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I have a question for those of you who have had an epidural. I am leaning towards getting one with this pregnancy, I am curious as to how far into the labor you were when you got one and if that is when you would want one again. I am feeling unsure about how long I want to try and go without an epidural or even if there is any gain in going without one for a time. What do you all think?
Posts: 416 | Registered: May 2005
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The first time my stinky doctor wouldn't give me one until my pain was at a 9.5 out of 10, (ten being "the worst pain I could imagine.")
It helped but I still felt the pressure as pain and, it also wasn't as effective, since they couldn't get me in the ideal position to give it at that point.
The second time I had it after my contractions were regulated but before they upped the pitocin to make them painful. It was wonderful. They also put a narcotic IN the epidural so I didn't feel the pressure-as-pain pain, either, except at the very end (just enough to push!)
I'm doing that again.
It all depends on what is important to you. For many women going natural is a great accomplishment, they feel a greater connection to the baby, it is even a spiritual experience, etc. Also, for some women, an epidural interferes with their ability to do what works best for them-- walking, birth ball, etc., and they hate being confined to the bed. For some women, the pain detracts from the experience and they would rather enjoy it without worrying about the pain. Some women don't mind being in bed the whole time, as long as the epidural is working. (Remember there IS a risk it won't work.) I'm one of the latter. But I know many women who are the former. They don't regret their choice to go without medication; I don't regret my choice to have an epidural. It's a very individual choice and whichever you decide is a wonderful one. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Congratulations on the baby, Katarain! Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Congrats, Katarain!
Heh, last night my husband was on the phone with one of his friends talking about going to lunch today, and he said, "I'll have to check with the wife. She gives birth at home to nine pound babies with no drugs. Don't wanna mess with a woman like that!"
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Theresa: You know, I'm not sure what I'm going to do next time because the epidural did not work quite like I wanted it to. I couldn't feel any urge to push, so they had to let it wear off in an attempt to help me feel what to do. Instead of helping me need to push, it just made it so I could feel the pain of the contractions. I never felt the urge to push!
Regarding when to get the epidural, I think I got mine at a pretty good time. I was induced as well. I asked for it when the contractions were getting pretty painful, and the nurse told me they weren't that strong yet (looking at the monitor). I figured that if they were going to get a whole lot worse, I would like the epidural.
Posts: 1635 | Registered: Aug 2002
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There is a point in going without the epidural for a time even if you plan on getting one -- getting it too early can slow labor. That's not as big a deal if you're being induced anyway, since they can turn up the pitocin drip, but if you aren't induced and you get the epidural too soon you might need pitocin anyway to get things moving again.
Also once you get the epidural you're stuck in bed and lose the option to walk around, take a warm bath or shower, and anything else that you might want to do to relax, releive bordom, or get things going faster. Also to go to the bathroom. Once the epidural is in you get a catheter.
I can't stand the idea of being tethered to anything, so even if I could stand the idea of someone sticking a needle in my back (which I can't) and even if I wanted to do something other than natural childbirth (which I don't) I think I'd wait as long as I could to get the epidural so I could keep my freedom of movement. And freedom of peeing.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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When we were discussing what we wanted to do, I did not like the idea of not being able to move. Once the pain kicked in (I was induced so pictocin level contractions), I did not want to move at all. I also felt like the contractions were nearly continuous with peaks of pain, but like level 4 pain throughout, with level 7-9 peaks. All I wanted to do is lay down, curl into a ball and stay there. So, the epidural was a very easy decision. My doctor did make me wait until I was 4 cms and 80% effaced (though in reality it was 5 cms before we finally did it) since he didn't want me to slow down too much. For pushing, they told me when and how to push so I just followed instructions. But my husband and I had talked about trying to do it natural and the plan was to go natural unless it hurt too bad.
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
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She ate so well last night, and she won't eat now. I'm getting quite upset about it. I don't think my milk has come in yet, and I think she ate everything that was already there. I don't know what to do.
