Epidural or No Epidural?

You've received a lot of great answers. I had one with an epi, and one without. The one without was much quicker, and I recovered quicker too. I found that the epi slowed my labor.
Hope that helps.

My first labor was awful: 30 hours, with 5 hours of pushing, all natural. My second was a breeze. 12 hours total, with only 4 hours hard labor, 30 minutes pushing. Funny thing is, first baby was belly side up, so the pain was unbearable. With the second, since he was facing the right way, it was a joke. I was even asking the midwife what I could do to make the contractions more productive! Just listen to your body, it has done it before, and will do it without much work on your part. I did have my midwife help guide me a bit more with the pushing this time (I found it really helpful for her to have her hand in me so I could focus on a focal point).

The epidural numbs pain, it won't change the amount of time you have to push, etc. In fact, it tends to make pushing harder because you don't have the control you get without medicine.

Don't worry! The second one will be easy. Remember, pain is as much psychological as physical, so just use your breath to work through each contraction, as they come, and keep in mind how soon you will get to see your little girl!

I am sorry you went through this, I have always heard that recovery was easier without an epidural.

An epidural will almost certainly NOT make the pushing stage shorter, in fact it usually takes longer because the urge to push is not as strong. I had my first child naturally too and am due in 3 weeks and I definitely plan on going natural again. Second babies are usually much easier to push out because you've done it before and the tissues are already stretched. Be upright as much as you can during the pushing stage, as gravity will really help. Try positions other than flat on your back for pushing, which is the most inefficient way to push. Try squatting, hands and knees, kneeling, or lying on your side. You will also have a harder time recovering from the epidural because it takes time to wear off and you may not feel quite as well right after the birth, plus there's the possibility of side effects such as low blood pressure, itching, shaking, fever, and headache. I would say, since you've already done it natural and know you can do it, give it another try and I bet it will be a much easier and very rewarding experience. Congratulations in advance and I hope you have a wonderful birth!

Hi there
Well you have gotten MANY answers but I will chime in here as a birth professional who works with birthing woman all the time! Most women's first birth has a long pushing phase--whether with an epidural or without. The procedural normally does make the pushing passe the hardest part because you are being told to work a part of your body that often you cant feel very well. ( I always say that if I have a client who uses an epidural-my real work comes in at pushing because this is can often be the hardest part with an epidural.) Second time moms RARELY have a long pushing phase UNLESS they have an epidural or are not allowed to push in a variety of positions. Now I cant say it will only 3 pushes, but I can say that unless there is a strong epidural in place or a very position of baby, it will be considerably less then your first. (And also to add it--the recovery after an "assisted" delivery i.e. forceps, vacuum, etc... is VERY different than recovery without the use of these tools.)
Most research shows that recovery time for a mom without any use of pain medication is always shorter than for moms who use something. Now of course if there is episiotomy or significant perineal tear--this is going to change your recovery time. But all my clients who use an epidural for one birth and then not for the other say that there body just feels better after wards without the epidural. They feel more clear, more in tune with what there body if feeling and dont feel any leftover after affects.

Honestly if you were able to got through your first birth with a 3.5 hr pushing stage with no pain meds--this second one should be a breeze for you!! And I hope it is!!
Good luck to you!! Great questions to ask!!
Sincerely
L. Spradlin, birth and postpartum doula

Dont get the epidural.

Sounds like your horrid birth experience the first go-around was because of the doctor, not a lack of having an epidural.

Only you know what you want your birth experience to be like this time around, so only you can decide. I had both my kids natural.. no drugs. I received an IV drip thinking I might decide I wanted en epidural if the pain became too bad... but the first time around, I didn't get the entire bag of fluid in time to have the epidural. It was my first baby (8lb 12 oz) and I think I pushed for close to 2 hours. It was a lot of work... but.. from everything i have read (I tried to educate myself about the options I was considering) epidurals can cause their own complications. They can slow down the delivery process, can cause a drop in heart rate in the baby, cause YOUR blood pressure to drop (which is why they give you fluids), cause full body itching, and more. Also, there is the possibility of getting the "post epidural headache" which is like a migraine any time you are sitting up and can last several days.
My 2nd child, I went natural again, and she was a little smaller (7 lb 6 oz) and was delivered in 2 pushes. Total labor (from water breaking at the hospital until birth) was about 4 hours.

