[boysaremeanandugly]

I had my first child natural, mainly because they kept telling me I wasn't in labor, and on the 3rd day I went in, i was 9 centimeters, so I really didn't get a choice to have drugs or not.However, this time I think I am going to opt for pain medication. I have a few questions about the epidural (I have awful health care, and they don't really care, so I don't ask them), and also whether or not to get an epidural or get Demerol. Tell me your expieriences with both please!With the epi, do you feel the tube in your spine the whole time it is in there?Does it make labor longer?How long will it last, as in, when will it wear off?Do they really take it out once you have to push?Did they let your partner stay in the room with you when you got it?I can't believe I spelled expierences wrong, sorry everyone!I just can't pick a best answer, they were all so helpful, so I'm going to leave it up to you guys to vote Thanks so much!!

[Silverbyheart]

Epidurals can make your labor longer and harder for you to realize that it's time to push. Stadol on the other hand can take the edge off the contractions and make you able to push with out feeling as drugged up as Demerol does.

[esbm_alf]

Epidural hurts like heck going in but once it works ahhhhh heaven, you don't feel a thing. With my last kid it took 6 attempts in my spine and finally on the last one he got it in. I hated Demerol, absolutely, never again, felt like I was drunk and couldn't understand a thing that was going on. I would get the epidural personally. It hurts but its better than the labor pains and you can enjoy the birthing part of it. I was involved w/my 3rd child birth, I helped pull him out, it was an amazing experience. Labor varies from person to person, can't tell you if it would make labor last longer or not. Epideral will last until you give birth, then they turn it off. I had mine on during pushing. Yes, they let my husband stay with me for support. He was infront of me while I was hunched over. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have made it through all the pokes, I was a teary wreck. Good luck and I hope everything goes well.

[Emily M]

I got the epidural-even though I was terrified to in the first place.(This was 2 weeks ago-my first baby) But it ended up being the best thing! My water was broke at 4pm-I asked for one 10 minutes later.And had her at 11:57 pm that night .My partner did stay in the room-The only part of the epi I felt was the needle going in which felt like a bee sting that lasted about 7 seconds..It took about 15 minutes to take on full effect. It last's for as long as you're in labor (they can give more medicine if your labor lasts longer).They don't take it out once you startto push-they wait till after the baby is out..And it took about 3 hours to fully wear off.

[maria g]

i use the epidural with my 3 kids i like it you don't feel no pain and for me my labor was faster they don't let your partner be there with you i really recommended it hurts when they put it in but then you don't feel nothing