I'm searching for that breastfeeding thread before I call the nursery for help.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Katarain, it's fine if your milk hasn't come in yet. It will. Colustrum is SO good for her. Try Kellymom for really good breastfeeding info. (The link is to info about getting started.)
Congratulations on your new baby!
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Katarain, it's okay. Bridget did the same thing and I freaked out because Emma had eaten constantly. She's not going to starve. First, if she's acting hungry, put her on. You'll make more colostrum for her. Second, she might be getting frustrated or distracted. Some babies need extra chin support, a different position, etc. Bridey had a little chin and I had to support her chin with a finger under it the first few weeks. Bridget also couldn't nurse not only if covered, but if my shirt hit her chin, I had to keep it well back from her face so she wouldn't get distracted. And make sure she's thoroughly burped; while Ems just screamed if she had gas, Bridey felt like her tummy was full and wouldn't eat. Then we'd burp her and it would empty out the tummy and she'd take more. I found that I had to burp her at least 3 or 4 times per feeding, usually 2 times for each side she ate on, for the first month or so. Kellymom is a great resource. You're doing fine and it's going to be okay.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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(And, it IS okay to call for a lactation consultant if that doesn't work. That's what they're there for. )
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Definitely don't be afraid to call a lactation consultant for any help or questions.
I hope you're doing all right today...It usually takes 3-5 days for your milk to come in. Colostrum is thick and slow, so you need to nurse frequently, but it really is all right. Your baby may even cluster feed...that is want to feed again 5 minutes after she finished. Go with it...that's a great way to signal your breast that there's demand.
I spend a lot of time on a BF support forum on another site. (www.babyfit.com ... I'm not_a_witch there) People there will answer your questions, share experiences, or just support you through these rough early days.
For the record, it took my milk 6 or 7 days to come in. The early weeks were a very frustrating time for me, but I asked for help, got support from the BF forum I mentioned, and am so glad I got through it to the good part. It was nice for me to know that other moms were going through the same thing and that it was normal. Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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((Katarain)) Keep trying!! I know it took me about 3-4 days before my milk came in. I was terrified that she was starving (since I didn't know if she was getting anything - my colostrum was never visible), but the nurses promised me she would be fine (since I had her right before Christmas, there weren't any lactation consultants that could help me). I had problems with waking her up to eat. The poor little girl was so sleepy that it was near impossible to get her to wake up to eat (one day it took 3 of us - me, my mom, and a nurse - trying for 45 minutes straight to wake up). I don't know what your feelings are concerning bottle feeding, but if you are _that_ concerned, you can supplement with formula. I supplemented with formula for the first couple weeks (and used pumped breast milk to give my nipples a rest). We had no problems with nipple confusion or any preference for bottles (if anything, she prefers the breast - she gets upset if she has to take a bottle when I'm not home or when she's eating too fast for my supply to keep up).
Be prepared for your milk to come in - you might get engorged. Mine was so bad that poor Jess couldn't latch on. Between the engorgement and the pain (she really tore me up) I almost gave up after a couple weeks. Thank goodness for a pump and nipple shields!! They saved the day.
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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And on another topic, my son and I both came down with the stomach flu yesterday.
Drake started screaming at 3 a.m. and my husband and I spend the next 3 hours comforting, cleaning, etc. At 6 a.m. my husband was getting ready to leave for work when I had to run for the bathroom myself...at the exact same moment poor Drake started screaming again. So my husband stayed home.
By yesterday evening I was so dehydrated my OB told me to go to the hospital to get some fluids pumped into my veins and to make sure the baby was ok. I did and the baby's heartbeat was just fine. I felt much better after getting 2 liters of fluids and today I can finally hold down some water and small amounts of dry toast.
Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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((Christine)) It's surprising how awful dehydration makes you feel. I hope you'll be able to keep enough fluids down now that you don't have to get more fluids! I'm so glad the baby did ok. Hopefully you and Drake will be over this quickly!!
When I got dehydrated, I was terrified I was turning my baby into a little prune or something. After the 4 liters of fluids, it was amazing how much better I felt.
