Epidural

Is it really "neccessary" to have an epidural when you give birth to twins? I've heard that it's basically required but I don't know how true that is.

I really want to have a vaginal birth. I am a wuss when it cames to pain, but I am on the fence about an epidural. However when I found out we're having twins, I kind of figured I would just HAVE to have one. I guess I figure I'll be too tired/drained from the pain after the first that I won't be able to push out the second. This is just what I'm guessing though, and I've never given birth before, so who knows.

I am deathly afraid of having a huge needle put in my back. But I'm not sure which is going to be worse - the pain of childbirth or the needle in my back! Ack!

Any advice?

 

Is it really "neccessary" to have an epidural when you give birth to twins? I've heard that it's basically required but I don't know how true that is.

I really want to have a vaginal birth. I am a wuss when it cames to pain, but I am on the fence about an epidural. However when I found out we're having twins, I kind of figured I would just HAVE to have one. I guess I figure I'll be too tired/drained from the pain after the first that I won't be able to push out the second. This is just what I'm guessing though, and I've never given birth before, so who knows.

I am deathly afraid of having a huge needle put in my back. But I'm not sure which is going to be worse - the pain of childbirth or the needle in my back! Ack!

Any advice?

 

I am having a C-section this time but from what I understand they like to put in an epideral just incase anthing goes wrong so they easily can get you the meds you need for a c-section or other. Sometimes the second baby does not turn or there are cord issue etc. I *think* you can have one in place but not get the meds...ask your doc.

 

I'm not certain and by no means an expert, but it seems to me like they prefer to give an epidural to twin moms just in case things change quickly and they need to do an emergency c-section. I don't think EVERYONE gets one, but it sounds like its pretty common. I'm sure the other, more experienced moms can give you better info though.

Laura

 

I think they usually put it in place just in case they have to do an emergency c-section. Also, the needle is not big and it doesn't stay in you. A very small fine tube stays to deliver the medicine. I have a huge needle phobia and I had no issues with the epidural, in fact I didn't even feel it.

 

Would only be done as a precaution.

I thought the epidural was great. There is only a little discomfort while having it inserted.

 

I'm not sure if it's required but believe me TAKE IT!! I loved it!!!

 

There were two things that were routine at my hospital, the epidural and delivering in the OR. The hardest part of the epidural for me was getting myself curled into a ball enough and staying still enough for them to put it in. I almost missed my window and was contracting strongly and often. The biggest relief for me was being able to stretch out afterwards, I don't even remember them inserting the needle.

 

There's a difference between "routine" and "necessary". If you don't want an epidural, that should be respected. Understand the pros and cons and make your decision based on that knowledge. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of getting a spinal if a c-section is called at the last minute. It's very effective and works quickly.

I didn't have an epidural, but I can understand why others did.

Good luck.
Lisa

 

The epidural didn't hurt at all. Compared to labor, it is NOTHING. IMO it shouldn't even register on your list of worries. It is fabulous!

 

I Love epidurals! if I could have one from now until delivery I'd take it! it's the best pain relief I've ever had! getting it put in isn't really too big a deal. I'm sure there are ways to talk them out of making you have one, but if you do decide to have one for relief just know that it's really not a big deal to get one. I don't remember even feeling much at all, and it wasn't painful.
hth
Michelle

 

I was freaked out about the epidural with my first pregnancy, too, but it is well worth the minor discomfort! It only hurts for a second or two, and it doesn't hurt very badly. In the next few minutes all your pain goes away! No more awful contractions, and you don't feel pain when you're pushing either.

I wouldn't be worried about this at all. By the time you get one, you will be in a lot of pain, and you will welcome this needle into your back! It's wonderful!!!

Like PP said, they don't leave the needle in your back, just a catheter to administer more medicine if needed. You can't feel that in there at all.

My labor progressed very quickly, too, after receiving my epidural. That may be something to consider in making your decision.

 

It depends on your doctor and how at risk for a c-section you are... (ie- position of babies, gestation)...

If for some reason you end up needing a c-section, then it is easier to administer the anes. if you already have an epidural tube in. But if you are set on not having one, talk to your doctor, its up to you and him.

