Spinoff to Natural Birth

ie - no pain meds... (sorry this got a bit long)

With my first pregnancy, I was induced with cervadil and the nurses told me I would sleep overnight while it did its job and then we would start pitocin in the morning. Instead, it kicked me into fast and furious active labor and the nurses didn't believe I was in active labor until I was dialating too rapidly to get the epidural. Long story short, I had an unmedicated, epi-free birth (not by choice!) and felt every god-given pain associated with it. I had severe tearing and a rough recovery.

So here I am weeks before delivering baby #2 and I am absolutely petrified to give birth again. I was very traumatized by my past experience and really want to make sure I can get the epi because I have such bad anxiety about the pain I felt last time. However I have heard stories that the recovery with the epidural isn't very good so I do have some concerns there too.


Please share you stories if you've delivered naturally with an epidural and tell me about the experience and recovery! I hate feeling so terrified about this, since it's inevitable - this baby will come out one way or another at this point!!

Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had a pretty rough induction w/ #1 -- 65 hours from the time the first cervidil was inserted (I had it twice) until the time DD was born. I didn't get the epidural until about hour 60 since I was barely progressing and didn't have terrible contractions. I got it at 4cm once the contractions were starting to get worse. It took pretty much all the pain away except for a twinge on my left side during contractions (felt like a mild period cramp). I was able to sleep and when they woke me up 4 hours later to check on me, I was fully dilated and just about ready to push.

They took my epi button away so I could tell when to push. It was like a bad period cramp but still only on my left side. I pushed for maybe 30 mins or so? I had no idea DD was crowning. Didn't feel any tears. All of a sudden she was out and placed on my belly.

I got the epi button back for stitches. Then about maybe 2 hours later (after stitches, nursing, catheter removal and finally eating something) it was time to move to recovery. I was able to get out of bed and into the wheelchair on my own. I have nothing to compare it to but I don't think I had a difficult recovery at all. Sure I was sore from the stitches and bleeding like whoa but I was driving by the 2nd day home and taking care of DD pretty much by myself since DH was sick with the flu.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

my had a similar experience with her first. and purposely waited longer to have her second child because of it. this time around, she said it was the easiest thing ever...and no joke, when we walked in to see her after she delivered, she looked beautiful, happy and relaxed! we were shocked lol!

ive never given birth before, but she said it's not always the same. and that had her first experience been like this last one, her girls would have been closer in age.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

DS was breech so I had a c-section.

With DD, I went into labor before my scheduled c-section so I decided to VBAC. I had a very quick labor - arrive at the hospital around 5:30am at 4cm and was 10cm within 2 hours. However, my OB hadn't arrived yet, so they let me have the epidural. The contractions were really rough, but I felt absolutely nothing when I pushed. 3 pushes and DD was out.

My recovery was super easy. The first 5ish days were really rough and then I felt a million times better. MUCH easier and faster recovery than my c-section, and I thought that was an easy recovery at the time!

Spinoff to Natural Birth

Both times I had an epi. With my first I did feel some pressure while I was pushing, but with my second I literally felt nothing. I was asking my doctor if I was pushing bc I literally felt nothing.
With my first I got an episiotomy and with my second I naturally tore a little. Both recoveries were normal. I was up and walking pretty soon after.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I keep hearing about the bad recovery with an epi, but I had one and my recovery was fine. I was 100% back to normal in less than a week.
I showered the next day, walked around, it was fine. Sore, sure, but I am a huge baby with pain and it wasn't even bad for me.


I am not understanding why the epi would affect your recovery at all.
What' the connection?

Message edited 7/22/2015 8:45:27 AM.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had the epi but it was turned off for the pushing. I had a lot of internal tearing and stitches so I was very sore for about 10 days after delivery, but that had nothing to do with the epi. I was able to walk a few hours after the delivery, it was sitting and getting up to a standing position that caused me the most pain. But again, that had nothing to do with the epidural.

Spinoff to Natural Birth

I know I may not be a normal story, but I didn't feel a damn thing after the Epi. I mean I felt a little pressure, but that was it. I have a pretty high threshold for pain (or so I thought), but at 4cm I NEEDED it. I got stuck at 6cm, they gave me Pitocin. After a couple hours they came in to check me out and I was crowning, I had no idea it was time to push. Pushed for about 30 min and my baby was born.

