Q about epidural/spinal block

Hi Everyone,:D

Im having my 2nd c-section on the 26th April, first one was an emergency and was put under general for it, this time i am going to be awake and was wondering about everyone's experiences of the epidural/spinal block, what is the difference & which would be the most recommended? :help:

I know once i get past that part i will be ok, its the one thing i have on my mind all the time, was it very painful going in and was it hard to stay still? :(

I would recommend a spinal. My first was also an emergency c/s and I had an epi first, but it only numbed my left side!! Not fun! So they ended up giving me a spinal. Second c/s was scheduled and I had a spinal.......pure bliss. I did vomit after both though, because of the morphine though not the spinal!

I had a spinal block. I was already in labour though, so TBH I didn't mind the pain of it going in at all. I just wanted the contraction pains to stop LOL. I don't really remember it hurting at all, but like I said, I had other things on my mind. It was a bit hard trying to stay still, but if you are having an elective, I think you will find it easy.

I vomited from the morphine too - yuk!

LOL Michelle, I was the opposite of you. I've had 2 c/secs (my first & last deliveries) & was awake for the first, chose a GA for the last.
The first was an epidural. With that, you do feel pulling/pressure sensations during the delivery, although there is no pain. You shouldn't feel anything during the stitching up part (the delivery itself takes just a few minutes, the repair is what takes time). You are numb from just under the breasts down. By the time I was ready to go to recovery, I could wiggle my toes. Even though I couldn't feel them, the nurse & anaesthetist told me I was doing it. My understanding is that with a spinal, you feel NOTHING from the insertion point down.
The epidural did not hurt at all going in & went in on the first try. I was told later that my anaesthetist was one of the best, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. It wasn't hard to stay still. I sat up on the edge of the table & curled my back over. Then they help you lie down immediately. Other anaesthetists put it in by having you lie on the table, curled up on one side.
Although everything was OK, I hated the epidural. I won't go into all my reasons unless you're curious--since that was not your question--but that is why I requested a GA for the second c/sec. Hope all goes well for the birth, no matter how it happens!

I could definitely feel the pulling etc with a spinal. And I could even feel some of the stitching by the end. I told them it was just starting to hurt a little, but they were almost done. So I don't think the spinal does make it so that you feel nothing.

I wiggled my toes straight away too. The midwives commented that I must be really keen to go back to my bub - well, yeah!!

Hi Michelle

I had and emerg c/s for DS#1 and had an epidural for that and had elective c/s for DS#2 and had a spinal for that.
The epidural i had during labour didn't particularly hurt going in and i didn't find it hard to stay still (DH was very scared as he was sat on my feet holding me and was so worried i was going to kick him where it hurts!). I found i could still wiggle my toes all the way through but couldn't feel anything of the deivery bar the movements of the ob - certainly no pain.
The spinal i had for my elective was also fine - i had 2 needles - the first one was to numb the actual place where they would put the proper needle - this was supposed to be painful but it really wasn't bad (and i have the lowest pain threshold ever!) at worked brilliantly and didn't feel the 'proper' needle going in at all. Didn't have trouble staying still for this either - had a lovely male nurse giving me the biggest bear-hug so i don't think i could have moved if i had wanted too. My legs went numb with this straight away and they had to help me lay down as already couldn't move. i didn't feel anything other that the movements of the ob with this either although i did have abit of a reaction to it at the start and felt hot/sick/dizzy but the anesthetist just gave me some different drugs in my drip to sort it out and it disappeared pretty quick.

If i have to chose between them for #3(still TTC not even preggy yet!) i wouldn't know which to although i'd probably go for the spinal.

Good luck - hope my experiences help.

Julie x

Hi Michelle
The difference is postion mainly. An epidural goes into the epidural space and delivers local anaesthetic to the desired area and a spinal block injects local anaesthetic directly into the desired nerve to numb it for a period of time. An epidural is a catheter that stays in place whilst needed ( & thus can be topped up) whilst a spinal is a single injection.

I had an elective c/s for my 1st and I actually had both a spinal and an epidural. I think the anaesthetist was worried about the position of the spinal block so he put the epi in for good measure. I did feel the block but not too painful, kind of pressure on my back and little stactic type shocks. I was completely numb from my collarbones down and my left leg stayed that way for about 4-6 hours then I got feeling back. I would definately recommend it. It was the only part of the c/s I was worried about too and it was fine and I was so excited to meet bub that it was even easier to cope with.
BTW the epidural went in after the spinal so I didn't feel a thing.

I had a spinal with my c-sec and couldnt feel anything other than obs pushing and pulling :)

Hi there,

I also had an emergency Caesar, but I had a spinal block not a general.

The spinal block was FANTASTIC! I was really scared about having an epidural or spinal block but in the end it was fine. It didn't hurt at all, and my concerns were around having a catheter etc but it was no issue at all. I would do it all again (and will probably have two if I have another)

Good luck with it all

great thread...i was wondering the same.

Shell....your bubs will be born 6 days after Junior.. and will share my bday :D

Danni, That must be a great day then!! :D

I had to have a epidural during labour, (my waters broke and i had to be induce) when it was being put in the doc hit a nerve and my left leg kick out and i let out a little yelp as it scared me. He must of hit a nerve. It didnt hurt or anything, the only problem i had was that at the beginning it pooled only into the left leg, it was about an hour unitl it had fully numb the right. I ended up having an emergancey c section, it had worn off by then and i only had pain in my right leg and they just topped up my epidural. The only thing i felt was like a little misqueto bite and the intense tugging and pulling by the doctors. It felt like i was a rug stuck under a couch and someone was tugging and pulling to get be out from under the couch. But in the end it was all good... i think it would be better to be wake then under, cause you get to see your bub stright from the belly.
:p

No C-section, but I would opt for the spinal with a section (not that you get to opt over here, it's spinal or no section). The Epidural does numb the pain and wears off more quickly (maybe too quickly - only lasted an hour or so for me, don't know how long it takes to do a section), but I could still feel when to push and it's hard not to push when you can feel your body wants to. There was dulled sensation, but still a lot of sensation IYKWIM. The spinal deadened everything and I needed to be told when to push, not ideal for not having a section but I was very close to having one so needed to be prepped for it, which meant having a spinal.

Anyway, long reply just to say I would opt for a spinal.