RE: Nasty epidurals!

Cindi Winkley (cindiw@zianet.com)
Mon, 1 Apr 1996 15:18:40 -0700


Cris,
I know that there are lots of scary stories about epidurals but I =
recommend them to every pregnant or wanna-be-pregnant woman I know!  I =
had no problem with mine, other than the fact that my baby was born =
before it kicked in!  Nicolas went from crowning to birth in about 10 =
minutes.  Of course, he weighed less than 2 pounds.
cindi

----------
From: 	Cris Coffey[SMTP:CCOFFEY@rugs.bry.indiana.edu]
Sent: 	Monday, April 01, 1996 6:49 AM
To: 	Cindi Winkley
Cc: 	preemie-l@vicnet.net.au
Subject: 	RE: Nasty epidurals!

Cindi--I'm not sure if I'm "tough" or if I was just in so much pain=20
that I couldn't muster up enough wind to make a sound!  I do remember=20
that the pain pretty well paralyzed me and the only thing I could=20
really make myself do was to BREATHE!  The next time I'm going to try=20
it again with no anesthetic, unless the delivery isn't going as=20
smoothly as this one did.  But after all the negative stories about=20
epidurals, that scares me too!

Cris

From:          Cindi Winkley <cindiw@zianet.com>
To:            'Cris Coffey' <CCOFFEY@rugs.bry.indiana.edu>, 'preemie-l =
group'
               <preemie-l@vicnet.net.au>
Subject:       RE: Nasty epidurals!
Date:          Mon, 1 Apr 1996 11:33:15 -0700

Cris,

You must be ALOT tougher than I am.  I never screamed during labor but I =
felt like it!  I had back labor - such pain I have never felt in my =
life!  It felt like someone (big) had my spine in their h
nds and they were twisting and pulling violently.

Yep, I'll have drugs next time for sure.  If there is a next time.

Cindi Winkley

----------
From: 	Cris Coffey[SMTP:CCOFFEY@rugs.bry.indiana.edu]
Sent: 	Monday, April 01, 1996 2:37 AM
To: 	INA MORGAN
Cc: 	preemie-l@vicnet.net.au
Subject: 	RE: Nasty epidurals!

Ina,

You are NOT sick! (from loving the whole labor experience).  After=20
being in bed for four months and going through all that torture, I=20
can honestly say that I enjoyed labor.  I had no pain killers (only a=20
relaxer that didn't take any edges off the pain!), but I think I was=20
designed by "The Man" to give birth.  Maybe not to carry a child, but=20
definitely to deliver one!  Although I was in pain, it didn't bother=20
me much because I knew the pain wasn't due to something being wrong. =20
I was in pain because something was really right, and I didn't mind. =20
I was told by everyone--doctor, nurses, my mother and my=20
husband--that I handled it like a champ.  I absolutely loved it!  The=20
nurses were bragging on me.  They said that earlier that day they had=20
a woman in L&D giving birth to her FIFTH child and screamed bloody=20
murder.  They couldn't get her to shut up!  Here I was, my first=20
child, normal size, no anesthetic, and I didn't make a peep.  My dad=20
was in a waiting room one room away from me.  He said that all he=20
heard was one groan (my final push), then a baby crying, and he and=20
my mother-in-law knew it was their baby.  My mom thinks I have some=20
pioneer stock in my blood.

By the way--for all of us "crazy" women who want to attempt this=20
again even though things went very wrong with previous=20
pregnancies...I went home and buttered Keith up this weekend.  He=20
didn't rule out another baby (he's scared to death after Brandon),=20
and said we'd think about it over the summer.  I always wanted my=20
children to be three years apart, but Brandon will be four in June. =20
Brandon told his daddy that he wants a sister.  Keith asked, "what if=20
you have a brother instead?"  Brandon's answer: "Then he'll just be a=20
boy!"  Keith and I sort of agree that if we have another, it should=20
be before Brandon turns 5, so they'll at least have something in=20
common and be able to play at times.  That means we need to conceive=20
this fall.  That's scary.  We haven't decided, but I explained to=20
Keith how I felt cheated, and wanted another chance to do it right. =20
He sympathizes.  We're thinking about it!

Cris

From:          INA MORGAN <nhorizon@iafrica.com>
To:            "'Preemie Support'" <Preemie-l@vicnet.net.au>
Subject:       RE: Nasty epidurals!
Date:          Sat, 30 Mar 1996 00:00:51 +-200

Such interesting topics at the moment.

I have had two epidurals, my first with Gareth was fantastic, felt =
hardly anything when they inserted the needle, could feel the =
contractions so was able to push and yet felt no pain.  When my OB wa
 stitching me up afterwards I asked my husband "when can we do this =
again", I loved the whole labour bit (Am I sick).  A couple of hours =
later, I was up and about with no side effects.

With Devin, they had to do a caesar and I requested a epidural as I =
wanted to be conscious for it.  This time things did not work, this was =
an emergency so everyone was anxious to get going, they in
erted the needle - again hardly any pain and then we waited - my feet =
felt like concrete but my stomach was still totally "alive", eventually =
they gave me a general.  This turned out to be a blessin
 in disguise, as my husband was already gowned up to be with me for the =
epidural caesar.  They asked him to leave for the General (does anyone =
know why your husband can stay for an epidural but not=20
 general?) and then things went wrong - I hammoraged, baby was critical =
- I was later told that the atmosphere in theatre was very tense as they =
were worried about both baby and me.

I would still recommend an epidural to anyone and am so glad that I had =
such a positive first birth - get VERY jealous when I know someone is =
about to give birth - what a miracle.

Ina


-----------------------------------------------------
Cris Coffey, Information Specialist=20
Sponsored Research Services      =20
Indiana University              =20
Bryan Hall 001                   =20
Bloomington, IN  47405          =20
(812) 855-7865                   =20
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-----------------------------------------------------
Cris Coffey, Information Specialist=20
Sponsored Research Services      =20
Indiana University              =20
Bryan Hall 001                   =20
Bloomington, IN  47405          =20
(812) 855-7865                   =20
-----------------------------------------------------