Only the last 3 centimeters were really difficult to bear as far as the pain. And the last 2 cm go really quickly if you aren't receiving any drugs.
I was up using the bathroom, etc within 2 hours after delivery... no problems whatsoever.
If I had another one today, I would probably opt to go natural again.
Sometimes epidurals don't fully "take" anyway. My SIL had one that only partially worked. The one side was fine.. the other was all the more excruciating because it wasn't balanced across her body...

I hope this helps.

Congrats on the pending birth. Good luck whatever you decide...

I had an epidural that didn't take with my first. I was so mad, because I hadn't prepared for the pain at all because I knew I wanted a medicated birth. Who knew that it wouldn't work? It was a long hard labor and a really really hard recovery. With my second, the epidural worked, but I think I probably could have done without it. I was induced and everything, and was laboring for a few hours when I said "oh, the baby dropped! I need to push!" and 3 pushes later, there he was. The recovery was about a million times easier too. The long and short is that every labor and delivery is different, and your second one will likely be easier. You just need to think about what kind of experience you want to try to have (as nothing goes according to plan anyway) and try to make that happen. Only you can really answer the question. Good luck!

If you made through the first, I think the second should be so much easier even w/o epidural. I didn't even have to push with my second, I coughed and he slid out. My mom had both me and my sister drug free and for her it was easy fast and not that bad (she says). I'm a wimp and had epidural for both mine, but sounds like you can do it!

Ihave three grown up children and five granchildren i am also a nurse i would not advice an epidural unless its absolutley necessary i had this procedure 1978 and it did stop the pain when i was having stitches inserted but it never helped me when i neededit most during pushing. my advice is stay focused relax have a good undestanding of labour and the three stages of it my five granchildren were all deliverd drug free and all three mothers returned home on the day of delivery its your baby you make the decisions and let the midwifes know what type of delivery you wich to have

i really think every woman is different. i don't think an epidural really changes how long you have to push. just eases the pain while you are pushing : ) do what you think is best and don't be afraid to change your mind in the moment. I like the response that said we all get the same present in the end, epidural or not. I had an epidural both times.pused and hour and 1/2 both times. the first it took me about 2 weeks before i could really walk comfortably. the 2nd i was walking around and going the bathroom the same day. i think it gets easier. i have heard it is especially easier if it has been less than 3 years since your last delivery. Good luck!

Epidurals very often lead to c-sections (read A Thinking WOman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer for statistics on this stuff). Recovery from a C can be difficult and dangerous in terms of infection. I had one with my first child and I couldn't walk more than a block for a whole year without terrible pain. I've come to find out that this is not unheard of. I've met other women who suffered the same fate. (I'm a marathon runner, I'm not wimpy!)

The epidural does not diminsh the amount of work your muscles have to do, nor the trauma your body suffers. On the contrary, since the pain language is not there to guide your body, you might have to work a lot harder.

Either way, though, you'll be fine. Do what you think is best for you and your baby. Congrats on the new addition.

Hi :) I think it would be fine - my oldest son's wife had an epidural with each of their three and did fine. I did not have one and did fine with each of our eight. My first delivery was 3 hours of pushing and then a caesarean. Of my 5 natural births, the pushing varied from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes to 3 pushes. God bless.

every birth is different.. my first had her head sideways.. so I pushed for an hour and 15 minutes.. while the dr treid to turn her head... they finally used forcepts to pull her out.. I had a lot of stitches and was verysore and very bruised..

my second was lined up perfectly the dr said I was completely dilated and I could push if I wanted.. so I pushed 3 times and he was out.. (he was also 1 1/2 pounds larger.)

SO>>>. you really cant know if the second birth will be better easier or harder... it just depends...

The epidural will not change the lenght of pushing time.. but it will make it more comfortable. You can have an epidural and have a long time pushing or it might be quick and easy.

I did have an epidural with both kids and I really recommend the epidural it makes the experience much more pleasant.

I have 3 boys and all with no epidural. With my 3rd boy I didn't have any contractions until my water broke and if you remember the pain increases 10x when your water breaks. This was at 11 at night and I was so tired. I got a shot of something in the IV (my first IV) and that helped so much. I don't remember what it was but I had a chance to relax before I had to push. The pain was still there and so was the urge to push but it definitely helped move things along. Baby won't come out if you are stressed from the pain. Maybe that is something you can look into.

