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cat 
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 Topic: Midwives and Epidurals
Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:10am |
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Finally, now that the anti nausea drugs are keeping my sickness at bay, I can start to think about the future and actually having this baby.
I will be moving from Nelson to New Plymouth six weeks before due date (not ideal, I know but that's life), my midwife here has organised a midwife in NP, but it seems that everyone was booked up so I think I've been left with the one no one else wants (all the midwives in NP had to have a meeting to see if anyone had any spare capacity to take me).
I had a chat to this midwife yesterday, everything seemed fine until I asked her about pain relief, she said that of course they want you to try and do it naturally but that pain relief was available. I asked specifically about epidurals and she said that they would only be avaliable on a needs basis and that I wouldn't be able to request one. She also went on about how horrible they were what with needing a drip, catheter and contant checking and that it would impair my contractions (or something like that) making things more difficult and risky. Is this all true? I'm not one of these people who feels they have to do it all with no drugs, I figure if the drugs are there then why not use them (I won't be swayed on this thinking).
It's really worrying me. Are there any other options for LMC's. What is the deal if I just get myself a GP when I move and turn up at the maternity ward when I start contractions? Any ideas/advice would be wonderful.
Cat
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AnnC
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:15am |
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Do you have to have her - if the Np ones are booked up how about looking at Inglewood, there is one called Sharon King who lives in INglewood who is really lovely she covers Stratford so I am sure she would so NP as its closer to NP. Who have you been given?
As for an epi it is your choice and they do do it up there - I guess she may have meant that if you are coping well and doing fine without the epi then there would be no need for it. My first two was without and the first labour was very long and hard (I don't think any are easy just some are easier) I never had an epi and survived but as I said if I felt I wanted one I am sure they would give you one.
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Ann
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)
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11111
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:19am |
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Ok so please what is the LMC name I would be very intresterd to know that seem's really harsh I am also more then happy to ring aaround to find out some more of you option's here in NP I had an Epi for my first and my MW was fine with it although they are right they do prefere not to give them if they can help it. PM me if you want to chat.
Edited by Mummy22
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Paws
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:54am |
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True an epi can slow things down (that's part of what went wrong for me) but like any other pain relief there are possible side effects etc.
So long as you are aware of them and feel comfortable with your decision, then surely it's your choice!
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 10:42am |
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OK it is YOUR choice what pain relief you have. If you want it you can get it so long as there is still time for it. Asking for one when you are 9cm well that is a given you won't be given it. Also there could be something with you that may prevent you from having an epi if that is the case then i'm sure by now you would have been told.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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emeldee
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 10:46am |
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Epidurals rock. Well, my one did. And when the contractions slowed down, my LMC added hormones to the drip and it was all on again. If she says that you can't book one ahead and it's to be on an as needed basis, just tell her when you are in reasonably early labour that you need one. Also get your birthing partner on board to be your advocate to make sure you get what you need. If you are labouring at a hospital there will always be an obstetric registrar on duty that you can request to see while you're in labour who would get you one - so there's another option. Good luck.
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Maya
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 11:09am |
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I was lucky - mine is so pro epidurals that with Maya she pretty much talked me into one (not that I needed too much convincing!)
I guess part of the prob is that a lot of midwives are quite anti-intervention of any sort, and an epi is, and often leads to other interventions like synocinon and a higher incidence of needing ventouse/forceps. That said, if you have all the info and are making an informed decision then it should definitely be YOUR decision.
Each labour and birth is so different too. No way would I have survived my labour with Maya without one, and I always wondered why anyone would choose NOT to, but then having a failed one with the twins (put in prior to labour) I actually chose not to have it resited because I was in a good headspace to cope with the labour and it turned out to be a really empowering experience that Imight not have had if the epi had worked.
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ellabellame
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 11:46am |
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that's quite strange coz i got told the same thing when i was pregnant in greymouth, that epidurals were only for if you really needed one and not optional. as it turned out, i did have one, i got talked into it because i'd been going for so long. i reckon that even if they say that, when the time comes if you really want one they won't say no......i hope!
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lizzle
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 12:01pm |
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Pity you're not in Palmy. my mid-wife was brilliant. She was of the opinion that although epidurals aren't always necessary, they sure as hell are in some cases. She talked me into just "going with the flow" and deciding on appropraite pain relief. I ended up not having an epi but pretty much only because both my labours were rather quick.
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Katherine
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 12:02pm |
I also agree that epidurals are YOUR choice. Like some of the other posters have said, many midwives prefer to let you try to labour and give birth without one for as long as you can. But if there's no medical reason why you can't have one (like, you're not too far dilated, etc), I can't imagine that they can refuse to give you one. I understand that you can't book them ahead of time -- I've never known anyone who booked one ahead of time, unless they were having a C-section -- but surely when you get to hospital you can tell the midwife and other staff that you want one, and then they organise the anaesthetist to come and give you one.
