I really need serious contributions only. I am seriously looking at getting an epidural for my first birth, I have even discussed it with my husband and hes cool with it as long as thats what I want. but my mother is a big advocate for natural birth and will have it no other way. She has 1 billions reasons why pain assisted birth is bad. And now am actually scared and terrified of having an epidural. But knowing myself and all I am still indecisive about the whole thing. Anyways long story short, anyone have experience with any or both to please share with me? I will really appreciate it like I said serious contributors only thank you.


P.S I am not pregnant I am just preparing.

I had an epidural as i had a very difficult labour all because i was trying to do "hebrew woman" rubbish bearing in mind this was a very difficult pregnancy.
from day 1, I suffered with Severe Hyperemesis and was constantly admitted in hospital. Then i was overdue and the doc's recommended CS. My mum, hubby & pastor were all talking their own and i followed their talk, ended up with major complications after birth.
Those complications began before i even had the epidural but i can tell you this, the epidural was the best pain relief ever.

I had gas & air, then 2 doses of diamorphine injections then an anesthetist came and administered the epidural in my spinal cord
It took all the pain away completely!!! the only thing i felt was discomfort and pressure to push around my pelvic. I even had an episiotomy yet didnt need pain relief for that because of the epidural.
It has to be administered by an anesthetist. I sat on the bed but had to bend forward whilst the anesthetist stood behind me to get my spine as its injected in the spine and connected to a tube/drip type stand. The doses are then adjusted depending on the strength of the medication.
The anesthetist got it after a second attempt cos the first attempt was uncomfortable for me.

Side effects are, drowsiness. ( I slept immediately after pushing out the big headed child). I didnt even know when the placenta was removed or when i was stitched back.
Would i have an epidural again? Absolutely yes!!!. Its generally used for preplanned CS so that the mother is awake during the process anyway. But as long as you have the right team with you then you are good to go.

natasha:
I had an epidural as i had a very difficult labour all because i was trying to do "hebrew woman" rubbish bearing in mind this was a very difficult pregnancy.
from day 1, I suffered with Severe Hyperemesis and was constantly admitted in hospital. Then i was overdue and the doc's recommended CS. My mum, hubby & pastor were all talking their own and i followed their talk, ended up with major complications after birth.
Those complications began before i even had the epidural but i can tell you this, the epidural was the best pain relief ever.

I had gas & air, then 2 doses of diamorphine injections then an anesthetist came and administered the epidural in my spinal cord
It took all the pain away completely!!! the only thing i felt was discomfort and pressure to push around my pelvic. I even had an episiotomy yet didnt need pain relief for that because of the epidural.
It has to be administered by an anesthetist. I sat on the bed but had to bend forward whilst the anesthetist stood behind me to get my spine as its injected in the spine and connected to a tube/drip type stand. The doses are then adjusted depending on the strength of the medication.
The anesthetist got it after a second attempt cos the first attempt was uncomfortable for me.

Side effects are, drowsiness. ( I slept immediately after pushing out the big headed child). I didnt even know when the placenta was removed or when i was stitched back.
Would i have an epidural again? Absolutely yes!!!. Its generally used for preplanned CS so that the mother is awake during the process anyway. But as long as you have the right team with you then you are good to go.

Thank you so much for the reply my dear. I have two questions though, did your baby experience any side effects? And at what stage did you opt for the epidural?

Epidural Anesthesia is what a vast majority of women are opting for, this is because as compared to regular anesthesia, epidurals only relief pain in the lower region and as such is better than regular anesthesia which just makes you go numb. However Africans tend to shy away from epidurals like your mother, claiming it's unnatural. I have had just a handful of patients who request for epidurals. The majority preferring to go natural. But Roki if you are not strong enough to go the Hebrew way, which is extremely painful, especially for first pregnancies, I recommend epidural.
#Justmyopinion

KingTom:
Epidural Anesthesia is what a vast majority of women are opting for, this is because as compared to regular anesthesia, epidurals only relief pain in the lower region and as such is better than regular anesthesia which just makes you go numb. However Africans tend to shy away from epidurals like your mother, claiming it's unnatural. I have had just a handful of patients who request for epidurals. The majority preferring to go natural. But Roki if you are not strong enough to go the Hebrew way, which is extremely painful, especially for first pregnancies, I recommend epidural.
#Justmyopinion

Are you a midwife or a doctor?

rokiatu:
Are you a midwife or a doctor?

A Gynaecologist

KingTom:
A Gynaecologist

Seriously? Like for real?

Err I heard that women blessed with hips that never lie have it easier when it comes to pushing out the little munchkins...

Or is that a myth?

rokiatu:
Seriously? Like for real?

