so i have decided not to get an epidural when i do go into labor. i have slighty bad scoliosis where my spine is both curved and twisted. so i dont want to risk being paralyzed by the doc sticking a needle near my spine. its painful enough as it is. anyone have any advice as to what to use since i dont want to go that route? kind of want to just see how it goes, but this is my first baby so i am not sure.
I didn't have an epidural with my first 2 deliveries and yes it was painful, but I made it through them just fine. I decided with my 3rd delivery I wanted to have an epidural, to me it seemed like it only helped with the contractions, but once I started to push I was able to feel all the pain. My husband has scoliosis as well, so I understand where you are coming from.....good luck!!
I would recommend asking your OB/GYN what your options are at the next appointment.
Your reasons for not wanting one are very valid (it's a personal decision anyhow - I personally had one with each child).
Perhaps they could have you consult with an anesthesiologist to make sure that you're fully aware of the risk with your scoliosis. I'm wondering if they've performed the procedure on other patients, could even get a non-invasive scan of your spine in advance and can tell you if the risk outweighs the possible benefits.
Epidurals have only been around for about 30 years, so it's not like there haven't been many, many, many generations of women who've given birth without them.
Best wishes.
I did not have an epidural with my daughter and I am pregnant right now with my second and I still plan on going without an epidural. They do have other medications to help ease the pain of labor that are safe. Morphine or Fentanyl are typically given thru IV. You can talk to your doctor about the side effects and use of these meds or other medications...but generally they're pretty safe. I was given morphine towwards the end and I will say it did not stop the pain like I've heard an epidural will do...but it did make it a little more managable. Mostly it just let me sleep a little.
Otherwise the whole time I was laboring it was all about focusing on something other than the pain, breathing, and realizing that the pain was going to end eventually and I would have my beautiful child.
Labor is painful. I am not going to lie. But I am a total wuss when it comes to pain and I figure if I could survive it without an epidural...anyone can. Obviously it wasn't so horrific or else I wouldn't be planning on epidural free birth again.
Good luck!
Keep moving! If you lay down, the contractions will be worse. so keep walking, moving, bring an exercise ball, sit in the chair, even in the bathroom on the toilet to relieve pressure from below.
I didn't have an epidural with my youngest ,and it was my easiest delivery. I walked the whole time, sitting only to be checked or use the bathroom. I was fully dialated and didn't even know it because i was being so active.
I just want to say that I am going to soon have my third child without an epidural. My first was a breeze delivery. My second I had shoulder dystocia with my son will no medicine but still made it through. I think the biggest thing to remember is the last part transition to birth is the hardest. It is such a minimal amount of time and there is just no feeling like that of just giving birth with no medicine. The feeling a relief is just off the charts (in my opinion). And I do want to say with this being your first. You really do have no idea what the pain is. There is no describing it. It is not by any means easy breezy but it is more then possible to do it. You just need to continue to find the courage to move on. My best thing to say is don't go in thinking you will have no problem with the pain. Because honestly you will. It hurts. But just for very little amount of time.
Oh and I actually have a harder time dealing with the cramps after deliver and need medicine for that because that pain doesn't go away. Well it does you just don't know when!
I understand your reasoning and your hospital/doctors/nurses should be made aware. There are certainly other options that might be better for you. I had back labor with my second child because he was "sunny side up" and that was the hardest one. I would have a plan in mind for pain relief just in case, but you might not need it. Some lucky moms have easy labor/births and you could be one of them!
One thing I would caution is that you never know how things will go, so don't be disappointed if things are not as you envision. As a matter of fact, I can safely say that it is not likely to be exactly how you envision. Things that you like now may annoy you during labor (massage in my case), so it's best for your coach/partner to have number of things in the repetoire, including just shutting up and sitting there.
Here are some labor pointers: I found great relief (before my water broke) being in the bathtub and or shower. With my third, I stayed in as long as possible. I also hated being on my back. I walked around, was on my side, or I was on my knees while holding the upright back of the bed.
Happy birthing!
Talk to your OB about IV med options. There are a few different ones out there that can take the edge off the pain for you.
I went through all three of my labors without an epidural and without pain meds but then again I had really quick labors. I think I just had a mindset that this is a natural part of life and hey, if women did back in the day without meds then why can't I? Good luck and best wishes for a successful delivery!
I had an epidural with my first child but had so many complications(they put it in too high) that I decided not to have one with my younger two. Having done it both ways, I would never choose to have an epidural. It will be painful but just know that you can get through it! In my opinion the epidural just isn't worth it. First babies usually take longer....relaxing in the tub early on really helped me as did walking. The most important thing is if you decide to do it without any medication ...try to stick to your decision during labor even when it gets rough.
