epidurals, strange pains and BP

[k8bailey]

Ok, only a week to go and have sooo many things I've only just thought to ask, so here goes:

1.) I've been advised to have an epidural coz of my heart condition, but I wanna know how much of the birth will I actually feel, will it still be painful and hard work or will I just lie there reading a magazine saying let me know when its all over?!! has anyone else had one, was it any good?

2.)I've been having period type pains most evenings for a week or two, they come and go every 10-15 minutes, and this goes on for a few hours. Does this mean anything?

3.) My BP keeps going up but I have no symptoms, so how high is too high?

Thats actually all I can think of now, but I'm sure there were more....

[cazzz1975]

The epidural although uncomfortable to administer (you have to sit very still for the anaethestist ) once in place it is pain free. you will not feel the contractions and you will also not feel whether you will need to pee, when you get close to being fully diallated they often reduce the amount of anesthetic as so you can feel the contractions more.

this is so you will know when to push, you will probably have a catheter inserted as well (you wont feel this because it will be done under the anesthetic)

how high is your BP going? will they provide you with beta blockers to regulate your heart ?

If they need to they will put this in via a drip.

[Psychick]

Although the pain is taken away with the epidural, you still have to push Im afraid lol So yes, it will still be hard work. Unless of course youre one of the lucky ones like me and its all over with 4 pushes! lol I had one with my first baby and it was an immediate relief! I actually had one as the midwife felt I needed rest and talked me into having an epidural to take away the pain and allowing me to sleep. It was administered just after lunch and she said nothing will happen now til tea time. Wrong! It had the opposite effect and sped everything up! Less than two hours after I first had it, baby was born! At least four hours earlier than the midwife had predicted lol In fact, it all happened so quick, she never even had chance to get a catheter fitted. As soon as baby is born, they stop the epidural so you will start to feeling back pretty soon and unfortunately the after pains too.

As for that pains youre getting now, they could simply be braxton hicks getting uncomfortable which is quite normal. Your body is still preparing for the birth so its not unusual to get more aches and pains and twinges at this stage. If you are unsure or the pains become sharp and more than an ache, give your midwife a call just to check all is going well. As you know, if in any doubt, give her a call anyway. If you cant contact her, call the maternity ward.

Im afraid I cant help you with the BP though. It was always a foreign language to me!

Only a week to go! Im back on baby watch lol

[k8bailey]

Arg i just typed this and my computer went doolally!!!

They don't wanna give me anything for my haert but advised the epidural to keep me as pain free and therefore calm as poss to stop my heart rate going up.

My BP was really steady and low for me at 120/80 untill a week ago now its abit all over the place 160/80 then 130/90 then back down to 130/80 so it's not very high!!

Psychick I'm liking the sound of that 4 push delivery - fingers crossed! lol

Thanks for your answers!

[andrea81]

Hi,

Wow, only a week to go! Bet you're excited! you BP is fine, I had high BP during my first, but I had pre-eclampsia. It 120/90 on a good day and I was in hosp when it reached 130/100+! Your BP is fine chick.

You'r period type pains could well be a combination of braxton hicks and the baby's head pushing down. It sounds like everything is moving in the right direction.

As for having epidural, I can't help as I had C-cections under general for my two!

Good luck chick, and do let us know! x x x x

[cazzz1975]

I had pre eclampsia with my first and had to have an epidural, my BP was 165/115, the epidural can make the active stage of labour quite relaxing.

that said in my last week I had the midwife visiting daily to check my BP, try not to worry about it, if it gets too much they can give you medication to regulate it, once you have given birth you should return to normal, your BP doesnt look very high to me, it should be monitored following the birth just to ensure it normalises.

Im not sure of what your heart condition is but they normally keep medication available in case they feel you need it.

[daffy654]

I also had pre eclampsia and then full eclampsia with my first pregnancy,at one point my blood pressure went up to 220/160 and all hell broke loose.lol. I was given an epidural to help bring down my BP,I was also catheterised as you can't tell when you need to wee as has been pointed out already. I wasn't allowed to push at all when the time came as when I tried my BP shot up to dangerous levels so my daughter was delivered by forceps.After the birth my daughter was taken to the nursery and I was kept on the labour ward for 24 hours as my BP still wouldn't go down,I was given sedatives via a drip to help with that as I kept getting upset at being unable to see my baby.

[edukes]

1) have a mobile epidural, sensation but no pain, its the way to go.
2) they sound like braxton hicks, it is the body practicing for the labour.
3) your midwife will tell if its getting to high, ring the unit if you're worried

[natalie_1982]

Hi K8, I had quite a long birth, the active stage of labour was 13 hours long as baby's head was stuck (and facing the wrong way!) so after a night of pushing (about 10hours or so) I decided to opt for an epidural through shere exhaustion - by that point I couldn't have pushed a door open without help, let alone push out a baby who didn't want to come out! By the time my baby was born I had two epidurals and five top ups but because of where my little one was stuck, it was actually not taking effect and so I had other drugs....well ALL the drugs that were available and eventually had her in theatre under local anaesthetic. Personally, I have not had a problem with the administering of the epidural or had any problems since, but I had to be kept in for 3/4 days after the birth because they had to fit a catheter twice and the result was that I couldn't pee for 3days! That was the only thing that would put me off having another.

As for your pains, they sound normal to me. I didn't feel BH as painful, more just tight, and I was induced in the end so don't know what "natural" contractions feel like when they begin so can't help there. Also, can't help with BP as, thankfully, mine was fine throughout.

Good luck sweetie xx

[k8bailey]

I'm not really worried about my BP coz like I said I don't haveany syptoms and I don't think it's that high and some of your answers have definately confirmed that. I guess the MW if just being cautious coz of my other problems - she's round here checking it every morning - so no chance of a lie in!

For some reason they don't wanna do a mobile epidural, but say that even if they were willing I wouldn't be 'mobile' anyway coz they need to monitor the baby constatntly and have me on a drip!

Really not looking 4ward to that catheter, I always assumed thay did it a it like a cardiac catheter thru the top of your leg but I've just read up on it *shudder* oh well that'll prob be the least of my worries on the day!!