I had some tearing, but my recovery was fine, I didn't need pain meds or anything after.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had an epi all 3 times and with my first they shut it off at time of delivery.
My 2nd it gave me some relief
My 3rd I felt it never really kicked in or I never got relief because he came so fast and then my placenta didn't descend.

I had a great recovery with all. After my 2nd as soon as they brought me to my room I hopped in the shower unassisted. The others I just went to bed since it was nighttime.

I have many friends who felt nothing with the epi though and had uncomplicated recoveries. I am scared to try with no epi

PS - the 2nd is usually a much easier delivery than the 1st

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I am 3 days PP after having a vaginal with Epi. Even though it didn't fully take, the Epi was administered twice as well as two other types of pain meds so I had my share of medications even though it still hurt. I'm not gonna lie I'm sore as hell right now due to tearing but other than that I feel great. My first was a csection after a 30 hour labor and 3 hours of pushing so that recovery was definitely harder. Not all labor are the same so even though the first one was rough, you may be pleasantly surprised that the next one won't be so bad!

Spinoff to Natural Birth

I felt the epidural gave me some relief, but I still felt things -- it never completely numbed me. In fact, when I got it at 6cm after they broke my water, I still was VERY much feeling things. I called the anesthesiologist back in and had him administer a second dose, which did help but like I said, I still knew exactly when a contraction was starting and when it ended but I wasn't feeling like the wind got knocked out of me like I was pre-epidural. I had a 2nd degree tear, but felt like I had a pretty good recovery. I was obviously very sore but to be honest, my ass area hurt more than my vagina. I only pushed for 45 minutes, but got a lot of hemorrhoids. That was my most painful part of recovery. It took a while for my BM schedule to get back on track and it wasn't until about 7 weeks post birth that it finally didn't hurt to poop (sorry TMI, but I feel like no one really speaks about the ass issues affiliated with vaginal birth and I would have liked to know/be more prepared). The hemorrhoids have since completely disappeared but I was using Tuck's medicated wipes that the hospital gave me for a while.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I really don't think I could have had an easier delivery with my dd. Water broke, went to hospital, got Citotech, then a few hours later they started Pitocin. Around the same time, I was offered an epidural. At that point I had not felt any pain, but took the epidural anyway because my birth plan was to get the baby out safely with as little pain as possible. I felt nothing throughout the labor. I mean NOTHING. I didn't even feel any pain during pushing. It was a dream.

I don't recall any issues with recovery either. I always read stories about the recovery after an epidural being so hard. I have no memories of any issues. I think I was out of bed and walking within an hour of delivery.

I hope #2 was as easy as #1! Good luck to you!!!

Message edited 7/22/2015 1:06:34 PM.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had an epi with my first two, and I wouldn't say they were bad recoveries, I was basically fine within a week both times, but I was swollen, it was sick. With my 3rd I did all natural and I was fine within a day, I mean I left the hospital and was able to go with DH to go pick up my 2 kids at prek, I also had no swelling. My husband normally took 2 weeks off to help me, but I came home on Friday and he was back at work on Monday. So I think that's what I personally mean by an epi being a worse recovery, but by no means is it really a bad recovery compared to my friends who had csections.

Spinoff to Natural Birth

I think it's impossible to gauge based on other people's and even your own past experiences. I was induced, had an epi and then an unplanned CS. My recovery was fine. I was walking that night. Within two days I stopped taking any pain medication and I felt 100% within a week. Granted I had to "take it easy" until I completely healed, but I was surprised at just how easy the recovery was.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

Your actual recovery from child birth has little to do with having an epi or not. The part that's different would be immediately following birth. With a epi, you're basically drugged up, so you have to come down off the meds, you need to get all the feeling back in your body, get the catheter out, be able to pee, etc. That's where the difference comes in. An epidural is super invasive, and not without risk (or reward ) , so there is a period of recovery from that.

When I got an epi, I was puking and passing out while coming off the meds, and I barely got any meds- I mean, I never felt no pain, the pump was on for like 5 minutes before I had to push.
No epi - not sick, totally fine, felt like a freakin' superhero. Felt like I could have gotten right up and to go get a sandwich (I was super hungry). I mean, if I wasn't being stitched up.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

Thank you everyone for the feedback!!

