When it comes to writing your birth plan, you probably have several unanswered questions and grey areas.
Of course, a birth plan is a guideline, and it could change depending upon the circumstances which occur when the time comes.
One question many women are unsure about it that of an epidural.
What does an epidural feel like? Does it hurt? Is it harmful to me and my baby?
These are all very common questions asked.
Let’s explore these questions and find out what an epidural feels like.
What is an Epidural?
An epidural is a form of pain relief during labor and it works to numb the abdominal area, which is where most of the pain will be centered during childbirth.
An epidural is placed into a region of your back called the epidural region, and it is done via a very large needle.
You will need a specialist anesthetist to place the epidural and you will need to stay still whilst they carry out the procedure.
The epidural then works to tell your brain to ignore the pain, which works pretty well for most women.
It’s a completely personal decision whether you want an epidural or not, and you can request this in your birth plan.
As we’ve just mentioned, an anesthetist will need to place the epidural so it might be that you need to wait a short while, until a trained member of staff is available.
For that reason, it’s best to know ahead of time if you can, whether you want this form of pain relief or not.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure, you can decide on the day too.
What Does Placing an Epidural Feel Like?
We can’t tell you that it feels like this, this, and this, because every woman is different.
It really depends upon your pain threshold as to what it feels like and how painful it is for you.
What you need to remember is that it is going to prevent you from feeling a considerable amount of pain during labor.
So if you do feel a slight discomfort during the placing process, it’s for the greater good!
Most women say that they don’t really feel much when the epidural is placed, because the area is numbed with local anesthetic beforehand.
The anesthetist will give you the local anesthetic (LA) and then wait until it is totally numbed before they start with the epidural process.
In this case, the local anesthetic will probably hurt more than the actual epidural!
The most you will feel is a slight sting when the LA is given to you, that’s probably the best way to describe it.
Once the epidural is ready to be placed, you may feel a slight pushing on your back, but some women report they don’t feel anything at all.
When the pain relief is passed through, there may be a tiny tingling or heat sensation.
There is no single answer to this question, but in terms of whether the epidural itself hurts – no, not at all.
The other plus point is that an epidural doesn’t need to be replaced, it simply wears off.
An epidural lasts for around 1-2 hours, but you can have a top up if your labor is still continuing past that point.
After the epidural has been placed, you might be wondering how you’re going to feel.
For instance, will you feel high? Will you feel woozy? Will you know what is going on?
An epidural isn’t designed to knock you out or make you out of it, it’s simply designed to get your brain to ignore the pain signals and therefore numb your abdominal area.
You might still feel something, such as a pressure, but it won’t be a contraction as you would feel if you didn’t have the epidural.
Most women explain feeling ‘giddy’, e.g. giggly and perhaps chilled out, but certainly not as though they’re not in the room.
What we should say however is that every woman is different and that means every woman’s experience is also going to be different.
Are There Any Side Effects From Having an Epidural?
There are a few possible side effects of having an epidural, but you will be monitored closely during your labor, so these shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
For instance, an epidural can affect your blood pressure, but this will be checked regularly throughout your labor anyway, so any changes can be detected early.
One possible effect of having an epidural is not being able to tell if you need to go and pee or not.
In this case, you might be given a catheter instead, but this will depend upon the circumstances.
Once the epidural wears off, control over your bladder will return back to normal, so don’t worry!
Two other effects which some women complain about are itching of the skin and feeling a little sick.
These don’t affect everyone, but it is just something to be aware of.
Epidurals are less likely to make you feel nauseated than other types of pain relief.
But if you do feel nauseated and it’s a problem during your labor, you might be given some anti-sickness medication to counteract the effects.
The same can be said for itching skin, this depends upon the person.
And if the itch does bother you, simply mention it to your midwife and the medication inside the epidural can either be changed.
You may also be given another type of medication to stop the itching.
Many women experience no side effects when they have an epidural, but it’s a good idea to be aware of the possibilities, just in case.
Should You Think About Having an Epidural?
Whether you have an epidural is a totally personal decision that only you can make.
You might even decide you don’t want one beforehand, and then when labor begins, you change your mind; that’s totally fine and very common.
If you decide beforehand that you definitely want an epidural, that’s equally as fine.
Should you think about it?
Yes, definitely, because you should think about every aspect of labor and how you feel about it.
Only when you know the facts and you know how you feel about something, can you make an informed decision.
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279567/
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-pain-relief#1
- https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/epidural-anesthesia-during-labor-and-delivery
- https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/epidural/epidural-side-effects/
- https://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/epidural/