Many of the drugs available have their own unique side effects, and you need to be informed of what they are, as some of the do cross the placenta, and many can increase the probability of the cascade of interventions. I forget the title, but there is a book by Heni Goer that goes through both the pros and cons of the majority of the aspects and available interventions of birthing a child. I found it helpful with my first. One thing you need to decide is if you want an intervention free birth, or just an epidural free birth? If it's an intervention free, there are many natural and holistic things you and your birth attendants can do to help you through the process. Another book I found very helpful for my 2nd child was "Birthing from Within" by Pam England and Rob Horowitz. It reaffirms a woman's ability to labor and birth a baby on her own, as that is what we were made to do. The one activity I really liked was holding an ice cube in my hand, and timing 90 seconds, every 2 minutes, or whatever, just like how contractions can get. Also look into birth doulas in your area. DONA.com is a great resource for those. Also write in your birth plan your wishes. Fluid IV's are not necessary for low risk birth. Delivering on your back with your feet raised in the air actually compresses your pelvic bones by up to one inch, decreasing the opening baby has to come through. You do not need to be hooked up to the EFM. You can deliver in whatever position you want - back delivery is strictly for the convenience of the doctor.
I've got tons more, if you're interested, I can PM them you. Good luck!
I'll 2nd Birthing From Within. I found childbirth class where the teacher taught to her principals and it really made me feel prepared. I was able to go through 36 hours of labor with no epi and they're right about birthing amnesia :)
The best way to avoid medications and the push from the medical staff is to hire a midwife and stay at home. Safer and healthier for you and the baby.
Lisa
I've done it twice, you can do it too. The first time I didn't even get an IV inserted, things were just moving too quickly. My advice: when it gets to the point where you think you can't possibly do it and you want to ask for the epidural (for me around 8cm), that's just minutes before the time you feel the strong urge to push (hopefully your labor doesn't stall). And once you start doing that (you'll think you can't possibly endure anymore!), the focus goes away from the pain and into bringing your little one into the world.
You can do it!! Good luck, and I would advise you to use the hospital but make your doctors and nurses aware of your plan. They should respect you, but the facility is there in case you should need it.
Good for you going the natural route. I had my daughter completely naturally. I recommend taking some natural birthing classes, maybe through a local birth center, you will learn ways to deal with the pain. I also had a doula with me at my birth, they are their to advocate for your choices that you made and help you remember what to do.
good luck, and congratulations!
Well I wanted a natural birth but I gave up; however, the epidural wore off at the end anyway since my labor was so long, and I could feel it. I had to have a section with my son because of his size, but just know that if you were to have an epidural (if you start doubting) it's not guaranteed to work anyway...the pain seems bad at the time, but you CAN get through it, my contractions were the worst when I could feel everything (you can tell this from the monitor). Also, I have a lot of friends who have done it and they all said without question being in the tub helped them the most. That being said, I would deliver at a birthing center if you can, unless you know your hospital isn't going to require you to be in bed, tied up to monitors. My delivery room didn't even have a shower in it, let alone a tub. Plan it out from every angle so you give yourself the best possible scenario. A birthing center will be best for you. Best wishes for your little one! :)
Bradley Method for natural childbirth!!! My baby boy's birth was wonderful, in my mind I was in Maui the whole time, I looked and felt peaceful and relaxed. Best classes I have ever taken. It's all the power of your mind and being prepared --- educate yourself, and believe you CAN do it!
I had my first without an epidural. Mostly because I went into it with the idea of wanting to try to see how long I could go without one. I tolerate pain pretty good. When it came time to wanting one, it was too late.
I tell people two things about having a baby without an epidural. Use the shower. The shower helped wonders!!! In fact that's probably one of the reasons I didn't realize how far along I was, because when in there it really soothed me.
And the second thing is, if you can get through the contractions, by the time it comes to pushing, you feel no pain. Or at least I didn't. Once it came time to push, I was so focused on pushing I did not feel one contraction during that time. Plus I think it made it easier and quicker to deliver.
Good luck to you!!!
p.s. My hospital and Dr never once pushed me to get one.
You can do it. Lots of us do, definitely take a real childbirth class that teaches you breathing and pain control techniques though (the one I took was mostly just videos about birth).
I also have scoliosis. With my 1st child...I went without an epidural. She only weighed 6 lbs. 11 1/4 oz. and honestly it wasnt that bad. Then with my 2nd child...I went the same route...she weighed 8 lbs. 2 1/2 oz. yes, it hurt, but in all, I made it. With my son however, I had gestational diabetes and decided I would have the epidural since they told me he would be a big baby. I had it and was able to relax through most of my labor. I have done this both ways...with and without.....I prefer without.....BUT I did have the doctor massage my Perineum with the last child. I didnt have to be cut for a 3rd time and because he massaged it...I also never tore. Hope somehow this helps you out :)