Comments on: Nothing risked is nothing gained. http://vbacfacts.com/2007/12/31/nothing-risked-is-nothing-gained/ Vaginal birth after cesarean? Don't freak, know the facts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:51:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: admin http://vbacfacts.com/2007/12/31/nothing-risked-is-nothing-gained/comment-page-1/#comment-20 admin Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:21:03 +0000 http://vbacfacts.com/2007/12/31/nothing-risked-is-nothing-gained/#comment-20 This is a great website on the risks of epidurals: http://www.kimjames.net/epidural_risks_and_side_effects.htm which gives citations for the 30% and 15% numbers... it also lists prolonged first stage as one of the side effects: "The anesthetic in epidurals weakens all the muscles below the epidural site. This can dampen the strength of uterine contractions." This is a great website on the risks of epidurals: http://www.kimjames.net/epidural_risks_and_side_effects.htm which gives citations for the 30% and 15% numbers… it also lists prolonged first stage as one of the side effects: “The anesthetic in epidurals weakens all the muscles below the epidural site. This can dampen the strength of uterine contractions.”

]]> By: labortrials http://vbacfacts.com/2007/12/31/nothing-risked-is-nothing-gained/comment-page-1/#comment-19 labortrials Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:16:23 +0000 http://vbacfacts.com/2007/12/31/nothing-risked-is-nothing-gained/#comment-19 "Epidurals increase your risk of blood pressure drops (30%) or fevers (15%) increasing your risk for a cesarean section." This I did NOT know though it makes sense. "They also make your labor longer since your uterus isn’t able to contract as effectively since the drugs do relax it." Perhaps this is the typical response, but I do know women who progress faster with epidurals. A friend of mine went from 2-10 in 1.5hrs once the epi was in place. Would that have happened if she hadn't been tampered with? Hard to say. "You get a break. And once you enter second stage, when you are pushing, your contractions space out even more, giving you time to catch your breath, relax, regroup, and regain your strength for that next push." My experience was quite different. I arrived at the hospital at 9cm and stupidly agreed to having the CNM break my water. My contrax immediately became incredibly difficult. I was NOT receiving any break (though the monitor indicated that I was having time in between contractions - hated that lying b*st*rd of a monitor) even when I was at the stage of pushing. Ugh. Hoping to have a reason to HBAC in 2008! Happy New Year!! ~ Kimberly “Epidurals increase your risk of blood pressure drops (30%) or fevers (15%) increasing your risk for a cesarean section.”
This I did NOT know though it makes sense.

“They also make your labor longer since your uterus isn’t able to contract as effectively since the drugs do relax it.”
Perhaps this is the typical response, but I do know women who progress faster with epidurals. A friend of mine went from 2-10 in 1.5hrs once the epi was in place. Would that have happened if she hadn’t been tampered with? Hard to say.

“You get a break. And once you enter second stage, when you are pushing, your contractions space out even more, giving you time to catch your breath, relax, regroup, and regain your strength for that next push.”
My experience was quite different. I arrived at the hospital at 9cm and stupidly agreed to having the CNM break my water. My contrax immediately became incredibly difficult. I was NOT receiving any break (though the monitor indicated that I was having time in between contractions – hated that lying b*st*rd of a monitor) even when I was at the stage of pushing. Ugh.

Hoping to have a reason to HBAC in 2008! Happy New Year!!
~ Kimberly

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