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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My milk started to come in on the (counts) 3rd full day after delivery. I was using a hospital-grade pump religiously every 3 hours, including at night (baby was in NICU & couldn't nurse yet). I was completely discouraged the second day because I was getting almost nothing...as in, I was using a syringe to pull out droplets of colostrum from the pump parts so I could have 3 ml in the bottle. That was after 20 minutes of pumping. Just keep nursing...it'll happen.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Thanks for the words of encouragement. I called the nursery and the nurse was able to get her to latch on and nurse for a while. They did tell me that I wouldn't run out. I was glad to hear it.
She's in a major sleep session right now. I've managed to wake her up twice to get her to eat for about 5 minutes 2 times. (Maybe 3 times?? Everything starts to blur together.) She seems pretty content, though, so I'm trying not to worry, and I'm offering the breast every time she wakes up.
And yeah, she was fussy last night. The nurse thought she had gas, but she finally started feeling better and when she settled down at last, I got a precious 4 hours of sleep! I felt like I had won the lottery.
Thanks:) We're going home soon. I imagine the next few weeks will be very challenging!
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Yay for a sleeping baby and getting to go home soon!!
The first couple weeks home is really challenging (I won't lie), but it really does get easier. Just keep trying and remind yourself that it will get better (and quicker than you'd think). Do your best to rest - only getting to sleeping in little snatches makes it seem like it's lasting forever and like you'll never get good sleep again, but you will. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Katarain: I'm glad the nurses were able to help. Make sure you're sleeping when the baby is. When she wakes, she may not let you for a while. Posts: 2392 | Registered: Sep 2005
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It is just exceedingly hard to sleep when you have a backache AND Braxton-Hicks.
Oh, and my next appointment I get to have an ultrasound and see Maggie again. But of course KPC can't be there. I think I will invite my mom in, it's so much more fun with people there. And I'll of course get a videotape so KPC can watch that night (if he doesn't fall asleep...)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Also, KPC still won't help decide on a middle name. I am getting pretty settled on Nancy. Margaret Nancy, or Maggie Nan for short. (Well, usually just Maggie, but I will call her Maggie Nan if I want to.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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(Maybe I should start a Hatrack petition and bully everyone into agreeing with me. Then I can say, "Hatrack says her middle name should be Nancy. So there." )
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: (Maybe I should start a Hatrack petition and bully everyone into agreeing with me. Then I can say, "Hatrack says her middle name should be Nancy. So there." )
That's only fair if we get to know his choice. Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
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Oh man, I definitely am enjoying my backache-free sleep (when James is letting me sleep, that is). *sympathy vibes*
James has started to smile when I play with his hands and feet! He smiled a lot from around day three, but they were just subconscious-type smiles usually right as he was dozing off. I'm so excited!
Posts: 1635 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Aren't those little smiles sweet? Nathaniel has just recently started to know how to smile..before he would smile occasionally, but then couldn't do it again. Now he smiles on purpose. (He's a little behind developmentally for his actual age of 3 months, but a bit ahead for his corrected age of 7 weeks.)
What I'm just as excited about is that he's started to sleep a 5-7 hour block from around 9 to around 2-4 AM. That means that last night he fell asleep around 9, I relaxed & took a bubble bath and read for a little, then went to bed at 10:30 AND SLEPT FOR 5 HOURS STRAIGHT. Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Aw man. We had finally gotten a pretty good nap thing going (and sleeping at night had been going well for a few weeks), and now it's all wrecked. I'm not positive, but I think she's teething - at 11 weeks! It's so unfair. She started acting more "fussy" about a week ago. This week she's been getting worse - tons of drooling, more crying (she rarely cries, so this is new), restlessness while she's sleeping and difficulty going to and staying asleep (especially during the day). I can see a couple little white spots on her lower gums and she sometimes is comforted by chewing on shoulders or something cool (teething ring, washcloth, refrigerated pacifier). The poor little girl sometimes doesn't even want to eat. All you moms already know it, but it just breaks my heart that she's hurting/unhappy and I can't fix it.
Smiling babies are great! Jess is really getting into making lots of sounds and "talking" to us. It's adorable!
