Back labor V regular labor

msdfyed22

Hi mamas,

I am looking for some advice.

It was my thought with my first born that I would skip the epidural. I had excruciating back labor for 2 hours and dilated from a 0-8. When I was checked in to L&D, they sent for an epidural without me asking. I asked the delivery nurse since I had made it so far without if she thought I would be ok to skip it. She replied "honey, this is when it really starts to hurt". I gave in, and things went down hill from there. I am not bitter about it at all, but thinking if I have normal labor this time, I may want to skip the epidural.

I was wondering if anyone had experienced both, and which was more painful? How long can I wait before it is too late to decide? (I thought 8cm was too late, but apparently not)

Overall I had a relatively short labor with my first and hoping for a short one with the second. I consider myself to have a pretty high pain tolerance. I also realize I can not plan any of this and may even need a c-section, but really just wanted to know what others thought.

Thanks!

hoping4number2

With #1 I had horrific back labor. I am hoping I won't have the same issues this time, but I am preparing in case I do. I am trying to forego the epidural if at all possible. I had a horrible reaction to it.
I have heard from others that typical labor that is mostly in the front is not nearly as painful, but it also seems that MANY moms have back labor, so I would prepare for that as well. Both my sister and my cousin have birthed at home with no meds and endured the back labor. It's just so hard in the hospital when you are in pain and the nurse is like "We can take all that pain away!"

RedHeather

I don't have any experience with back labor, but I had a successfully-induced labor without an epidural. I did get one shot of stadol (that can only be given before 7 cm, if I remember correctly), but in retrospect I think I would have been fine without it. I only needed the lowest dose of Pitocin and my active labor only lasted about 4 hours, so I'm glad I didn't do an epidural. I had no pain at all during pushing and delivery, but I did get a local anesthetic for an episiotomy, so it probably would have been worse if I had torn with no anesthetic. Apparently once the head gets down to a certain point it can block your pain receptors naturally -- not sure how common it is, but that seems to be what happened with me, because I could barely even feel my contractions to know when to push. I could actually feel her coming out, just there was no pain associated with it, so it was an amazing experience.

Personally, I think epidurals are more appropriate for long labors, when there's greater risk of ending up with a C-section (since not having the epidural in already in an emergency situation could result in them doing general anesthesia). Transition (7-10cm) is supposedly the worst part (I actually didn't notice the change because I was so focused on breathing while concentrating on my focus object, plus maybe still a bit loopy from the stadol, that I lost all track of time and don't remember any of my cervix checks), but if the first part of your labor goes really quickly, chances are transition will as well.

tinydancer

some women go from 6-10 in an hr or less. some it takes many hrs... but usually with a 2nd baby it goes faster. If you dont want the meds, insist you dont get them and if your back hurts, get on hands and knees or in the tub ( I even do this if my water broke because if I am in that hard of labor the baby IS COMING OUT that day) water is amazing for pain relief because you feel weightless and a contraction if 65lbs of weight of force. so utilize the bath or shower!!
I had several children born at home with no meds and my 1st was really bad back labor too. no issues with the other kids tho

New-mama?

Back labor is worse than regular labor but if you have it there are some things you could try. As someone said hands and knees is good since it takes the pressure off your back. Firm steady pressure to your lower back during a contraction helps. Jacuzzi is a great idea you will either love it or hate it. Rolling a juice can up and down your back also helps some people. Basically stay as active and relaxed as possible so you labor is quick, might be more painful but it will be faster the more you change positions. 2nd deliveries are usually faster. With our hospital as long as you can stay still for the epidural it is never too late unless it would take longer to get an epidural than it would to deliver. Even then they might try doing a spinal.

merilung

I had crazy bad back labor and went from 8 to baby being born in an hour, no epidural, though I complained and begged for one the whole time but that's my general pain coping style . If you were still coping well at 8 cm I think you'd have no issue going med free, even if you have back labor again. Hands and knees position in the tub was the only thing I could stand for most of my labor.