If there is one thing we are committed to here at King of Prussia Doulas, it’s supporting families in achieving the birth they desire and helping them navigate the situation if the plan has to change. We love all types of birth from vaginal to belly, home to hospitals with all the drugs. You name it, we support it. Are you planning or considering an epidural for your upcoming delivery? Let us help prepare you.
Are There Benefits of Getting an Epidural? Yes! Absolutely.
One of the many tools to assist with coping with the intensity of labor and childbirth is to get an epidural– a small injected catheter inserted into the lower back that pumps an anesthetic through the small tube into the lumbar spine blocking sensation from the waist down. While there is an abundance of information about this procedure, knowing the major pros as well as the associated risks can help you make the decision and feel good about this common pain relieving option during your labor!
What are the main benefits to an epidural and are there any associated cons?
A positive birth experience!
Imagine you are birthing and the intensity or length has simply gotten to be too much. Maybe you are starting to have negative feelings about your experience and wish it would simply come to an end. One major benefit to receiving an epidural is the possibility of transforming your birth that was otherwise negative into a positive experience. No one should suffer through their birth experience. Sometimes epidural can be the difference between a vaginal birth and a cesarean birth. If an epidural can help you shift your physical and emotional experience, it may be the difference between years of guilt and frustration or looking back at your birth as a positive, joyful experience!
Muscle relaxation!
When you are struggling to relax during a challenging labor, an epidural can aid you in relaxing the muscles of your whole body and pelvic floor to help the baby rotate and the cervix dilate!
One downside associated with this is that you may lose some mobility. By numbing the pain in the lower body, you also lose a lot of your ability to get up and move around. Because epidurals come with small risks to you and the baby, you will have continuous fetal monitoring and an IV which makes intuitive movement during birth more challenging. Without movement or gravity to aid in labor and the fact that all your systems will likely begin to slow and relax, it is likely your provider will suggest Pitocin, an artificial form of Oxytocin, to encourage productive contractions while you rest.
Fear not! With the support of your doula or birth team, you can still be helped into different positions with an epidural allowing you to continue to benefit from movement!
With the numbing effect of your epidural, also comes less control over pushing. While you still may feel pressure, there is often less sensation in the lower body which impacts the perception of the body’s urge to push. Because of this, pushing may be less effective and take longer. Your doula will be there to remind you to keep your knees close together and to try different positions until you find the one that’s right for you. Someone who pushes with an epidural may need more guidance from the team about when to push with contractions. Coached pushing can be a very positive, team building experience.
Sleep!
Imagine you have had a long and challenging labor and are not fully dilated; you are exhausted and haven’t slept in many hours or even days. An epidural may be a great option to allow you to sleep for a few hours and regain the energy you need for pushing, delivery, and meeting your baby!
Epidural out of Medical Necessity:
In cases where you have elevated blood pressure or hypertension, an epidural is a wonderful option to keep you relaxed, lower your blood pressure, and allow you to have a safe vaginal delivery.
While this effect can be great for those who need to lower their blood pressure, for some, a lowered blood pressure could be dangerous and can affect the baby’s heart rate. This is usually not an issue, but worth knowing.
As you can see, there are some extremely positive benefits of choosing an epidural as a pain relieving tool during your labor! Whether it’s for sleep, relaxation, medical necessity, or simply creating a more positive experience, there are many reasons in which an epidural may be right for you.
By Cali Machen