You still have to do the pushing, and if the kiddo still doesn't fit well it will still take a while. BUT where I think there could be an advantage with the epidural is that you won't be so eahausted, and that can speed healing. i had 2 c-sections myself. The first was after 17 hours of labor and luckily only a short time pushing, but took a long time to heal. I healed much faster with the second - it was a planned c-section, since we saw that baby #2 would be as big as baby #1 and I didn't want to risk rupturing during a VBAC. The healing was SOO much better when I wasn't simply exhausted going into the birth.

Updated

You still have to do the pushing, and if the kiddo still doesn't fit well it will still take a while. BUT where I think there could be an advantage with the epidural is that you won't be so eahausted, and that can speed healing. i had 2 c-sections myself. The first was after 17 hours of labor and luckily only a short time pushing, but took a long time to heal. I healed much faster with the second - it was a planned c-section, since we saw that baby #2 would be as big as baby #1 and I didn't want to risk rupturing during a VBAC. The healing was SOO much better when I wasn't simply exhausted going into the birth.

I did not read all your replies. Lesley S gave a great answer. Mom's love to share their birth story so here is my experience. I say no to epidural. I had an epidural with my first child. I did not know 'where' I was pushing so the dr had to use the vacume. I did not like the dead feeling of my legs. For my second and third I did not have an epidural. I knew exactly where to push. I was able to walk after delivery too.

The first labor is generally the longest. I also had all of my babies induced. The dr was 30 minutes away so there was not much waiting.

Hope you find the answer you are looking for.

I think, especially after reading these, that there are so many different labors that you never know what you are gonna get. My water broke a few weeks early. My son was definitely not ready to come yet, but I guess my uterus had other ideas. He hadn't dropped and I wasn't dilated or effaced at all. I didn't even realize my water had broken. So when I went to the doctor to see what was going on 12 hours after the first leaking started, they freaked out and admitted me and started me on pitocin immediately. I got the epidural a little later, and I would have needed it even if I didn't want it, because they had to give me the max pitocin to get things going. Pitocin causes pretty strong painful contractions. I was still in labor for 14 hours after that point, and they were considering a c-section for a while. I pushed for about 2 hours solid. Like I said, I am pretty sure he just wasn't ready. But with all the pitocin and such a long labor, I was SOOO glad I had an epidural. Mine went perfectly and I was still able to move and feel, but nothing hurt.

My birthing class instructor told us that if you want natural that is fine, and if you want drugs, that if fine too. Whichever one you choose, you still get the same prize at the end of it all. :)

I had read all the books and planned a natural birth. But when baby came she was BIG (almost 10 lbs) and long, (22 inches)and never turned in utero to get ready for birth. She was coming out face up instead of face down, hence , that causes excruciating back labor. So after 36 hours of pain and fighting it, I finally had my epi and pushed 15 minutes, and she was out. (any other doctor would have taken this baby c section.) I had no episiotomy and a very small tear that healed on it's own. (you need a good doc that knows how to massage the perinial area so you don't have to be cut) and then when i came home, i hosted a party and cooked for everyone who came to see baby. My sister in law was flabergasted.

Number 2 was a 9 lb boy but still labor was excruciating -trying to get to 9.5 cm before they give the epi. i did get an epi and only pushed about 6 mins. (you just have to make sure your doc uses pictocin to keep your contractions comming.)

With number 3, I told myself I wasnt going to sit in excruciating labor waiting to get to 10 cm so i could beg for pain releif. so, before i went to the hospital, I took 3 advil. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It took just enough of the pain edge off that I could tolerate the pain now. I almost could have gone natural with #3, but toward the end I took a small epi since the nurses had sent him in to do it. She was out in 3 pushes and I was home literally 6 hours later! Again no tear, no cuts.

The KEY is not in the epidural, the key is in the doctor delivering your baby.
Find a doctor that believes in a woman's ability to naturally birth , who will do VBAC, who allows women to walk rather than be strapped down, and who doesn't perform episiotomies as standard practice. Look for a doctor who has been birthing for 30-40 years. Don't worry about bed side manner and how much they like to joke around-worry about how they feel about and perform controversial birthing practices or not.

ps..if a mom feels pain during an epidural- then the pic line has probably been pinched or turned off, or is too low. A good anesthesiologist can have the mother at the perfect spot of no pain yet still feeling her legs a little. They adjust the amount of epi fluid going to the mother in the IV line to accomplish this.

