a few weeks back maybe even a month there was a lady due about now if not already delivered that was concerned about epidurals and what people thought of them...if anyone members her "name" or has heard from her can ya let me know...thanks!!
Wow! You guys are awesome. Thank you for rooting for me. Well, the baby is coming any day now. He moves around so much. I was told that they won't move around that much when you get really far along, but he definately does. I am so excited, and nervous about the birthing process though. The pain is what scares me. I'm scared of the episiotomy, and the epidural (of course) if I need it. I guess its normal to be worried about this. I know that I will be ok, but I am so worried that I won't be able to handle the pain like I hope that I can.
Well thank you ladies for checking up on me. You are wonderful people, and it makes me feel good to know that there are people out there as kind as you both are.
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Billy's Proud Mommy
My little miracle is here!!!
He is so beautiful!
one way to know if you are about ready to go into labor...and this happened with both of my kids......you will all of a sudden get a great burst of energy...wanting to rearrange the house or clean real good....i didnt pay attention to it with my first one, i just woke up one day wanting to clean and rearrange...that night i went into labor. so funny..cause i had heard this all my life, but never believed in it, so i thought nothing of it until my mom commented on it after i gave birth to my daughter! i cant say anything about the episiotomy, since you are going to try to go natural, but i do believe they will give you a local anesthetic if needed. just relax as much as you can. i was too nervous and scared with my first one, that i held back alot...didnt let things happen naturally....i fought it..which prolonged labor and delivery. so just try to relax and let nature take its course. it is very normal to be nervous and scared, especially with your first one. but you will do fine! i have faith in you!! cant wait to hear back from you after the birth....you will find that it is an awesome experience to see your little bundle of joy for the first time and to hear its first cry!! wishing the best of luck to ya!
Well, thanks again. I will definately keep you posted with everything. So what happens after I have the baby? I won't be able to talk on this board anymore, my pregnancy will be over. I will probably just come on and help other people with thier pregnancy questions, because by then I will have the full experience of delivering a child.
I was told that when I go into labor, I should keep my face as relaxed as I can possibly keep it. I heard that if my face is calm, then my pelvis will be as well, and it will help lower the amount of time before I am dilated enough to have the baby. I will definately be trying this. I don't want to be in labor for hours and hours, even though I also heard that usually when in labor with your first it takes hours longer then if it were a second or third. Oh well, the little is coming no matter what and I have no choice but to handle the situation one way or another. Nervous or not. I hope that I do ok, for the baby's sake.
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Billy's Proud Mommy
My little miracle is here!!!
He is so beautiful!
I too got a giant burst of energy right before my labor began with both of my kids and I have heard of the same thing happening to other women before labor.
You will do fine. I believe I posted some of my story to your epidural post. I tried the epidurals with both of my kids and they didn't work for me. I had an episiotomy with my 2nd child and I could feel it, but it just stung for me. For me, there was so much pressure down there and contractions coming non-stop that the actual episiotomy was nothing compared to everything else I was feeling.
Hey guys. I too had posted a thread about epidurals a few months ago so when I saw this I thought I'd reply. Short history...I have two daughters, one that's 8 years old and one that's 3 and a half months. I didn't have an epidural with my first daughter and was wanting to have one with my second so I had started a thread to ask everyone's opinion because the thought of the epidural scared me a little.
Anyway, I had my baby girl on April 30th and had the epidural. I highly recommend it. It had been 8 years since I had had my oldest daughter and with her I was on Pitocin and had her naturally. I was in alot of pain with my first but thankfully it wasn't a horribly long labor. I was induced on April 30th with my second and had forgotten how much labor hurts. LOL! The strength of the contractions are monitored (which you all will soon find out) and a really strong contraction (one that makes you progress) is usually in the 60's or 70's. I was ready for my epidural when mine were still in the 30's.
Anyway, the first time it hit the 60's, I made the nurse call for the anesthesiologist, who took forever to get up there, but was a wonderful man who gave me pain relief and I ended up telling him I loved him. LOL! I'm serious though, within 10 minutes of the epidural being in place, I was completely pain free and even slept for an hour. My labor went very quickly after that, probably because I was so relaxed, and I had her about three hours after that. I was even on the phone with my best friend when they were preparing me to push. It was wonderful and made for a wonderful labor experience.