I know every pregnancy and delivery can be different so I'm trying not to get too worked up but I'm definitely afraid of the pain. I saw stars during my first labor so that's why is like to have more pain management this time if possible. But someone made a good point that regardless of pain management during labor, a baby will still be pushed out and you have to deal with the aftermath. I guess I just have to hope my first birth paved the way for a better recovery this time around

Message edited 7/22/2015 7:35:19 PM.

Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had 20 hours of back labor and was only 3 cm when I got the epidural. Eight hours later I delivered DS. I felt everything at the end, including the urge to push. My recovery was great. I had a 2nd degree tear (DS was sunny side up, which explains the horrible back labor), but I felt good enough afterward to tell DH, "I could do that again!"

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

Ds2 I had a VBAC with an epidural but the dr only gave me a bolus because I was already almost 10cm. I got the epidural at 330am and ds2 waa born at 341am. My recovery was great. Get the epidural!

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I feel your pain literally lol
I had a really rough birth with DS..
4 days of contractions 7 to 9 minutes apart. When I finally went to hospital had the cervadil and pitocin and my epi only worked on one side of my body. I felt every single contraction and had unbearable pain.
In the end I pushed for 3 agonizing hours.. and needed the vacuum to get DS out.
I am TERRIFIED to give birth again..terrified.
I'm worried the epi wont work again.. I barely made it through the last time. I was in so much pain i was begging for a c-section to get him out.
Hoping our second time around is quick and easy!!

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I was inducted with pitocin and was 2cm to start and 80% effaced. After they broke my water labor picked up. The pain from the contractions were intense and I didn't last long and got the epi. I did snooze a bit with the epi, but was having bizarre dreams and did feel a tad drugged, I got itchy and one point very cold and shakey.

Anyway they turned it down when it was time to push. I didn't feel pain but felt the pressure to push.

Aftermath, tearing was 2nd degree and some interior tearing which was painful. I had a lot of pain in my butt too! When my swelling came down a few days later things really hurt and I needed painkillers.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had an epi, no issues at all! It helped TREMENDOUSLY with my back labor and I was able to relax while I progressed from 9am to about 4:30pm when I reached 10cm. Sat up for 30 minutes to bring her down, pushed for 29 min and she was out. I had some internal tearing but from what I can tell that's pretty normal.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

First dd was overdue by almost 2 weeks. I got induced with cervadil then pitocin in the morning. I got the epi at like one centimeter.... started feeling things again at like 8 cm and then it was time to push. They kept giving me stuff. DD was a forceps case and the recovery was pretty rough, but i hear that's the case with a first.

With my second, I started to feel uncomfy at about 11PM so we went to the hospital right away because I wanted my epi again. I had been about 3cm for at least a week at that point. When I got to the hospital around midnight they checked me and i was 5cm. I wanted the epi, and my contractions were all over the place so the nurses were in no hurry.

Well, my second was born at 1:24 am, after about 2 hours of labor and no time for an epi.

Thing is with this time, if I know it will be over quickly, I'd opt for no epi, since my blood pressure dropped with the epi, and was way drugged up. But the thing is, I don't know how long it will be, so I'm kinda on the fence since I've had both with and without.

Re: Spinoff to Natural Birth

OP: that sounds like a horrible experience.

I really must recommend and epidural. You should get it when you can't bear the pain (for me, this was 4-5 cm when I was in really active labor). You should also get a bunch of IV fluid before, to minimize pressure drop.

I felt very little... Then at 9 cm felt more & got a bolus, then felt very little to nothing during pushing.

I was up & about 1 hour after delivering. I had a bad episiotomy w my first & nothing w my second. Bit shaky (but that is hormonal). Foley & epidural catheter removal are nothing. You start off a bit numb, but that wears off.

In contrast, my mother had horrific deliveries before epidurals w my sister (11 lbs) and I (breech) & decided no more kids. She had wanted me to get an elective CS to spare me the horror,

Spinoff to Natural Birth

I had an epi with both deliveries and the only issue I had was teeth chattering while it was on and back pain/soreness (only after the first baby). They kept it on the whole time so I didn't really feel anything while pushing.