But also keep in mind that if a c-section becomes neccesary for any reason, they might not have time to give you a spinal, so they might put you to sleep, which is awful! (From what I hear!)

Hope that helps, and I hope you get the vaginal birth that you desire!

 

My doctor wanted me to get an epidural "just in case" we had problems delivering twin B and needed an emergency c-section. Both of my babies were vertex and there were no known problems so this would've been a precaution. She said if I didn't have one, then I'd need to be knocked out in case of an emergency c-section and I didn't want that. Like Dianne's experience, it is also routine that my hospital delivers twins in the OR with everyone prepped and ready for anything.

FYI, I didn't get an epidural with my singleton delivery and I delivered with the same OB, in the same hospital.

As it happened, I didn't get an epidural but that's because of my bizarre birth story, not by intention. I did deliver in the OR with an Anesthesiologist standing by my head, however, just in case...

It was kind of scary knowing that if anything should happen I would be given a general anesthesia because I didn't want to miss my twin B's birth. In the end though, the delivery was quick and very easy.

Good luck to you!

 

Beleive it or not, chances are you won't even feel the epidural if you need one. My labor was all in my back & I felt nothing. It's all a little scary, because it's not something you are familiar with. but don't worry too much.

 

i gave birth vaginally with no epidural. it was a great experience. if i did it over again I wouldn't get one. i think i could participate better breathing and pushing since i had total control of my body.
of course my dr. was confident that it would be an easy birth, and it was. my Nefeli was in head down position and she was the larger one so the dr. was sure that Iris who was much smaller would come out easily even though she was feet down. i had an incompetent cervix so we knew it would be a very quick birth.
talk with your dr and see what your options are. i think it really depends on where your babies are located when your due date is approaching and how your cervix is.

 

I would talk to your doctor, but if you want to try and go without an epidural, you should be able to. That way if you feel like walking a little, or squatting and working with gravity, you will have that option. I had epidurals with both of my daughters, and after going through a few hours of pain, the needle was nothing!
By the way... I love the names you picked! We're going with Jack and Lillian! Do you have middle names picked? We're thinking Jack Thomas (I love both, and Thomas means "twin") and Lillian Grace (Lillian is a grandmother's name, and I just love the sound of it with Grace).
Helen

 

^How funny, we would have considered Lilian if we were having two girls, it was my great-grandmother's name and Jack was my grandfather's name. (Jack's mn is Matthew)

Thanks for all of the replies. I see now why it's better for a twin birth to have the epidural. I would HATE to be put under and miss the birth of one of my babies! I guess I just worry too about the babies being dazed when they're born? My mom always talks about how she had me without drugs and I was so alert, etc, but I'm sure lots has changed in 27 years!

 

During my last twin pregnancy, my doctor told me there was the option of putting in an epidural port without actually administering the drugs. That way it was there if they DID need to give the drugs. I delivered my first daughter without any pain meds and am sooooo glad I did. However, a twin pregnancy and delivery DOES have to be looked at differently. Sometimes those kinds of precautions are very worth it. I would advise you to learn more about epidurals and labor/birth in general if you can.

 

I hope I am not dampening the thread here but I had an epidural and I still had to be put under general for delivery of Baby B. I am not trying to be the bearer of bad news but just sharing that even having the epidural in place and functioning doesn't create for a sure thing scenario.

 

It was routine for us as well but, like Lisa said, it's usually not necessary. If you are being induced with a tight, closed cervix you might want one because your chances of c-section are very high but, if you go into labor by yourself and have two vertex babies you should be able to tell your doctor that you don't want it.

And, don't freak out about the pain, it's really not that bad. We had an induction, complications, and ended up with a c-section with a long recovery but, even after all that, I don't remember labor as being a laborious experience. It was pretty peaceful (except for the nurses constantly coming in to check my blood pressure and move around the baby monitors and I'm confident that it'll be great going the natural route without drugs this time around. Women have birthed for millenia and you'll do fine too.