The only thing I was unaware of, and I don't think people mention this very often, is how sore you are afterward. The site of my epidural was very sore, and my entire back ached pretty badly for about 2 days. This along with the soreness everywhere else. That soreness was worth it to me though. I was able to enjoy my labor and be totally coherent when she was born, instead of too tired to be able to enjoy that moment.
My experience with the epidural was great and I hope if you ladies decide to have one that it goes just as well for you all. Good luck and congrats!
Well I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and I realize that maybe it would be the best for me if I did take the epidural after all. I want to be able to enjoy everything, and getting some sleep would be great too. I don't want to be too tired to be able to hold him and spend time with him and my family afterwards. I'm just scared of needles. Does the drug that they use make you nauseus? I have heard that some women will actually vomit from the drug that they use in the epidural. Did any of you get a sick feeling? I'm nervous but I am also so excited to finally see what a beautiful little boy he is that I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be. Of course all of your advice is helping me to stay relaxed as well, so thank you.
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Billy's Proud Mommy
My little miracle is here!!!
He is so beautiful!
hi jelly you will still have time to come here! i think its more of a myth that once u have a baby all your time gets taken up!! i never had so much free time on my hands as i did when the kids were born...its a yr later that it takes more of your time. trust me im the mom of 4 and know youll have time! plus who you gonna be able to chat with with your qeustions?? cant wait to hear how things go for you!
Does the drug that they use make you nauseus? I have heard that some women will actually vomit from the drug that they use in the epidural. Did any of you get a sick feeling?
Hey Jellybean.....Well, I had my son almost 7 years ago. I had an epidural. I was in labor from Friday evening until Monday late morning. OUCH. Yeah, I did get sick from the epidural. I threw up once, but I think it was a combination of nerves and the epidural. I also had an episiotomy. OUCH.....I really didnt have any back pain, or anything from the epidural. I was up about an hour later, walking down to the NICU (my son made his appearance almost 3 mos early), visiting him. This time around....I have been thinking about going natural. BUT, childbirth hurts anyway, even with the drugs. I cringe at the thought of going natural. I will likely end up getting drugged up. LOL....
Good luck to you!!! Let us know how everything is going!!!
Hey Jellybean. I didn't get a bit nauseas from the epidural and I get nauseas pretty easy. As for the needle thing, I don't like them either, but the pain I was feeling from the contractions was doing a fine job of keeping my mind off the needle stick.
Honestly, the worst part of the epidural is the numbing shot they give you before they insert the epidural needle, and it's not even that bad. It burned for a second and then it was a little achy until the medicine kicked in. My contractions were so strong (I was on Pitocin) while they were trying to give me the epidural that they could have stuck 20 needles in there as long as they took the pain away.
This was my last baby but if by some chance I did get pregnant again, I would not have another baby without an epidural. Hope this helps you a little.
jellybean.....with my first one, i did get sick with the epidural...BUT...they would always ask if i was feeling anything...anytime i said "just a little", they pumped more of the epidural medicine into me, never giving me a chance to say that i was not in any major discomfort, they pumped me so full of it over the 24 hours, that i did get sick and vomit. had they left me alone, i think i would have been fine. with my second one, i only mentioned pain one time after the initial epidural was given, and i didnt get sick at all. so i think it all depends on the person, as well as how much they give you. some women say the epdiural never really phased them, but i can only speak from my experience...I WAS NUMB!!!!--from my waist down to my toes. never felt a thing. with my second one, i did feel her coming out..BUT..it wasnt pain...it was just a moving sensation. and i was numb so much that i never knew with either of my kids that they had given me an episiotomy. honestly, you arent going to be thinking too much of needles, or the episiotomy...so relax....things will be fine. if you do decide to definitely go for the epidural, i really dont think you will regret it in the least, and i really dont think you will care too much about the needle, as you will be focusing on the epidural working, and being anxious to not feel any more labor pains. the initial injection does sting a bit, not too bad, but as i said, you will be at the point by then, that the little "sting" you will feel, will be nothing compared to the labor pains, if you can handle the labor pain, you can handle that first initial sting of the epidural. trust me. i can remember how nervous, anxious, scared, just so many emotions, with my first one, so i do know what you are feeling at this time. just remember one thing....women would not give birth more than once, ever, if it was the worst thing in the world to go through!!!! women do it every day, most do it more than once in their lifetime. and way back when, they done it 9 times and more---WITHOUT anything at all....i would never have been that courageous...without the meds, but with the meds.....had I been given me the chance, I certainly would have..maybe not 9+...but i could have definitely gone 2 more---and i already have 2. but my baby days are over....not that i wanted it to be, thats just the way it is and i had to accept that. so try to keep this in mind. good luck in whatever decision you make. (i still would never attempt it naturally..i am a BIG chicken!! LOL---but i think its great for any woman to just simply want to aim for a natural birth!)
