Epidural vs spinal tap???

Hi all,

I am having an elective c-section in January for the birth of my 2nd bub. With my first child, I had an emergency c-section after 17 hours of full-on labour and was given an epidual, which had to be topped up as I could feel them inside me trying to reach bub once they cut me open and it hurt like hell!

This time round, I'm wondering if you have a choice of an epidural or spinal tap or if you get whatever the anaethetist prefers??? If you get a choice, what do you guys recommend? WHat are your experiences and what is the difference between the 2, as I don't really understand what a spinal tap is .

Thanks,

Hayley.

Hi there
I havent had either but worked in theatre in anaesthetics with c/s.

If you have a Spinal you will be paralysed from the waist down - you cannot move and you recovery will be a little longer than an epidural.

If you have an epidural you will be numbed from the waist down but still able to move (this is what you had last time - i am sorry for your bad experience).

Personally i would have an epidural if i ever needed to have one.

Thanks for your reply PinkPalace -very interesting and helpful

I had an epi first time and didn't like it - I didn't like it in my back... so elected a spinal the second time. It was a bit strange not feeling or moving my legs but it seemed to wear off quicker and i did't have anything in my back they had to take out. given the option I would choose a spinal again. HTH :D

Ok I understand how an epidural is administered, but how is a spinal tap done?

i had a spinal tap and it was great! you have an iv, not sure what's in it, then the put the needle into your spine with the anathstetic in it. i had no problems with recovery.

boobaloo thanks for that I get it now :)

I haven't had experience with either and to be honest I had heard both terms before and assumed it was the same thing just 2 different names :redface:

Thanks everyone, for the information. I now understand the difference between the 2 things! Hmmmm, it looks like a spinal may be the way to go??? Oh, I don't know, I'm still confused as to which way to go....that's if I even get a choice. Isn't the morphine in the spinal bad for bub when breastfeeding?

Hayley.

:

---

Isn't the morphine in the spinal bad for bub when breastfeeding?

---

Hi Hayley, I've never thought about it until now but the spinal block I had for my c-section could have caused my breastfeeding problems. DS was very sleepy and I couldn't get him to latch and feed. I couldn't move my legs for hours after, so they just lay him on me in bed. My c-section was at 7pm and by 6am the next morning they had heel pr*cked him and taken him to the NICU because his blood sugar was low. That night he was under lights due to Jaundice. DS was 3 weeks old before we properly established breastfeeding. I didn't know until I 'googled' it before replying, that the spinal block could have been responsible for all this.

My c-section was an emergency due to an undiagnosed breech baby. I didn't get to choose whether I wanted an epidural or a spinal block, but they did tell me it would be a spinal and explained it to me before hand.

Hi Everyone,
I have had 2 c-sections (1 was epi and 1 was spinal) and a vaginal birth with 3rd degree tears requiring an epi and spinal to stitch it up.

A spinal will completly numb and paralise your lower body. U will not feel a thing! An epi can be a bith 'patchy' in that u may be able to feel things (and pain) in your lower body eg. your left leg may be completly numb but u may have feeling in your right leg. This is not that common but it can happen. Personally I had fantastic pain relief from an epi with my first child.
I think they are usually used when a woman is in labor as they can be topped up regulary and the dose of medication can be lowered when it is time to push so that the woman can feel what is happening.

I also had fantastic pain relief from a spinal. With the epi I couldn't feel pain but I could feel a weird pins and needle feeling when I was touched on the legs and feet. With the spial I couldn't feel a thing!!! The spinal is a once off dose of medication. I can't quite remember how long it lasts for but I think its only about an hour or two. So thats why it isn't used in labor..... who really knows how much longer someone will be in labor for?

From memory my spinal wore off quicker than the epi after DS was born.

I then had a vaginal birth with 3rd degree tears. My ob wanted a spinal to repair the damage but I have a dodgy back so after 40min the anethiasist (sp?) put in an epi, numbed me a little, put the spinal in and took the epi out..... ANyway I didn't feel them stitching me!!! :D

I think hospitals usually give a spinal for elective c-sections then they don't have to worry about 'patchy' epi or tubes (with an epi they leave a small tube in your back to allow more drugs in when needed).

I hope u have a wonderful birth!
Jules

I had a CS with a spinal block with DS2.
With DD2 I had an anaesthetist consult the week before in case our VBAC was unsuccessful. I wanted to know the same thing, would I have a choice.

The way she explained it was that the spinal is a bit more complete - as Jules said, an epi can be a bit patchy. A spinal is the preferred choice for elective CS. If you are already in labour with an epidural & need an emergency CS, they can top up the epi & see how it goes. But if there is a choice or it is planned they will go for a spinal.

The difference between the two is in where they are placed. A spinal goes in further than the epi. An epi stays in & is continualy adminstered.
I had an epi with DD1 (VBirth) & found myself very wobbly & unsteady after. After my spinal I was (obviously) not up & walking immediately but I didn't feel groggy. We breastfed after about 4 hours & went on to feed for 14months. DS2 was a bit slow & lazy to feed but I didn't attribute it to the CS. I know of one lady on here who established Bfing in theatre ;)

HTH & good luck :hug:

Just want to second the comments about spinals. I have never had an epi. I was given a choice of what to have but I had been in labour without much pain relief (only gas for an hour or so) prior to going to theatre. The spinal was explained to me in more positive terms than the epi but I'd only read up on epi's and knew I didn't like the sound of them! The spinal started wearing off after about an hour and I had full feeling back after about 2 hours even though I was still flat on my back. I started breastfeeding in recovery, within an hour of DS birth.