My two cents is that if she doesn't want you to have one, ask her why she feels that way, and remind her that it's your choice. Write it into your birth plan that you want an epidural if you feel it's necessary, and get her to sign it. When you get to hospital, if you still want one, tell everyone you come across about it -- not just the midwife. Tell the admitting nurses, anyone who comes into the room, your partner -- in fact, enlist your partner's help in speaking up for you if you can't do it yourself. You need to do what's right for you.
That said, I wanted an epidural in the parking lot, and made sure that everyone knew about it. When I was at the hospital, my midwife kept telling me that she'd reassess me in 15 minutes and then call "the epidural man", as I kept terming him. She kept putting me off and putting me off, and then it was just too damn late and Emma Rose was born without any pain relief at all.
Later I asked her about not getting me the epidural and she said, "I just thought you could do it." She was right! And I'm glad things worked out that way for me. But if she'd told me up-front that I couldn't have one, I think I would have been furious. Remember, you're the mama! If you want it, you should get it!
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busymum
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 1:33pm |
I know a couple of women who delivered in PN hospital and after requesting an epidural (as planned) during labour, they were both told no. They were so shocked, as they have both given birth in the USA where it's almost not an option, everyone just has it!
I think the only medical reason for not being able to have one is when you ask for it but you're all ready to push - reason being that it takes a little bit of time to set up and then to kick in, so you would have had the baby by then.
All the things she said about epidurals are the side-effects of them. They are generalities, I don't think everyone gets them but most do. In a nutshell, if you have an epidural they need to constantly monitor baby's heartbeat for anything strange (so you will get hooked up to the monitor and not able to leave the bed) and yes you will get a catheter in your bladder.
You're just on 13 weeks, you should have time to go see a GP for a second opinion - still free care until you sign the thingie with your m/w at about 14 weeks. I'd go do that. Even if she is right, you need to be able to relate to a m/w well during this time.
Hope that's helpful, feel free to ask more questions 
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my2angels
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 1:37pm |
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I had epis both times, with kobe it possibly slowed things down but I think it was more that my midwife wasnt very good at getting me to push and in the end the hospital midwifes stepped in. With Addison though I had the epi and it was only about 1.5 hours later that I had her, it definately didnt slow things down.
I personally wouldnt give birth without one now!! I was really worried about the catheter and all that but in all honesty you dont notice it nor do you care (Im a very very shy person so didnt want it) I thought I would hate being on a bed and not being able to move but even before the epi I refused to move from the bed and these days you can still move. If anything goes wrong the epi in already in so that saves time. You will possibly have to have a drip in for fluids anyway if its a long labour. My midwife with Addison had the doctor chart the epi the minute we got into the room so it was ready for when i wanted it.
Could you possible go through the hospital? I know in chch you can just use thier midwifes but the problem with that is you dont always see the same person and when you go into labour its just who ever is on duty.
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 1:53pm |
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Ha, I know of a midwife in Palmy that will talk you into having an epi. This happened to my friend and she ended up giving in to the midwife and she had a horrible labour and birth.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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cat
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 2:21pm |
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Thanks to you all for the advice and especially mummy22 who recommended a midwife in NP who I have just spoken to, she sounds wonderful and can take me on when I move. She is very much of the view that it is my birth and no one else's and that all options will be available should I need/want them. She was really reassuring and I feel much better.
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Maya
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 2:31pm |
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Thats good to hear. Your relationship with your midwife is so important.
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Maya Grace (28/02/03)
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The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 6:50pm |
Thats good to hear. I was so against having one that i went to a hospital that didnt do them. Granted if i needed intervention i would have been rushed to Wellington Hospital but i managed fine without pain relief (well to a point lol) If you wanna read my story its in the pregnancy section up by the oh baby logo under birth stories
Edited by Jezsika
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busymum
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 7:21pm |
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Oh that's good, hope things work well with her.
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11111
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 8:28pm |
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oh thanks Cat I am so pleased it has worked out for you
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nikkitheknitter
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 8:40pm |
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I didn't read all the posts (as I am hanging out for a cup of tea) but some hospitals only have an anaethetist (is that spelt right?) on call. I don't quite know how that works as to why they leave the epidurals to an 'as needed' basis (my brain isn't working - once again, cup of tea) but apparently that's part of it. (Maybe it's because if you go into labour at 2.30am and they have to drag the anaethetist in for a 'less' necessary epidural, that's not kosher?)
Anyway, there are other drugs - ones that the midwife can sort for ya without an anaethetist.
But if you aren't happy then keep lookin'!
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nikkitheknitter
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Posted: 15 November 2006 at 8:40pm |
Ah sh*t... just read the posts above mine and I guess you have resolved it. I'm an idiot. 
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Midwives and Epidurals
