy2606 - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I didn't really have a clue what I was gonna do, especially as I was being induced. So when the contractions started, I rode it out, but I got to 7cm and It just went from bad to extreme, so I requested gas and air, then an epidural. But as i was so close to 10cm, the epidural wore off and they didnt want to giv me more, so i felt everything..And to be honest, by that point your body is working with the contractions, and its a relief for it to almost be over. So I do believe the epidural is an excellent choice if you have a low pain threshold, but when its natural, you get to feel everything and know when to push etc whereas the epidural can slow things down, even though it didnt in my case, but it can happen. Like xela said, its there if you need it. Id be open-minded when preparing for labour and dont deny yourself pain meds, if need be. Good Luck!

xela - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I had an epidural, it was an easy choice for me, as I have a low tolerance to pain. My thinking is that if epidurals are available, and if you need it. You have to decide what is best for you.

xela - 843 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes) I had an epidural, it was an easy choice for me, as I have a low tolerance to pain. My thinking is that if epidurals are available, and if you need it. You have to decide what is best for you.