Epidural and Scoliosis

Have you considered HypnoBirthing? A couple of my friends have done it, and swear by it. They both had very minimal pain (with their firsts it was much worse without HypnoBirthing). You can take classes to learn how to do it, and it's not as weird as it sounds. There is actually going to be a special about it this week on Baby Week, a special week of stories by Heather Van Nest (expecting her first) with 10 Connects News will begin this week - Sept. 13-17. Hypnobirthing will air Monday, September 13th at 11 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 pm. It's on channel WTSP, 10 Connects, ABC. Good luck!!!

Have you had chiropractic for this pregnancy? Dr. Webster trained us to work on the pelvis so that labor is easier(well he was a guy saying that), and my last 2 women had labor of 10 minutes, and 30 minutes, babies arriving the day after their moms' last adjustments. Very gentle chiropractic.
Let me know if I can help.
Best, K

Hi J. - looks like we have a lot in common...my name is J. too. I also have scoliosis and hip dysplacia, and just had my second baby. I didn't realize how much the scoliosis would affect me having the spinal block. Well, they were successful, however, it was a very painful process. For this time around I had xrays done before getting pregnant, in hopes that it would be helpful for them as to where to put the needle in. Wow, what a difference!! I took the xrays with me to the hospital, and they used it as a guide while putting the spinal block this time around. It was definitely not painful at all. I mean, the obvious discomfort, but no pain. So, my suggestion is that you take the xrays with you the day of the birth so that the anesthesiologist can use them as a guide. We're thinking of having a third baby, so I will go and have more xrays done in about a year, so that I have a new set for the next baby. Oh, by the way, they also tilted the table so that the medicine would go toward the other side of my body evenly because of the curve.

Good Luck!
J.

I have scoliosis, but not as bad as yours. With my first I was open to having an epidural, and I met with an anesthesiologist before my labor, they looked at my spine, and were very reassuring that it would work out. My epidural did work for me, but I opted to have drug free deliveries with my 2nd and 3rd. I did not like how out of control I felt once I received the epidural.

Good luck to you! See if you can make an appointment before delivery.

J.

Hi! Christy S said everything I would have said! My babies were both "late" but I went into labor naturally. I avoided interventions (breaking the water, pitocin, epidurals, etc) and had my first in 8 hours of labor (12 from when the water broke on it's own, 8 contracting) and my second in 2.5 hours.

I did have challenges in both labors--my first wasn't facing the way she should, and I had back labor in the second, but I don't regret a minute of being undrugged. The pain goes when the baby comes. Labor is mostly hard work, and if you lie on your back and think about it hurting, it will.

But moving helps, knowledgeable support helps (a doula or caregiver who can help you with breathing, positions and other tricks--there are a lot of great tricks that even L&D nurses may not know), and just knowing it will pass helps.

Was active labor my favorite thing in the world to do? No. Am I very happy that I birthed my babies without anesthesia? Yes.

So I would recommend looking into a doula (birth assistant) if you don't have one already! A doula will be able to walk you through all your options.

Hi there. The truth is no one can count 100% on the epidural. Sometimes it only works on half the body, etc. With your medical history, you may not be eligible for it, or it may be riskier than normal. For that reason, you may want to prepare yourself to get along without it, which is totally do-able despite what everyone will tell you. (I had 2 natural childbirths and never considered pain relief once. The contractions were manageable as long as I was allowed freedom of movement, and it only got hard at the end, so an epidural would have been a waste).