Happy Labor day,
Gail

I have no good advice for you at this time and it sounds like you've already got what you are looking for. I just wanted to tell you that you are a strong woman for doing it natural and I fully admire that! I wish you the best and God's blessings be upon you!

o hun i just had my 3rd child 3 1/2 weeks ago and it seems to go fast with each child in my option, i was in labor with my first for 3days and my second for about a day and my 3rd for 14 hours and with the last they couldn't get the epidural in me before she was born so if you do decide to make sure your there in time to get it don't leave to late

my choice is to not have one painful yes, but it goes so much faster the natural way if no complications...... i wish you the best of luck what ever your choice maybe.... (Mel) dreamangel74

When I was pregnant, I knew I wanted the drugs! haha When I had my daughter, I definitely needed the epidural. I was induced, and once they broke my water, I dilated VERY quickly. By the time I got the epidural, it was like night & day. I went from almost being in tears to smiling & laughing! haha Everything was a breeze after that! Couldn't feel a thing! :) They had to tell me when it was time to push & everything.

For me, it was wonderful! Tho I'm a wimp... haha!

my 3 year old was an induced labor that included an epidural and all the drugs i was allowed to receive. My labor was 7 hours, start to finish with 3 good pushes and he was out. Afterwards, I went to my room, and walked to have a cigarette(shame on me, I know). Labor #2(my daughter is 2 weeks today): woke up at 330am, 2 days before my induction in full blown labor, almost didn't make it(46 mi to hospital), there wasn't time for a tylenol, even, she was out in 3 pushes and was born 2 hrs, and 24 minutes after that first contraction woke me up. Both births hurt about the same, active labor was almost identical, and I was a little more sore the 2nd time, but had no tearing with either-had the baby just before 6am, and was showered and dressed(and ready to smoke) by 830. I think it depends on the woman.I agree that for some, it depends on the doctor-my son was my Dr.'s first unassisted birth, and this time, they could only round up a bunch of nurses that were trying to get me out of there before shift change!

HI R.,
3.5 hrs is a long time to push you must have been exhausted and forceps aren't the easiest to get over... but usually the second one is much easier as the first has ...paved the way. The epidural does allow u to have no pain until u have to push but usually u have to push the baby down the same distance. Some women have no problem pushing with an epidural especially second time moms but some do seeing they can't feel anything.

Anyway, if its the amount of time and damage that occurred from the forceps then perhaps you don't need an epidural but if it was the pain then perhaps its something u might want to consider.

Hi , I cannot comment on epidurals as I never had one , I had 2 babies in England and 1 here in the U.S. From my tour of the hospital the impression I got was that from the moment you go into the room you are made to lie on a bed and labor , which I think is the reason why so many people here have epidurals and longer labors , in England you are encouraged to stand up and walk around the room to help bring the baby down , then when you are ready to deliver baby is just sitting there waiting to be pushed out. Obviously I cannot change the way doctors and hospitals deliver babies here , but what I would advise you to try is stay at home as long as you can before heading to hospital , while you are at home just walk around and make sure you breathe properly through the contractions , if you can get to hospital and be almost ready to deliver you will probably have a more enjoyable experience.

Good luck

To be honest with you, I went for the epidural. I asked for it when I got to the hospital! But I still pushed for 4 hours, and wound up having a cesarian. But I've also been told by every woman I know with two or more children that the second time aroung is a breeze in comparison! But every woman is different, and you should do what makes you most comfortable, no matter what anyone tells you! Good luck and congrats!!

My experience is that you feel better and heal faster and get up sooner without an epidural. I've had four and really feel that natural is easier on your body in the long run. Of course most everyone else thinks I'm crazy because they are hung up on the pain part...but the natural endorphins the pain releases go a LONG way in making you feel great the instant you've delivered.