I was totally scared of the epidural with my first child. I told the nurse at my doctor's office that I was not going to get it and she had me sign the consent papers "just in case". Needless to say, after about 7 hours I was highly cooperative. With my second I signed the papers happily. And with this one I'll do the same. I had an episiotomy with both and it does ache a little while after but it heals fast. I'm scared this time though because I'm getting my tubes tied. I heard that hurts and since i'm having the baby vaginally they'll have to cut me open right after I have my baby. I wouldnt mind having more children but I want them to be able to eat more than Ramen noodles the rest of their lives! That's about all we could afford if we had more! Hope your labor is an easy one and just remember the outcome! Your beautiful baby!!
You have all once again helped me become more relaxed. I will probably end up getting the epidural, only because I want to cooperate as much as possible with the baby himself. He will need me to be relaxed and calm, and to not be too tense. Plus the epidural will help with the pain from the episiotomy. I think I can handle the "sting". I hope so anyway. I have had nightmares that when they give me the shot I twitch from the pain and the needle goes in crooked and makes me paralyzed for life. I know, that is a horrible thought, but I can't help but be worried about it. You are all helping me though which is good because I need the reassurance. I'm just so excited about the baby that I think I will be ok. I will keep telling myself that he will be here soon, and I will finally be able to see him, and hold him in me arms.
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Billy's Proud Mommy
My little miracle is here!!!
He is so beautiful!
I just want to be the odd ball and encourage you to try it natural. That is what I am going to do (in about a month! ) I have read that laboring in water is second best pain reliever (and relaxer) to the epidural. The epidural doesnt promise a pain free labor, and it makes it not as easy to push when the time comes. Once you start with medical intervention (epidural) you are more likely to need other things (epsiotomy, a form of forcepts, and more that I wont go into). If you have someone to support and encourage you and help you with relaxation, you will be more with it after the birth. I have a good friend who has had four kids naturally and she wouldnt do it any other way. So I just want to encourage you to go natural.
as with newborn the many questions you will have....you will get sooo many responses on childbirth experiences---that you will start to wonder "oh boy--what do i do??"........i had the epidural with both kids, had an episiotomy with both...and did not need forceps or any other kind of intervention. you will be numb, as i said, from the waist down....you will not "know" when to push--the dr's will monitor labor pains on a machine and will tell you when to push......what you cannot do on your own, they will have nurses, and probably have your husband to help hold your legs. most do get numb from the epidural, but i have heard of some that didnt, but most likely, you will. as far as you being afraid that you might twitch while they are giving you the epidural...that is natural to be afraid that you will move the wrong way..but relax, hun, you will do fine. you will concentrate on sitting still....trust me. you will do fine...with either choice you make. i have confidence in you!!! good luck.
I know I have a problem with worrying too much over the simple things. This to me is not one of the simple things but I guess after it is all over it will seem like nothing at all. I definately wanted to go natural with this one but I want to know what the advantages and disadvantages are of both scenarios. You have all helped me to decide that I will try the natural, and if the pain gets too bad THEN I will ask for the epidural. I'm not sure if the hospital I am going to lets you do the waterbirth. I'll look into that though because I was thinking about it as an option as well.
Well thanks again for the inputs!
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Billy's Proud Mommy
My little miracle is here!!!
He is so beautiful!
I wouldnt mind having more children but I want them to be able to eat more than Ramen noodles the rest of their lives! That's about all we could afford if we had more! Hope your labor is an easy one and just remember the outcome! Your beautiful baby!!
) I have read that laboring in water is second best pain reliever (and relaxer) to the epidural. The epidural doesnt promise a pain free labor, and it makes it not as easy to push when the time comes. Once you start with medical intervention (epidural) you are more likely to need other things (epsiotomy, a form of forcepts, and more that I wont go into). If you have someone to support and encourage you and help you with relaxation, you will be more with it after the birth. I have a good friend who has had four kids naturally and she wouldnt do it any other way. So I just want to encourage you to go natural. 