A few things you can do to minimize feeling like you need pain relief are:
1) Insist on freedom of movement in the hospital and have someone (like a pushy friend or relative or an assertive doula) to make sure your wishes are respected. That means no lying in bed for hours with continuous electronic fetal monitoring and being a "bad" patient. But, honestly, being forced to have a natural labor sitting or lying in bed is just torture. It's movement and position changs that help you find the best way to cope.
2) Say no to Pitocin. Pitocin makes for contrax that are more intense and harder to handle, for both you and the baby. Despite the fact that it's used in 80% or more of labors in some hospitals, it has not been approved by the FDA for use and many professionals believe it is grossly overused. If you aren't dilating fast enough for the hospital, go into the bathroom bathtub or shower and close the door for awhile. Left alone and feeling safe, you'll likely dilate much faster.
3) Say no to induction. And induction is a sure-fire way to have a long, drawn-out labor that has a huge likelihood of ending in a C-section. Besides, since they typically use Pitocin to induce, you'll be dealing with extra-hard contractions. Want a relatively easy short, easy labor that you can manage without pain meds? The best thing to do is to wait until you're body is ready and let it happen naturally. Many times, when you do this, you can start labor already at 3 cms or so. Take it from me, it's totally the way to go, and I was 7 days "late" with both of mine. First labor: 9.5 hrs, second not even 3.5.
4) Don't go to the hospital too early. Unless you have a specific medical reason for it, it's better to get early labor done at home, and show up at the hospital closer to the end than the beginning. It keeps you off their clock and minimizes your stress level, helping you to have a more normal labor pattern.
5) Spend these last couple of weeks researching natural childbirth methods, good positions for minimizing pain, and hiring a good doula. Not only can it help you limit the stress of whether or not you'll want an epidural, it will give you confidence in your ability to birth your baby without it and make for a more positive and empowering birth experience overall.

You can do it. Honestly, in my opinion, when you have freedom to move and your labor does last 24 hours, it's not nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Kind of like the hardest workout you ever did, but with a break every 2 mins. :)

Good luck!

hi there--I have scoliosis and have had 2 successful epidurals with no crazy side effects or outcomes...and plan on having another with baby #3 in November. I also had pitocin with my first b/c I had to be induced early and, with my experience, that labor was easier b/c the pitocin was slowly given to me to gradually increase contractions, whereas with my 2nd child my body quickly progressed and the contractions were unbelievable-both labors were almost exactly 12 hours. SO, remember that each person/experience is different and to just go with what you feel is best. Talk to your Dr about your concerns and ask that he/she put a note in your chart that you have scoliosis. Both anesthesiologists told me it was not a big issue at all and its so common that they have a ton of experience with it. :)

I too have scoliosis and it is mostly in my Lumbar area. I had no problem really with the epidural other than I could feel where it had been put for up to a year afterward. Just felt a little funny there during some movements. The anesthesiologist would know if it is safe or not but I don't think it should be a problem as far as it working. Try to relax and listen to your nurses and Drs. If the daddy is there with you then make sure he reminds of you of what to do. You will do great!

I have a minor scoliosis, nothing as major as you... I asked the anesthesiologist if that would affect the effectiveness, he said no (i got one 4 years ago, for my 1st so I know I can have one).

Don't worry, you'll do fine! We're designed to do this... Now mind you, the pain didn't interest me either, so I took the epidural and BOTH times, they failed...so wether your scoliosis prevents you from taking it or not, it might not work for other reasons...

I know when my epi stopped being effective 7 weeks ago, I didn't have another choice but to push through it...(pun intented). It wasn't fun, but really, the clichés are true. The second the baby comes out, you're so focused on the baby, you kind of forget about the pain... It all rushes back to you once you try to walk for the first time tho :)

I really hope all goes well for you and baby! Keep us posted!

I have scoliosis, and although I don't know the degree of curvature, the doctor said it's in an "S" shape and my hips are misaligned, making one leg shorter than the other and always needing asymmetrical alterations in my pants as a result...anyway, make sure you tell the anesthesiologist about having scoliosis. I had an epidural for my c-section, felt no change, and then said "by the way, I am not sure if this matters or makes a difference, but I have scoliosis", and he said "it most certainly does! I wish you had told me sooner", so at that point, he gave me a second shot in my back, and paid much closer attention to the vertebrae. The second shot made a difference. I guess they put it in a different spot when you have scoliosis? Not sure, but my point is, just remember to tell the anesthesiologist. Good luck!

I have bad scoliosis, my hips aren't aligned so when I walk, I "booty shake" from my hips moving up and down...so I'm with you. I had a fabulous epidural. You can have it turned down when you are getting close to pushing so that you can feel it more. My best advice: be prepared for ANYTHING! If the epidural doesn't take you will be ok, you will have your baby and you will be fine. Try not to focus so much on the logistics of it and just be prepared to have your baby in the way that is meant for you. Good luck!

I have never had anything like your situation, but I do know that if an epidural is done correctly, you still know when to push (and the doctor will tell you if you're not pushing hard enough). You can feel all of the pressure.