Yay Liz for sleep!! Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: (Maybe I should start a Hatrack petition and bully everyone into agreeing with me. Then I can say, "Hatrack says her middle name should be Nancy. So there." )
That's only fair if we get to know his choice.
He doesn't HAVE a choice; that's the problem. I have come up with all the middle name ideas and he likes them all "okay."
ludosti, mine teethed way before that... Bridey was born with a tooth just poking through. Good luck.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I am still up-- as in, did not go to sleep last night-- because I have just AWFUL heartburn. Zantac is NOT helping. I can't lay down or it just gets worse. Grrr. I'm gonna try another dose.
On the plus side, one, this is the first time I've forgotten my phenergan but been okay in the morning! No nausea today, woo! And I have only 5 weeks and 2 days (or maybe less!) to go. *sigh*
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Wait - babies need clothes? I thought you just strapped a diaper on and wrapped 'em in a blanket? I kid, I kid... ; )
Oh, trust me, I'll probably be leaning on the Rack with all sorts of silly questions (and I'm sure some not so silly ones occasionally...).
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
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Actually, I totally did that with my first-- she was born during a heat wave (other than the day we brought her home-- when it was foggy and chilly!), we lived in an apartment with unreliable air conditioning that ran all the time but didn't do much, even the ceiling fans and floor fans didn't get the air moving much, and she had sensory issues and didn't like clothes or swaddles... We pretty much dressed her in a diaper and maybe a onesie unless we were going someplace special, and if we were going out on a windy day we tucked a blanket over her! She was quite content that way... Don't think it would work for a November baby, though! Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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kq, yep it's spring leading into summer. Not too hot by November, thank goodness.
I guess it means clothes won't be too much of an issue - although with my Mum as a first time grandmother and already having to be forcibly removed from baby stores, I don't think we'll have a problem...
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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My husband's mother can't seem to resist and neither can my aunt, and this is our THIRD GIRL. I think some people just can't be restrained. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Congratulations cmc! November babies are the best!
And imogen! I'm so happy it 'took' at last! I know you've been trying about as long as we have, and with similar challenges. Your little one will be born almost exactly a year after ours.
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Well, I take it back about the nausea... It seems to have just migrated to the afternoon/evening...
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Congrats imogen! : ) Pretty cool that the timing's the same - so I'll have a virtual friend to 'compare notes' with. Neat coincidence, my neighbor is pregnant, too... Due the same time. What was in the air around here?!
Speaking of clothes - I'm kicking myself right about now. I lost some weight over the past year or so and had just gotten to the point where I was a certain size and that's the size I was going to stay. So - OF COURSE I went through all my clothes and gave about a gazillion items to Good Will - and promptly scavenged myself some new, good fitting, smaller sized clothes. Too bad I don't have those bigger ones back to save myself some $ on clothes for me... ; )
ketchupqueen - When did you start feeling groodie at times? So far - I feel absolutely normal. It was actually a surprise for me when I even found out...
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
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I didn't start throwing up until week 12 either pregnancy. Just when normal women are getting over morning sickness mine starts.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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My second pregnancy (well, third-- second successful pregnancy that went past a few weeks), though, was so easy it was a total surprise to learn I was pregnant. I could not believe it. Nothing like this one, or my first one. You may just be lucky!
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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KQ, if I remember right with Bridget you were complaining on here of being sick and tired, and everyone was joking that you must be pregnant. You refused until you found out you were. Maybe this is exaggerated in my mind though.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I had heartburn, and I was tired. But I wasn't puking-- I never did puke with her until I got a virus.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I'm not positive, but I think she's teething - at 11 weeks! It's so unfair. She started acting more "fussy" about a week ago. This week she's been getting worse - tons of drooling, more crying (she rarely cries, so this is new), restlessness while she's sleeping and difficulty going to and staying asleep (especially during the day). I can see a couple little white spots on her lower gums and she sometimes is comforted by chewing on shoulders or something cool (teething ring, washcloth, refrigerated pacifier). The poor little girl sometimes doesn't even want to eat. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