I'm surprised you didn't know all this while

crackhaus:
Err I heard that women blessed with hips that never lie have it easier when it comes to pushing out the little munchkins...

Or is that a myth?

Big bross how far na? E don tey o, where you hide?

KingTom:
I'm surprised you didn't know all this while

I really didn't lol you look so young.

KingTom:
Big bross how far na? E don tey o, where you hide?

I dey bro, long time indeed...

I still come across your exploits with dem NL chics, badt guy

crackhaus:
Err I heard that women blessed with hips that never lie have it easier when it comes to pushing out the little munchkins...

Or is that a myth?

My brother I dont know I am hoping na true lol though I doubt it.

Child birth terrify me mannh!

Common! Go for your epidural, the world has moved past your mum's ideologies. Except you really just want to know what the pain feels like.

I am here to be enlightened

rokiatu:
I really didn't lol you look so young.

Young ke? Don't let those heavily edited pics fool you, I am really old

rokiatu:
My brother I dont know I am hoping na true lol though I doubt it.

Child birth terrify me mannh!

Lol... you're not the first woman I'm hearing this from, but then again you could just settle for the epidural if it's really what you want - as long as the person in charge of administering it knows his/her stuff, it should be fine.

As for wide hips, the next person who tells me it eases childbirth will have to prove it somehow, Lol...especially the Efik people of Cross-Rivers.

crackhaus:

I dey bro, long time indeed...

I still dey come across your exploits with dem NL chics, badt guy

Hahahahaha Boss na you be my mentor o

KingTom:
Hahahahaha Boss na you be my mentor o

Lol...

How dat your SA friend/chic, azah88 or something?

crackhaus:

Lol...

How dat your SA friend/chic, azah88 or something?

Ah she don de-activate long ago

crackhaus:
Err I heard that women blessed with hips that never lie have it easier when it comes to pushing out the little munchkins...

Or is that a myth?

Myth.

Childbirth scares the jesus out of me too.

Anyway,just go for an epidural in a reputable hospital and doctor. Talk to your doctor before then, so you know what to expect.

No first hand experience, but I recently supported a cousin in the delivery room at London's UCLH (very reputable). She, like yourself, was very afraid of side effects and such (as am I).

Once the pain showed itself, I think she made a quick decision to have an epidural because the option was there and she felt she couldn't go an unknown amount of hours trying to be brave and bear the pain. This was not her first child, btw, she had delivered before without an epidural, but the Labour progressed a lot quicker.

When baby was born, he was alert and wide eyed. We'd heard many stories about the effects of epidurals, so we prepared to expect a lethargic baby. She has no residual back pain; it's been a month and she's doing fine. The epidural she had was not a 'one jab and that's you done' injection. She had a tube connected to somewhere on her body, and pressed a button to release some chemical when she felt pain. I didn't expect that either, and I'm unsure if this is now the norm, or a widely available option I'd not known of, or if the hospital was trialing it. I've had no kids yet but like yourself, I'm trying to prepare myself.

I think the healthy thing to do is to really focus on perfecting your breathing exercises, and know that you have widely utilised options available to you if the pain gets too much. At the end of the Labour, the baby is your reward. From watching my cousin, I'm not so afraid of epidurals but my pain tolerance is high I've been told. Time will tell all

KingTom:
Ah she don de-activate long ago

Okay, she gats to run from sharp guys like you...

Joavid:

Myth.

Yea I figured but some people still believe it till this day though, and not just Africans.

crackhaus:

Okay, she gats to run from sharp guys like you...

Epidural slows things down. Though natural is painful like mad, but its faster than Epi.

lmao @ just preparing but really, only lazy women do epidural and it might affect the baby.

Joavid:
Childbirth scares the jesus out of me too.

Anyway,just go for an epidural in a reputable hospital and doctor. Talk to your doctor before then, so you know what to expect.

It's your burden to bear as a woman, bear it graciously & stop looking for short cuts or easy ways out.

Whatever you do, get an epidural!

It will lower the trauma you will pass through by natural birth.

God knows I am taking epidural. This isn't up for debate! I'm too fragile for such a traumatic event.

Instead of being scared, take a lot of time to pray and tell your God what you want and it shall be given unto you.

My 2 pregnancies were painless nd no contractions. Infact, the doctors are still wondering how that's possible. You can imagine them telling me to imagine pooing so I can push. 2 pushes and babies are out. Mind u, I just had a baby 5 months ago.

I tell God what I want and the funny this is cuz I don't feel pain or contraction, God always lead me to the hospital at the right time nd am always told I would have delivered at home if I wasted like 20 more mins