Having said that, perhaps you should (very quickly, since it's so late) look into some hypnobirthing classes or other methods of natural pain control. I loved my epidural, but since it may not be an option for you, I would absolutely begin researching ways to handle the pain without an epidural right away. You might also look into a doula - you might be able to find one with some experience with this if you're lucky. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

I have severe back problems and was worried about the epidural as well. I had no problem at all though . . . but I did have a c-section.
Try to have confidence in your doctor - remember, he wants your baby to be born with no problems too!
Good luck to you!

I have had 2 natural births one epidural and the oldest was done with general anesthesia. The epidural hid the pain but I didn't know when to stop pushing and when to start, the nurses and doctors just tell you to push but don't tell you when to start, if I had had a better birth coach (my husband didn't get it) to look at the graph and see when the contractions stop and tell me not to push, things would have gone smoothly but I ended up with a very bad case of hemorrhoids that was helped later by sitz baths with aveno oatmeal powder. Back to the Back problem I do suffer from spine and hip problems so I can emphasize and that was a concern to the anesthesiologist. The long needle must go in straight and there is a strong possibility that they will not do the procedure on you due to your scoliosis. If I were in your situation again I would try to find a natural birthing coach and a hospital with a birthing chair, (which allows gravity to help in the birthing process, unlike stirrups which are actually help the doctor more than the laboring woman) which you should discuss with your obstetrician, Progressive doctors and hospitals would be the best bet. Making sure the doctor relays this information in your chart so that by chance he can’t make it and the doctor on call has to deliver (make also sure you meet him).

I have slight scoliosis and I had two epidurals with no problem. You should find a cranial sacral therapist immediately so she can start working on you now! At least you have a chance for things to change in the next 3 weeks. I highly recommended this treatment. The results are amazing and will make the birth easier for you and the baby.

After reading some of the other wonderful answers all i want to say is relax and don't worry about - be as prepared as you can (and your obviously doing that well asking for advice from those who have been through it before :oD ) and take everything one step at a time as it comes :o)
Call the hospital and see if you can set up an appointment with the anesthesiologist before hand if it will make you feel better prepared, but be aware that unless you have a scheduled c-section - there is no guarantee that that exact doc will be on call at the time.
As for your fear with the epidural - I don't think there is such a thing as pushing too hard and i'm sure that your doc who will be down there in the front row will know if your doing anything harmful to yourself :o) With my epidural, i could still feel the pressure of the contractions on my belly and so i was the lone telling my nurses and doc when i was going to push through - they do "turn off" the anesthetic right before the delivery so you can feel that little bit (at least they did for me). The best example i can think of to calm your fears regarding your hips and feeling like their going to break it so painful is this - have you ever had a wisdom tooth that is causing you sooo much pain that you can barely open your mouth wide enough for the dentist to give you a shot of local anesthetic? it hurts. really, really bad. but then. as the anesthetic starts to go to work your mouth opens more and more like there was no pain to begin with until its wide enough for your dentist to do the work needed. i'm sure that is what the epidural will do (should do) for that pain your expecting in your hips. So don't worry about it - you've done great so far!

I too have severe scoliosis. I have had a very successful natural childbirth. I would say to plan for a natural childbirth - like that is what you want. And then, if it works out during labor that you are able to have an epidural, it would be a bonus. All of my fears about carrying a baby to term and giving birth - with scoliosis - were a waste of time. I pray that your fears are unfounded as well.

I have scoliosis. I had to wear a brace for 4 years (6th grade through 9th grade). I also had epidurals with all three of my kids with no problems. I don't know if my scoliosis is better or worse than yours, but I don't remember it being an issue at all with the epidurals...

Oh boy... I have minor scoliosis and to be honest, this was a huge problem for me. If you are looking for soothing words, don't read any further (I mean it)...

It took 45 minutes for the anesthesiologist to get the epidural in. 45 minutes, curled into a ball, experiencing contractions with this guy poking along my spinal cord. Not fun. And then once he got it in, it was pretty much useless. It took a tiny bit of the edge off, but not much and not for very long.

Even worse, they had to do an emergency c-section. I kept telling everyone that the epidural wasn't working, but they told me not to worry b/c they give more drugs for the surgery. I just kept saying, "But it's not in there correctly! It doesn't matter how much drugs you give!" Long story short (and I'll spare you the details), they started doing the c-section while I wasn't anywhere near numb. The doctor actually yelled at me to stop kicking my legs (which obviously I should not have even been able to move if the spinal had worked!). They finally just knocked me out completely for the remainder of the c-section.

