Useful information, including the advantages and disadvntages of the epidural as one method of pain relief during labour.Discuss pain relief in labour: epidural on our forums, right now! Or, post a comment below.An epidural is an injection of a mixture of drugs into the space just before the spinal nerves. In labour the epidural is placed so that the nerves which carry messages from your womb, your lower back, pelvis and perineum are bathed in a combination of local anaesthetic and pain relieving drugs.
Epidural and spinal anaesthetics, which are similar, are the only available methods of pain relief used in labour that can potentially relieve all your pain.
In order to have an epidural you need the services of an anaesthetist. Most large hospital units have an anaesthetist on call 24 hours a day, but this will vary in smaller units.
The anaesthetist will first explain the procedure to you and make sure you understand it. He will then site a canula, this is a small, hollow, flexible tube placed in the back of your hand or lower arm to allow a drip to be started if it is needed. You will then be asked to either lie on your side or sit up and curve your back out. The anaesthetist will place some local anaesthetic in the skin and muscle of your back. He will then put a needle in your back to find the epidural space. A fine, flexible tube is pushed through this needle, which is then removed. The drugs are given through the tube, which is known as a catheter.
The epidural is usually working within 10 to 20 minutes. It remains in place until after you have delivered your baby.
A measured amount of drugs may be given each hour or your epidural may be topped up using a syringe. In some places you are able to control the amount of pain relief you receive yourself by pressing a button.
Occasionally epidurals do not give good pain relief, if this happens to you your epidural may need to be repositioned, a different combination of drugs used or possibly replaced.
Advantages of epidurals- Epidurals nearly always give good pain relief
- Because the drugs used are injected into your back, very little goes through to your baby.
- An epidural can help to control your blood pressure if it is a little high while you are in labour. (if you have very high blood pressure and your blood clotting is affected then it may not be safe for you o have an epidural, but this is rare).
Disadvantages of epidurals- Your blood pressure may drop, which can make you feel sick and dizzy. If this happens you will be asked to turn onto your side, you may be given fluid through a drip and might possibly need an injection to bring your blood pressure up again.
- Your labour may slow down. You are three times more likely to read a drip to speed things up.
- Your mobility is likely to be limited this will vary so it is a good idea to ask your anaesthetist what to expect.
- You may not be able to pass urine. If this happens a small tube (catheter) will be used to empty your bladder.
- You may feel itchy, sometimes the combination of drugs used can be altered to help relieve this.
- You may feel itchy, sometimes the combinations of drugs used can be altered to help relieve this.
- A small number of women develop a severe headache following an epidural, usually this can be treated effectively fairly quickly, but it can sometimes last for a number of weeks.
- You may develop a high temperature which could lead to an abnormally fast heart rate in your baby. This may lead to you and/or your baby being treated with antibiotics and screened for infection.
- There is an increased risk of your baby being delivered by forceps or ventuse.
Some of the disadvantages of having an epidural are less likely to be a problem if the epidural is not commenced in early labour. It is a good idea to try out some coping strategies first and see how you get on.
Follow your baby's development through pregnancy and beyond.
Watch your baby's development from conception right through to birth - now you can actually see how much your baby is growing each day!
No question is too big or small - find advice, support and friendship in our Talk forums.
The good, the bad and the ugly - find out what we think of the latest baby products on the market.
Not yet a member? Join thousands of other parents and parents-to-be and Sign Up Here.
it took a doctor and then a consultant 5 attempts to get the epidural in right, at this point the gas and air wasnt leaving my mouth... but as soon as the epidural was done it was instant relief. i just felt so relaxed and back in control.
the labour progressed slower than the midwife would have liked to i was then put onto a syntocin drip to induce me and speed things up. within 5 minutes and the drip at '1 unit' the midwive pulled the emergency button and a team of doctors rushed in. the baby's heartrate had quickly dropped and they turned me on either side, stabilised the baby and prepped my for an emergency c-section as a precaution.
it was a big shock, but luckily it was over as quickly as it started and the syntocin was up to '10 units' by the time i was ready to push.
i presonally didnt find it difficult to push although there was very little feeling below my waist. the midwife explained that i should bear down as if i was trying to go to the loo, and my husband was looking at the monitor, telling me when the contractions were coming and when to push.
i really don't think that the epidural prolonged that stage of the labour as i only pushed for 30 minutes and the baby was born at a healthy 7lb 8oz with no problems at all despite all the previous drama!
the best and most suprising thing for me is that i didn't tear at all nor did they have to cut me, which i know is more likely with first time mothers. i really honestly put this down to having an epidural. because i couldnt feel the contractions at all i wasnt tensing up or fighting against them. i would recommend an epidural to everyone! in my experience it was a god send and the best thing for me as i really wanted to stay aware, and still know what was actually happening instead of throwing up and being totally spaced out!
When I got the pethadine jag it really helped me alot but when is weared off i couldn't get another...
so i asked for an epidural and that did it for mee! i was so realivddd because I was contracting for 2days nd i was was in labour for 6 hours!! I RECOMMEND EPIDURAL!
BUT AFTA HVIN A C SECTION. I WAS A SIZE 14 FOR ABOUT 6DAYS ( before i was prgnant i was a size 8) then i went down to a size 10! which i'm happy about because i'm naturaly skinny and i've always wanted to put on weight. but luckly for me i have a flat stomach afta 2weeks frm givin birth.
anyway i do recommend pethadine jag and EPIDURAL!! gas and air did nothing for me.!!!
BUT EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!
my 2nd son on his arrival i opted for gas & air which again made me feel very very sick, i then had an epidural which didnt work so was offered another one or a spinal block. i opted for the spinal block and my 2nd son was born 45 mins later. my labour was 6 hrs with son number 2.
i am currently 10 weeks pregnant with baby number 3 and an not either going to consider another epidural am just going to try and manage on pethidine again. i think having epidural's slows ur labour down and also the effects of it make baby very drowsy and slower to feed. with such a bad experience of epidurals with son num 2 i am very tempted not to try again with baby num 3 when time arrives. xx