 

I am scared to death of needles but let me tell you after a few hours of back labor with my son that epidural was my best friend. I have heard that you can refuse the epidural but that if you need emergency c section you will have to be put under because they will not have time to place a epi or spinal.

 

I swore I wasn't gonna have an epidural when I was in labor with my daughter. After a while the pain got so bad I was begging for it.

 

I felt very similar to you. I was very concerned about having a medicated birth, especially the dreaded epidural, or at least how I used to perceive it. My dh and I decided to have the epidural, which was highly encouraged by my OB, and I thank GOD that I did. First of all, and the most important, it allowed me to be awake for the birth of our son. Our daughter was delivered vaginally and my son was delivered by c-section. Both were head down, great situation, but his cord prolapsed. It fell out before he crowned and the OB couldn't get it to go back in without continued risk. Again thank GOD I had the epidural, otherwise, I would have gone under. My husband was next to me telling me the details of his birth AND I was able to hear my son's cry, which was absolutely beautiful! I understand that my situation is pretty uncommon. I hope you have a healthy delivery and your little ones are healthy and strong!

 

I, too, feel really strongly about having an unmedicated birth. My OB smiles patiently and says "why don't we see when you're further along". My peri STRONGLY suggested that I have one: she said that if there are complications, it would keep me from being put under general anaesthesia, which was certainly compelling.

At this point i'm going to wait and see; hope both babies are vertex and see how things go.

I do hear from every doctor that I talk to that the primary concern is the health of mother and babies - my peri told me about a woman with a severe clotting disorder who was determined to deliver vaginally w/out any meds....seems to be pretty risky.

 

At the hospital I delivered at, I think I was the only twin mom in their history who refused the epidural. They really really wanted me to get it and I think they sent in everyone they had on staff to try and convince me. They wanted me to have it just in case anything went wrong but my babies were both vertex and looking good, and my original OB (I was flown to a hospital he couldn't be at) had always said I would not need an epidural, if things looked good.

My reasoning was that my mom had lots of complications from hers and I already have upper back and neck problems. I really didn't want to risk anything going into my lower back and screwing up my entire back! I did not care about the whole "medicated" thing, and putting it in "just in case" was just as bad to me. The doctors did stress that should anything go wrong, they would most likely have to put me under quickly, and I was ok with the risks/benefits, and my odds. They even tried to scare me by saying that they would have to cut me open from my hooha to my belly button and break my pelvis if my 3lb baby got stuck! As if that was a real risk!

So- you don't have to get an epidural if you don't want one. But, most doctors will prefer that you have one and you should definitely educate yourself about the risks/benefits of epidural/vs being knocked out if something goes wrong and your specific risk factors. Had my Baby B been breech, I probably would have been convinced to get the epidural, but my situation was perfect for not- I had 2 placentas, 2 vertex babies, no signs of distress in babies, and I had already delivered a much larger baby vaginally.

 

I really wanted a vaginal delivery and was iffy on the epi, but the doctors suggested I have one in in case a C-section was necessary, that way, the epi was in place and we wouldn't have to do a general. I wanted to go as long as possible without one, though. It turned out that my water broke at 8:30 in the morning and around 11 at night I was only dialated to a 2, so the doc suggested putting in the epi to relax me. Then I was having contrations and not feeling them and it was GREAT. I actually got to sleep in preparation for the pushing I thought would come later. It turned out that after 27 hours of labor I would need a C-section, so good thing the epi was in there.

So you just never know how things will work out.

And by the way, not to scare you or anything, but I believe in being prepared - the epi HURT fierce. You are supposed to slouch so they can find the spot between the vertebre to insert the thing and my baby B was so tucked under my ribs it was hard to slouch, and the pain was terrible. He had to try 5 times and redo the numbing stuff before he got it in. Like I said, not to scare you, but I wish I would have known things like that could happen.

 

okay this is freaking me out!!im such a wuss when it comes to pain and needles. But if this epideral thing helps well then im doing it. BUT one question "does this screw ur back up in the long run?" omg also does having a c-section leave huge scars? not that it matters now after all the stretch marks from the four kids i already have but im just curious???