What does labor/delivery with epidural feel like?

Question

I’m 34 weeks and starting to get nervous about the labor and delivery process. Just wondering what your experience has been with an epidural during labor and delivery? When did you get it?

Answer

I had an amazing epidural the first time (not too numbing, but helped a ton) and the second time I was only numb on my right side. I can 1,000% say that the epidural is worth it. The pain I felt during my second labor 😳 I was not prepared for that. With a good epidural you’ll still feel pressure and things, it’s not completely pain free which is good because you need to feel something so you can listen to your body and know when to push.

Answer

People freak out because of the thought of a needle going into your back, but I honestly didn't feel them insert it.
I slept through most of my labor, because I couldn't feel anything but pressure from the waist down. 
I was thankful for that when they broke my water and during actual delivery because I ended up tearing and needing stitches. But I didn't feel anything but tugging.

Answer

I got the epidural after they manually broke my water.  I was probably about 5 cm dilated.  The contractions got really bad and intense after the water broke so it was an easy decision for me.  I labored for another 12 hours after that (pushed for 4 hrs).  By the end, the epidural definitely “wore off” a bit, but still somewhat worked to alleviate the pain of pushing the baby out.  I could still feel the contractions from start to end with the epidural, mostly just pressure than pain.

Answer

I got an epidural once I was grabbing onto the hospital bed so hard I said I couldn’t take it anymore. Then they gave me one:). But once I got it I was fine. You can feel touch, and contractions, just not the pain part of it.

Answer

Mine didn’t work for the upper part of my body-but It did work for the lower part so birthing wasn’t painful. I also just followed the nurses instructions when pushing and she came out within two hours-which is normal for the first time.

Answer

I got it with my first two kids before I was 6cm dilated. I felt no pain I was completely numb from the waist down but I was high as a kite I didn't like it. When I went into labor with my third baby I didn't want an epidural I don't like that feeling, I dealt with those contractions and I brought my second boy into this world kicking and screaming. I felt better immediately after he was out, there was no tearing and I didn't regret not one bit of it. I'll be doing the same with this baby if given the chance.

Answer

With the epidural my labor was completely pain free i got one with my first at 3 centimeters and it was amazing doesn’t hurt at all to get it either.

Answer

I had the epidural for a c section. It worked great for about the first 5 mins then wore off. (C sections with failed epidural kinda sucks) but everyone reacts differently so you’ll never know until you get it

Answer

Got it at 6cm with my first, I was induced and it was a 24hr labor. The induced contractions hurt WAY worse than the natural kind. My epidural was a big relief up until pushing when it failed and I felt everything and the nurses didn’t believe me. 
With my second labor, I laborer naturally(no pitocin) until 7cm and then got the epidural. Which ended in a c section. But I want to reiterate, the difference between pitocin(induced) contractions, and natural labor contractions is huge. Regular contractions feel like squeezing cramps, pitocin contractions feel like your abdomen is in a vice and like your body is fighting itself.

Answer

I got my epidural about 20 minutes after getting admitted. I was 3cm dilated, about 80% effaced, and I just started to feel my contractions. I got it way too early. 
So I felt no pain when I got mine. I didn’t feel my legs either. I couldn’t move the lower half of my body and could feel from belly down. I got the shakes and no matter how many blankets I had on I was shivering. The epidural also made me vomit. So while delivering my son I was puking. His heart rate dipped a bit, but they just rolled me on my side and it went back up. But really the shivering and vomiting were the only bad things about it. I was able to nap between checks. I was able to talk to the people who came to visit and enjoy a long labor without pain

What does labor/delivery with epidural feel like?

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