So there is my 2cents!
VickiS

Had the epidural both times - loved it! But I was induced both times, because of my age and a couple of stubborn babies ♥. I was in labor for quite a while both times, with IV's hooked up, etc., since I was essentially starting from scratch with going into labor after getting to the hospital. I am glad I chose the epidural - the nurses were a little surprised at the intensity and length of my contractions - probably from the induction. I didn't need intense pain to tell me that I was doing something amazing. Good luck with your choice!

I wanted natural childbirth... I didnt get it. I am sorry you had an experience with forceps, that must have been awful. Read about different pushing positions that involve opening your pelvis more efficiently. The lathotomy (or lying on your back) position while convenient for the OB doesnt open your pelvis as well as some others. The hospital may have a squatting bar or you can push on your side, or in a hands and knees position. When in those positions it opens your pelvis in the shape of more an O. In the Lithotomy position, it shapes more like a horizontal oval. 2nd children normally go faster, but really positioning during pushing is key to fast pushing. If you have an epidural, it can take away completely your options for pushing. Not to mention, while it works well for others, some (like me) it barely worked. I will be trying for a homebirth this time, as I believe completely that home is where I will get what I want out of my labor and birth experience. Good Luck mama!

My epidural experience was awful. I chose with the second to do no epidural and I popped her out in 3 hours, that was from beginning of labor to end. So you could have a great experience with an epidural, or one like mine where the pain never really went away.

I had an epidural with both my labors. With my first labor, my doctor had to use a vaccum delivery to help deliver my son because I just couldn't feel anything. With my second, I told the doctor about my experiences and about not being able to feel when I needed to push, so he worked with me and gave me a smaller dose of the medication. This delivery was so much better because while the medication took the edge off the pain, it didn't take away the pressure and my ability to push. My second son was delivered in 3 pushes and I'm glad I had the epidural because he weighed almost 10 lbs. I think the key to having an epidural is to ask the doctor to stick around for a while and work with you to get the dosage correct for you- to help ease the pain, but not take away all feeling. Good luck!

I had an epidural with both of my kids. With my first I pushed for 1 hr before I delivered with a vacuum assist. My second daughter's birth was much easier, I pushed 2 times and on the 3rd push she was coming out and I didn't even realize it. I think the 2nd one is typically much easier.
I would go for the epidural!

Take the eipidural. It is so much easier, their is a pinch to it, they leave it in your spine while labor pains begin. It releases pain meds into you every so often, it keeps you comfortable. My daughter has had 3 children and with all of them she had the epidural. I myself had 3 sections, had the epidural and was able to stay awake through the whole birthing process, I could feel the cut but it felt like a feather.
They norrmally put the epidural in when you are dialated enough so that childbirth isn't so painful and you feel a whole lot better after it being done.
There are myths about these epidurals' however they are "old wives' tales"
You won't have the experience that you had prior to. When the baby is ready to come, and its in the birth canal, then they will tell you to push!!
Congratulations and take care,

I had an epidural and pushed two hours. It was VERY hard to know how to push because I couldn't really feel much until my daughter was making her final descent. I think I could have waited to push, but you can't change the past. I didn't have many side effects to the epidural, but the people I know who have done both natural and epidural said they felt much better afterward when they did it the natural way....and I have also heard there isn't as much pushing with second babies. That is my hope, anyway:)

I had natural childbirth THREE times and then my last pregnancy had an Epidural and when I got it I thought I had lost my mind the other three times LOL I highly reccommend the epi! Girlie I actually slept thru the end of my labor which was the most painful part and I got to SLEEP thru it this time it was awesome! Anyway as a mom who did it ''natural'' three times and had an epidural on number four I say get it and experience it that way! Good luck and congrats!

Hi,

With my first child I was planning to deliver at a birth center naturally with a midwife, and ended up at the hospital with an epidural AND pushed for 3 hours. I was so relieved to get the epidural because I was completely exhausted, and thought I would then proceed with a painless birthing experience. Nope. Even with the epidural it still was VERY painful, and I was so upset because I wasn't expecting that at all. With my second child I planned a home birth, and got it, and pushed on and off for 2 hours, but only really intensely and actively for about 10 minutes. My recovery from my second pregnancy was much, much quicker, and way less painful. During my 3 hours of epidural labor pushing, the nurses kept having me force pushing, and I think that in itself did more of a number on my poor rear end than the more natural 2nd birth. It's exhausting to have people telling you to push for 10 seconds each and every contraction, instead of just following what your body needs. I guess as you probably already know, every birth is different. Good luck in your decision making, and I hope you have a better recovery and birth, and a healthy baby.

