Should i take epidural

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Get the facts. Your options Have an epidural to control pain during childbirth. Don't have an epidural.

Instead, use other methods to control the pain. Key points to remember An epidural is medicine that numbs your lower body so that childbirth doesn't hurt as much. The dose can be changed to make you partly numb or completely numb, depending on how much pain you're feeling.

For most women, this is a personal decision that depends on two things: how worried you are about having pain and how important natural childbirth labor without pain medicine is to you. An epidural is considered the most effective and easily adjustable type of pain relief for childbirth. Epidurals are very common. But there are some risks and possible side effects you should know about.

Labor pain is unpredictable. You may have more pain than you expected. You may plan to have natural childbirth and then decide you need pain medicine. What is an epidural? You may be in a smaller hospital that doesn't offer them. If you think you may want an epidural, find out ahead of time if they are offered at the hospital or birthing center where you're planning to go. You may have a health problem that means you can't have an epidural. What are the benefits of having an epidural?

Epidurals are considered the most effective and easily adjustable type of pain relief for childbirth. After an epidural is started, you can quickly get pain relief if and when you need it during labor and delivery. The medicine in an epidural doesn't make you sleepy, so you are awake and alert for the delivery. If you were to end up needing a C-section , the epidural could quickly numb the area below your waist for the surgery.

What are the risks of having an epidural? Drop in blood pressure. This can lower your baby's heart rate. To help prevent this, you receive fluids through an IV beforehand and are encouraged to lie on your side, which improves blood flow to the baby.

Being unable to feel your contractions and to push. This increases your risk of needing an assisted delivery forceps or vacuum. This is very rare. What are the side effects? After delivery with an epidural, you may have: Back soreness at the catheter site. This isn't common. Some women fear that an epidural causes long-term back pain. But studies have not shown a connection between new back pain and epidural use.

This can happen when the spinal cord sheath has accidentally been punctured during the epidural. The puncture happens to about 1 out of women. That means the puncture does not happen to 99 out of women. What other methods are used to control labor pain?

Pain medicines. You can get a shot of pain medicine or get it through an IV. The most common medicines used are opioids, also known as narcotics. These medicines: Help you relax between contractions. Decrease the pain but they don't take it away completely. Have side effects, including drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. Are less likely than an epidural to cause you to have a forceps or vacuum delivery.

There are also several ways to control pain without using medicine. They include: Distraction. Walk, play cards, watch TV, take a shower, or read to help take your mind off your contractions. Massage of the shoulders and low back during contractions may ease your pain. For instance, think of contractions as waves rolling over you. Picture a peaceful place, such as a beach or mountain stream, to help you relax between contractions.

Focused breathing. Breathing in a rhythm can distract you from pain. Childbirth education classes teach you different methods of focused breathing. Nitrous oxide. You give yourself nitrous oxide a gas through a mask when you need pain relief.

Nitrous oxide is not available in many places. Why might your doctor recommend an epidural? This is usually a personal decision, but an epidural might be recommended in certain situations, such as when: Your labor pain is so intense that you feel exhausted or out of control.

An epidural can help you rest and get focused. You have a higher than average chance of needing a C-section. If you do need surgery, the epidural would already be in place and you could be quickly numbed. About around 1 percent of women will experience a severe headache. If the headache persists, a blood patch is performed, which involves injecting some of your blood into the epidural space to relieve the headache. Though very rare, permanent nerve damage is possible if the spinal cord is damaged by the needle or catheter, or by bleeding or infection in the epidural area.

Anesthesiologists undergo extensive training and the risk of permanent damage is very low. Some women find pushing more difficult with an epidural. This can increase your chance of needing interventions, such as forceps, medication, or a C-section. Research shows that perineal tears are more common in women who have epidurals. Other factors that increase your risk for perineal tear include:.

You may experience some numbness in your lower half for a few hours after giving birth. Because of this, you may need to stay in bed until the numbness wears off. Having an epidural also increases your chances of needing a urinary catheter to empty your bladder. This is only temporary. The urinary catheter can be removed once your numbness has resolved. Some evidence suggests that babies whose birth mothers have an epidural are more likely to develop respiratory distress immediately after birth.

Though other studies have found no evidence of epidural usage increase risk for respiratory distress in babies.

Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about the safety of epidural for your baby before you begin labor. Like with any medical procedures, there are pros and cons to consider. There are a number of factors that can determine what type of birth might be best for you. Several factors can impact the level of pain you experience during delivery and childbirth. These factors may determine what, if any, medication is recommended:.

It may be a good idea to come up with two birth plans. One plan can be your optimal plan. That can help you feel less caught off guard if plans need to change mid-labor. Work with your doctor or midwife to determine which options may be best for you. Also called narcotics, these pain medications are given by injection or intravenously through an IV.

It provides some pain relief while allowing you to remain awake and push. There are no known risks to mother or baby. Nitrous oxide can be used continuously or as needed during labor. Side effects may include:. And that's the point! If you end up having a C-section later in your labor, the amount of medication will be bumped up so you'll no longer be able to feel your lower half at all. Some women report feeling pressure, tingling or momentary shooting pain when the epidural is being administered.

If you're lucky and many women are , you might not feel a thing. Besides, compared to the pain of contractions , any discomfort from a needle poke is likely to be pretty minimal. A combined spinal-epidural or epidural block are commonly known as a "walking epidural. Both of these types of epidurals are different from the epidural you would receive during a C-section, which is a much higher dose and doesn't allow for movement of the legs.

The anesthesiologist will start you off with a shot of analgesic directly into the spinal fluid to help relieve some pain. But because the medication is delivered only in the spinal fluid, you'll still be able to feel and use the muscles in your legs. When you need more pain relief, more medication is placed into the epidural space through a catheter inserted at the same time the spinal medication is given.

You likely will still have some sensation, but you'll feel removed from it. One study found that epidurals may up your labor by two hours whether it's your first baby or not. Happily, studies show that an early epidural doesn't increase your risk of C-section. Likewise, the medication can be bumped up post-delivery as your doctor repairs any perineal tears. Should your labor slow at any point, you might receive Pitocin to get your contractions up to speed. The numbness you may feel in your legs can linger until the medication wears off, which is usually within about eight hours.

As the epidural drug kicks in, the medication causes some women experience a decrease in their blood pressure, so yours will be monitored continuously. To counteract any dips in pressure, IV fluids are given and lying on your side may be suggested. Less common epidural side effects include mild back pain, headache, fever or soreness.

The opioids in the epidural may cause you to feel itchy which can be taken care of with another medication and, in rare cases, may cause nausea and vomiting.

While epidurals are generally extremely effective, some people experience side effects that can include:. A lower-back tattoo shouldn't stop your anesthesiologist from giving you an epidural during labor. As long as the tattoo ink is dried and the wound is healed, sticking that needle through it won't be risky.

Research related to tattoos and epidurals is limited and reports of problems between the two are rare.