What My Epidural Experience Was Actually Like (from someone who was *super* nervous!)

If you are gearing up for labor, this is my completely honest epidural experience, as someone who was suppppper nervous to get one (spoiler alert – I had a positive experience!!)

I personally am of the opinion that there can never be enough positive stories when it comes to labor, and anything surrounding it! Adding to the bunch with my positive epidural experience, coming from someone who was feeling quite nervous about it prior to going into labor.

If you want to read all about it, let’s dive on in!

This post is all about my positive epidural experience.

This goes without saying, but of course this is just my experience. There are a wide range of experiences, and my hope in sharing mine is to shed a little light into the process, and perhaps calm some nerves. If you choose to get it, I hope you have a positive experience as well!

Prior to Labor:

I was doing tons of reading on Reddit of other’s epidural experience. I read plenty on the general gist of what the procedure is like. I also noticed a good amount of negative experiences, which definitely had me feeling a little nervous.

Then I saw a TikTok video that explained in detail the entire procedure. I watched that thinking it would help me make an informed decision, and just generally be helpful to know and understand what was going on. Instead it completely icked me out and made me feel nauseous…sooooo yeah.

I decided that I wanted to labor as long as I could without an epidural, partly because I was nervous, partly just out of curiosity. I also wasn’t putting any pressure on myself to not get one when the time came.

I also had talked to a friend who went through two births without an epidural and she said something along the lines of “there’s a difference between pain and suffering,” essentially that pain could be doable, but don’t suffer unnecessarily.

Labor:

My labor started spontaneously with my water breaking at 2am. Contractions started then too, but were like mild period cramps. I didn’t actually know they were contractions because I was expecting a different sensation, but that’s what they were. They were super manageable at that point.

We went to the hospital to get checked out, and they confirmed my water had broken and contractions had started with a cervical exam. This exam was extremely uncomfortable and really ramped up my contractions. At this point I was writhing around on the bed. I had always heard that you got breaks between contractions, but I was in constant pain. Immediately I was like okay yeah bring on the epidural. I was more scared of laboring with no pain relief than the process of getting the epidural.

PS – if you want more details, this is my entire birth story!

Getting the Epidural:

The process itself is a bit lengthy. Since I had only just been admitted, first I needed an IV.

The first actual step in the epidural process is getting fluids for around 45 mins to an hour. This is because the epidural can cause your blood pressure to drop, so the fluids are supposed to counteract that.

That was a bit of a blur to me because I was so uncomfortable with the contractions. They were constant! No breaks in between just going back and forth between more painful and slightly less painful. The 45 minutes could not go fast enough!

Then it was time to call in the anesthesiologist.

First, she explained the entire process to me, so I would know what was happening. I told her I was super nervous about being able to hold still (you need to for the insertion) because of my contractions. She told me to just let her know if I needed to move and that she would tell me specifically when I needed to be still, which would be a shorter portion of the process.

I had to be on the edge of the bed with my legs dangling over, holding a pillow to my stomach and curl over the pillow. This allows them to get the best placement. My husband was in front of me for support.

Then she sterilized my back, not sure of what that entailed since I couldn’t see it, but she talked me through it.

Then it was time for the first shot, which is a numbing shot. This isn’t the epidural, but numbs your back so you don’t feel the actual epidural insertion. This is the most “painful” part, but it is nothing. Everyone describes it as a bee sting. I’ve never been stung by a bee, but it was just a little localized stinging sensation that lasted for a few seconds. Truly no big deal.

She let that go to work, and then it was time to insert the epidural. For this I had to stay still, which was easier than I expected it to. I swear it was like my body halted contractions for me so I could stay still, it was weird.

The first placement I could feel a little, almost like she was hitting my funny bone but in my back. I let her know and she took it out to try again. She re-numbed me, and we realized my positioning was a little off on the bed, so we got me to a better position and tried again. This time she got it! Couldn’t feel it at all.

She taped me all up (SO much tape!) and then I laid back and waited for it to kick in, which happens over time but I felt relief almost immediately. With time, I couldn’t feel the contractions at all! My blood pressure did drop, but I had no idea. Only knew cause the nurse mentioned it.

After it kicked in, they placed my catheter, which I couldn’t feel at all.