I had an epidural, and yes -- basically I just laid in the bed until I was fully dilated and it was time to push. (I ended up with a C-section because my son wouldn't come down.)

I've had two natural births at home.. The first one was like yours, I pushed for several hours and it took me weeks to recover. My second baby was a breeze, I pushed 3 times and she was out! Not only that, but I felt normal again within a week. I recommend staying away from the epidural, they can cause more issues than they solve. Once you've had a baby it's a lot easier to push the second one out. Good luck!

I had to be induced with my first and I went from no contractions to major contractions and I wasn't quite prepared for the pain. I chose to have an epidural. Shortly after I got the epidural (30-45 min) the pain started to come back and it felt like I had to push. I was at 6cm when I got it the first time so they came back in to give me another dose (without checking to see how far along I was). That didn't really help that pain so much, they checked me again soon after and I was 10cm and ready to push. Because of the 2nd dose I couldn't feel my legs whatsoever and the first hour of pushing was cake. I had to push for 2 hours before my precious baby girl was born. I was in labor for 6 hours total. I'm pregnant with my second and I will most likely get the epidural again but I won't get a second dose. It's different for everyone though. I know people who only had to push for 30 min and they had an epidural.

CONGRATULATIONS, say YES to the epidural!!! I suffered excruciating back labor and due to a nursing shift change and poor staff communication I almost missed the epidural window. My Ob/GYN had 7 of us in different delivery stages. He told me I would be the last to deliver and that it would be the next day (I was HORRIFIED). As I re-demanded my epidural and the anesthesiologist arrived to administer it. It's difficult to convey the immediate dialation and relief from ALL my labor pains! Suffice it to say he hadn't reached the door and I had gone from 3 to 9cm. Three contractions, 9 pushes, under 4hrs start to finish and voile a beautiful 8lb 9oz Son. I was discharged in under 24hrs. ( I think I even offered to bare the anesthesiologists children) :D

you have lots of answers so i'll just briefly tell you my experience. first baby i had demerol and an epidural. the second baby i had just demerol near the end of an otherwise natural labor. recovery was 10 times easier with the second time. pushing was the same in length but actually easier minus the epi because i felt more there for lack of better term. i would do it the second way again in a heart beat!

in my opinion i would most definately get it. i had gotten it when i was pregnant with my daughter and didn't feel a thing. i'm twenty years old and had a really easy labor. i pushed for a whole twenty minutes. good luck with whatever you choose and congratulations. :)

With my first birth in California, I asked nurse if I could try one of the alternative positions I'd seen in a film in class. She said sure. I got on my knees in the bed, held on to the head rail with my hands, and kind of curved my back in a "c" shape. Sort of like "cat" position in yoga. Amazingly the pain completely disappeared and the baby started crowning. When my OB returned to the room, he said, "What are you doing?! Lay back down!" I slowly turned and lay down and a few pushes and he was out. I am telling you - - the pain DISAPPEARED when I stood in the bed on my knees! I wish they'd quit making us lie on our backs. It's stupid.

I had an epidural with both of mine. I only pushed 20 mins with both too. However, my daugher's heart rate was dropping and they decided to use a vaccum. I had a rough recovery and we discovered about a week later, I wasn't in pain from stitches and giving birth, it was because my tailbone was injured in delivery.

When I was pregnant with my 2nd, my OB sent me to a physical therapist to get my pelvis back in order and to hope we didn't have the same tailbone issues. That was a huge help. I had no issues with delivery and was up and walking around pain free right after birth!

I thinkk with both, the epidural helps you relax and not rush the process because of the pain. You don't feel any pain if you have some tearing or when you deliver the placenta.

Sending you prayers for a speedy delivery, recovery, and a healthy baby with a small head and shoulders! ;)

Loved my epidural. First delivery was very long and difficult.....would have been way worse if I had felt the pain for 24 hours. The second was 3 hours and not a bit of pain and felt great afterward as did the baby. Had no problem pushing and had a great experience. Do what is best for you...you don't have anything to prove.

Kat

I can't recommend one way or another, but I can say I plan on going natural, even though my DH thinks I am a little crazy for it ;)

I am a nurse and do know everything that can be involved, but it is important to me, even though I know it will not be easy. I do hear from a lot of patients though that the second is a lot easier than the first.

