Epidural

My understanding is that they don't like to because having no sensation makes it hard to push effectively.
This was pretty true for me.
I had one with my first and I couldn't feel when to push or how long for. It made it really long and exhausting and was not good for morale not knowing if all the energy I was putting into it was helping me get anywhere.
I'd suggest talking to your midwife about your worries and she will be able to make a plan with you about how to prepare yourself mentally, how to support you and what you will need to get through the birth.
She can also refer you if you need more support.
All the best.

Mine was turned right down but I still was very numb, I could feel the pressure of when to push but I couldn't feel pain at all. I had an episiotomy aswell which I didn't feel..Baby was born at 330pm and I wasn't up and walking around until 9pm !!

Definatly talk to your midwife about your anxiety, she'll be able to give you some help.

Good Luck

My mw said it was my choice to top it up.

I had mine at 5pm when I was only 7cm dilated (had been 6cm at 10am) anyway they gave me syntocin also to speed things up and I didn't bother topping it up because it was fine (I had asked for epi at 4pm) anyway it wore off by 7pm when I had to push so I felt everything and it wasn't too bad, although I suspect it was slightly toned down a bit because it didn't seem as bad as everyone had been saying!

And it's totally normal to be scared of giving birth! I was scared until I went to AN class, and all the talk about birthing the placenta scared me more than pushing the baby out!

But agree you should talk to your mw.

I also had to stay in the hospital so they could make sure I could still feel things in my legs etc but I was able to walk around right after the birth though my bum felt quite sore like I'd been sitting for too long! (but worse)

Thanks ladies!

I like the idea of them letting it wear off so you can just feel pressure but not pain (I am not to keen on feeling the ring of fire haha). I will definatley discuss with my midwife the options and see what she reccomdends. But I suppose in the end it is my body and my choice in regards to pain relief, I just dont want anything to affect bubs.

I have heard that epidurals can slow labour down, but have also heard so can anxiety and stress! So im at a loss there haha but will talk to the midwife and discuss options when we go over my birth plan.

Are you allowed to write things in your birth plan such as "I would like an epidural to be active right up to the very end of labour"?

I had an epi with #1 that was turned all the way up for the whole time. COuldn't feel when to push.

When doing my birth plan with #2, I asked my MW if she would let it wear off when pushing. She said she wouldn't do that. reason is, when you're contracting in first stage, your body produced natural endorphins which help with pain relief. If you've had an epi in the first stage, your body won't have built up those endorphins. If you then get the second stage pain, you don't have the natural reserves to help you deal with it and you're more likely to struggle lots. What we agreed was that if I had one (I didn't in the end), she'd do it low dose, so I would still be able to feel a bit of pain, still be able to mobilise and would still feel the contractions, but the edge would be taken off.

Flissty wrote: I had an epi with #1 that was turned all the way up for the whole time. COuldn't feel when to push. When doing my birth plan with #2, I asked my MW if she would let it wear off when pushing. She said she wouldn't do that. reason is, when you're contracting in first stage, your body produced natural endorphins which help with pain relief. If you've had an epi in the first stage, your body won't have built up those endorphins. If you then get the second stage pain, you don't have the natural reserves to help you deal with it and you're more likely to struggle lots. What we agreed was that if I had one (I didn't in the end), she'd do it low dose, so I would still be able to feel a bit of pain, still be able to mobilise and would still feel the contractions, but the edge would be taken off.

Oh ok so your midwife said she WOULDNT let it wear off? I have never heard of that! haha makes me feel at east I think.

I am very nervous about it all. I have a low pain tolerance and just the thought of being in any kind of pain terrifies me!

Flissty wrote: Yup, wouldn't. Once she explained it, I completely got where she was coming from (esp given that my other things were that I wanted to avoid an intervention cascade - I think she was concerned that stopping the epi would increase my risk of CS).

Yeah it makes total sense why she wouldnt let it wear off. I didnt know that about birth, that the first stage produces the endorphins to help you later on. So you decided not to take it then based on that? I guess not being able to feel when to push must be very frustrating

My pain didn't really seem worse after the epidural wore off. I had already had a few contractions before I got it though, so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Personally, I was much happier once I could feel what I was pushing. My midwife could see I was getting frustrated so that's when we stopped the epidural.

Everyone's different though, and epidurals affect people in different ways.

ooh this is a great thread! i have been told i have to be induced at 38 weeks because i have an issue with my blood being prone to clotting (taking injections to thin it out) and i was worried this would mean i would most likely end up with a c - section because my body wont be ready

I had one and it was the type you can top up (I think every 30 mins, or might have been 15 I can't quite remember). Mine wore off on one side and then I stopped using it and it wore off completely but I only had it for a couple of hours as I transitioned far quicker than expected. I would think if I had wanted it the aneasthetist could have come back and fixed it so that I didn't feel anything.

Queenbean to answer your question when you can feel it you don't need anyone to tell you when to push you just do it, at one point they told me to stop pushing and just breathe through them and I found that harder to do.