During Labor:

Once the epidural kicked in, we were chilling. I had a button next to me to administer a dosage if I started to feel pain, but I didn’t need to use it.

I think I might have had some mild nausea in the beginning, but the nurse gave me anti-nausea medication when I asked so that wasn’t an issue at all (I hate throwing up so the second I felt nausea I let her know lol)

I actually could still move my legs, I just couldn’t feel them. They were super super heavy, but I could move them myself. It was like they were asleep, without the pins and needles part.

I did have some itchiness from the epidural, which is normal. It was mostly on my stomach, and annoying, but not unbearable.

For the entirety of my labor I could not feel any contractions, it was amazing! It did seem to slow down my labor though (who knows for sure), so eventually we needed to use Pitocin, and I still couldn’t feel a thing. I’ve heard Pitocin contractions are really intense, but I couldn’t feel anything.

Once it was time to push, I still couldn’t feel contractions. They let me know when one was coming so I could push. I pushed for 2-3 hours (his head was big and stuck), and couldn’t feel a thing besides the effort of me pushing.

Once he was crowning, I could feel that. They wanted me to take a breather between pushes, as we had been doing the entire time, but I just wanted to keep pushing! I could feel that he was right there and almost out. It was painful, but lasted MAX 30 seconds, but I think it was less. Then the rest of him slipped right out!

After Labor:

After you push out the baby, you push out the placenta, and then it’s time to assess the damage lol.

I had a 3rd degree tear, so I needed some internal and external stitching. The epidural was kept in for this. This was the only time (I think) that I used the button to up the dosage. It was not particularly fun getting stitched up, it took probably 45 minutes. It wasn’t horrible, but I could definitely feel aspects of it.

Once this was over, there is no more need for the epidural, so we started the process of removing it. The nurse turned it off, and it gradually wore off. At some point they gave me Tylenol and Motrin for the pain, as I was switching over to that for pain relief, but I honestly don’t remember the timing of that. However, always talk to your nurses about pain you’re experiencing! I’m pretty sure I was given it after the epidural wore off and the pain was starting to kick in, and the nurse checked in on my pain levels.

The nurse had me sit up and started the removal process. The catheter was removed first, then the epidural. I couldn’t feel the epidural being removed, but my back was completely taped up and could feel that! Lol, it was like a giant band-aid being ripped off. Not comfy, but brief and no big deal.

Then it was time to try and walk some, as well as try and pee.

The nurse told me to take things sloooowww and let her know if I felt like I was going to pass out at all. I also had my arm around her and used her for support. I did feel a little woozy, but overall could tell I was going to be able to make it the 10 or so steps to the bathroom. Your legs feel funny! Heavy for sure. Took a few hours for me to feel fully confident using them on my own.

We walked over to the bathroom and then she sat me down on the toilet. I was able to pee! I’m not sure what happens if you can’t, I think maybe they give you another catheter. Then she diapered me up because of postpartum bleeding.

Next she placed me in a wheelchair and handed me my baby. Her and my husband grabbed our stuff and we headed upstairs to recovery in the mother baby unit (we had been in the labor and delivery unit.)

Once we got up there I was told to call the nurse if I needed help getting up or going to the bathroom, but by the time I needed to go I felt I could (slowly) handle it myself.

After Effects:

I heard lots of horror stories while doing my research before labor about various side effects. From spinal leakage headaches, to long term back problems. Thankfully, I experienced NONE of these. I am now 6 months postpartum and have had no negative side effects.

Would I Get One Again?

1 million times yes. I’ll put it in my birth plan ahead of time that I want one! I have no regrets whatsoever. I probably will do what I did this time of waiting to see how long I can go, but I’m guessing that won’t be very long lol. I’d probably request the same anesthesiologist if possible, but I think there is only one on the unit at a time.

The worst part was a little bit of itchiness. That’s it. No big deal!

One thing I had heard before I went into labor was that if you’re still scared of the epidural, you don’t need one yet. Once contractions fully ramped up I had zero fears about the epidural! I was READY. Loved my experience and thankful for a positive one!

I hope this helps shed a little light on the process, and helps calm any nerves. Here to answer any questions if you have them!

This post was all about my positive epidural experience.