A miracle cure for pain (Epidural)

Member Name: Vicki H

Product:	Epidural
Date:	23/09/01 (199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Total pain relief.

Disadvantages: Couldn't feel to push., Have to measure urine., Slight back ache.

In the initial stages of pregnancy I was going for a natural birth - silly me! I read all this stuff about breathing the baby out like a wave in the ocean but I'm afraid it just didn't happen like they said in the book!

As the pregnancy progressed I started to take Raspberry Leaf Tea tablets. You take them a few weeks before your due date and they relax the muscles around the womb. I was so convinced that they would work that I did worry about my womb being so relaxed that baby would just pop out - erm not quite!

As I grew bigger and bigger I decided that maybe I would need a bit of gas and air. I came to the conclusion that it was best to be flexible regarding pain relief as I did not have a clue what the pain would be like. I therefore decided that if it was very bad I would have an epidural.

I read lots about epidurals and thought it sounded an horrendous process. I was also terrified as my Mum kept telling me that you musn't move when they put it in or else you can end up paralysed - very helpful!

My labour started at 1am on November 5th last year. It was intense right from the start. I used a TENs machine up until 1pm but didn't really find it very useful. In the end I took it off as I found the sensation quite annoying.

I was finally kept in hospital at 6pm and was in total agony. My contractions were regular and had been for some 14hours. I was desperate to have some kind of relief for the pain. I was asked by the midwife what I wanted to which I replied 'everything!' I don't think I had been prepared for the fact that the pain can last so long and be so draining. I was told that I was still some way off giving birth and the gas helped me get through a few more hours.

By the time I came to the stage of having the epidural I must admit things were hazy. I had been puffing away on the gas and was in a total daze. The pain was quite horrendous though and I knew that
if I didn't ask for the epidural soon it would be too late to have one. I really couldn't contemplate going on any further as the pain was so intense.

I requested the epidural and was told that the anaesthetist was being contacted. It seemed to take an age for him to arrive but I had no true concept of time by this stage anyway. All I remember about him is his white coat and it all seemed so clinical (yes I know, that's cos it was!).

I had to lay on my side with my back exposed. I was told to curl my legs up to my stomach in a ball. Now this is not as easy as it sounds. Please take a moment to consider how a 9 month pregnant woman gets her legs anywhere near her stomach! I just couldn't do it! This is when he got quite abrupt with me according to my husband. The good thing about labour though is you just don't care. He could be as nasty as he liked as long as he sorted my pain out.

I then had to lay very still (remember what Mum said!). I had to warn him of any contractions so that he could stop. I found that I was concentrating so intently on this that I didn't notice what he was doing. I got a very strange sensation in my back, like water trickling and then the whole contraption was taped up. INSTANT RELIEF!!!

It was wonderful, I had no pain - until it wore off! I had not realised how much it hurt until the pain came back. The midwives were able to perform top ups on three occasions.

Unfortunately when it came to pushing I could not feel any contractions or how to push. This mean that my son eventually had to be delivered by Ventouse. Also I had to be bathed in bed which is a bit degrading and my legs kept falling off the trolley.

I couldn't get up with my son to feed him that night as I couldn't walk at all. By the next morning all my sensation was back. I had to measure exactly how much I had to drink and how much I urinated for a day to check that everyth
ing was working properly and it was.

I had a small bruise on my back and a little back ache for a few days but I hail the epidural as a miracle cure!

Thanks for reading.

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