Good luck with your decision.

get the epi. you will have 2 kids to tend to and you dont want to be so exhausted when you leave

Usually you end up worse off with an epidural. The only time it can actually be beneficial (physically) is if you are too worn out to push or tense and getting the epidural lets you rest/relax in order to be able to continue.
Otherwise, it often forces women to push in a more reclined position which means the pelvis doesn't get to open as completely as it can and it is then harder to get the baby out. Leaving one with more damage than there might otherwise have been. You won't feel it happening at the moment, but there can be more to recover from.
An epidural can also slow labor, leading to other drugs being given, you can't predict how a baby will react to any drugs (epidural, pitocin, etc) and it increases the chances of "needing" a c/s (another hard recovery).
An epidural most certainly does not mean that you get to just lay there, there's still pushing and everything else.
My 2nd labor (both were natural, at home) was way easier and shorter than the first--something i've heard for many many women. And my first wasn't all that bad. I also had a lot better sense of what I needed to do during the 2nd one--changing positions, when to push.
Have a doula, someone who will help you thru the whole thing.
Good luck!

You've gotten a boat load of responses, so the only thing I'll add is a recommendation of an excellent book: "Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding," by Linda J. Smith. Researched and evidence-based, it is vital information of all moms to have, as long before giving birth as possible.
A., IBCLC, HBCE, CD(DONA)
www.my3doulas.com

Epidural!!!! You won't regret it!!

my 1st with epidural took a long time, but it was so easy and painless... my second came so quick they only barely got the epidural in and the medicene didn't have a chance to work... I went from dilated at a 2 at 7:30, to holding my baby one hour later... painful but quick! My point is, no one can say what will happen, just what might happen. Ask your doctor her opinion but even she won't have firm answers I bet.

My two cents: I had an epidural with both my girls. My water broke to begin my labor with both, and then I had to have Pitocin because my labor wasn't progressing fast enough. The epidural with my older daughter was GREAT. I could feel all the pressure, but none of the pain. The labor went fairly rapidly, I think because I was so relaxed. It was fantastic. With my second baby, I think they must have given me more of the epidural pain medication, because I was more numb, and I had the shakes, like I was cold. It wasn't nearly so great. My second baby's birth was as long as or longer than my first. Maybe if I have another one I will consider not having an epidural. But it went so well the first time! It IS nice to enjoy the labor and not have to worry about pain. Plus, I decided that it wasn't really "natural" labor if they had given me Pitocin - my contractions were longer and stronger than they would have been "naturally". And I had to have Pitocin - my water had already been broken for hours and the baby needs to come out within 24 hours to avoid infection risk. Anyway, I think it's good that you keep an open mind. God bless you!

You will not be feeling much pain except for a pushing sensation. Trust me it is worth getting the epidural. You won't be in near as much pain as the contractions keep getting closer so when it is time to push you will be much more relaxed and be able to put more effort into the pushes and deliver your baby that much sooner.

I had an epidural with my first and it was so bad that I did the second one naturally. I could not feel the contractions at all so they had to tell me when to push and I could not feel anything so I could not even tell if I was pushing effectively. I had no feeling in the big toe of my right foot for two years. My oldest is 21 and I still get a black spot on that toe nail about once every two years. Not really sure that is related but it seems to me that it is. good luck

I wud never go without an epidural. Both my deliveries were smooth sailing! I was miserable prior to the epidural. Recovery time doesn't really relate to the epidural. Baby size does. Epidural just makes it all feel so much better!

Did you choose the SAME doctor with # 2 as #1? You could likely have the same wait if you did. Unfortunately, it is a little late to change doctors, but not impossible.

If your baby is in an optimal position at the time second stage begins, your body would push the baby out without your help in "pushing". Just because the nurses tell you not to push, that does not mean your uterus does not keep having contractions.

Don't let them put you on your back! Be in as much as a squat position as much as you can. If they try to bully you, just do it anyway. Make sure you have your husband on board with you. Remember, you are paying the bill! YOU are in charge of YOUR body!

You really should have the help of a doula! If you are interested, give me a call. I am available. ###-###-####

K. Voigtsberger
www.wholeheartbirth.com