BUT, unlike you, I didn't warn them about my scoliosis ahead of time. I didn't even think to since it's not really a problem for me. And the anesthesiologist I had was clearly not adept at handling epidurals for women with our condition.

I would have preferred to go natural, but my daughter was overdue, fluids were low and her heartbeat was irregular. I didn't have a choice. So just remember that you can't always plan for these things.

Anyway, the most important thing was that my daughter was healthy and perfect. And it's true what they say - the moment they put that little baby in your arms, anything that came before it just melts away. She was more than worth it!

My hips are often out of place and have back pain. I remember being one of the candidates for the xray because the school did have some question about my spine, but I really can't remember any sort of outcome. My parents were often separated and my father was not a large part of the financial support in our home. Perhaps they did nothing.

I had a lot of back pain during my second pregnancy and opted not to have the epidural. A small part of my reason was because I felt I already had a bad back and didn't need anymore problem and the larger part was because I didn't want any unnecessary meds to get to my baby. My doctor thought I was nuts, but I stood my ground.

My largest problem with giving birth was my left leg going into a leg cramp and I couldn't concentrate on pushing the baby out because my leg was twisted and cramped. The baby catching nurse massaged my leg to keep it from cramping (even though they told my husband to do it) and I was finally able to focus on pushing baby out.

So with natural child birth (why do they call it child birth when thank God we don't have to push out a small child) I was able to feel the pain and aggravation of a stupid leg cramp, but then I hit a point where I didn't care what it took, that baby was coming out! Yes, it was extreme momentary pain, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Best wishes on your decision and choice.

Hi - I have scoliosis and got an epidural no problem, twice. In fact, I didn't even know it was an issue regarding receiving an epidural until the aneathesiologist was in the room trying to insert the thing and was like, "You're spine is curved..." etc., etc. Anyway, this guy with no forwarning got the thing into my spine no hassle. I have mild-moderate curvature of the spine. I wouldn't worry about it, really. And in any case, if for some reason you actually can't have an epidural--the pain of childbirth is manageable. Sounds like a cliche, but concentrate on your breathing when you're getting a contraction, and it really does distract from the pain! Good Luck!

To parrot what Grandma TM said...You can always just not get an epidural! :) You know there may be some pain, which is true, and the way I looked at it was -- the pain is temporary, the baby will come no matter what, you can feel what's going on better and there are no side effects (epidurals are generally considered safe for all but there is some evidence that the baby can be a bit groggy from it.)

I'm afraid I can't speak to the scoliosis-specific concerns, but I imagine that if you're in a good hospital you'll get good care whether you end up going the epidural route or not. If it helps at all, I had two kids (one almost ten pounds, yikes!) with no drugs, and yeah the last 5% of labor and pushing was pretty painful but that motivated me to push those babies out fast! I hadn't said "never" to an epidural but as it turned out I didn't need one and it worked out fine.

Congrats on your pregnancy and here's hoping you have a problem-free delivery no matter how you end up delivering!

I have mildish scoliosis (s-shaped also) but stopped getting x-rayed for it in my early 20s as it wasn't deteriorating - so I'm not much help on that front. Having had an emergency c-section with my first child (aged 35) with a complete spinal block, I gave birth naturally 2nd time round (aged 38). I had a very quick labout of 4-5 hours, so quick that 2 co-codamol and gas and air was all there was time for. The pain involved was all-encompassing (but in waves, not constantly at the same level) but not nearly as severe as I had expected and the pain relief I had was sufficient. I felt alert and pretty euphoric afterwards and the whole experience was really positive. I was lucky in that I was able to walk around until the last 2 hours which helped gravity to do its job.

Check with your mother what her labour(s) were like, I had a very experienced, older midwife who told me speed of labour is often hereditary. I checked with my mum, even her first was quick and this proved to be the case with me.

I'd advise you keep an open mind rather than getting too hung up on which pain relief you want - giving birth is really unpredictable and you may just need to go with the flow. I personally think if you can keep moving about for as long as possible and gauge your own tolerance levels rather than assuming beforehand that you'll be screaming for an epidural, you could be better off than insisting on an epidural in advance and having your legs stuck up in stirrups. It's useful being able to feel what's going on - have a bit of confidence that you will cope with it just fine!

Before I had my first child I was really panicking about the birth, then had a c-section 2 months premmie anyway, so worrying about it beforehand was a waste of time!! Giving birth normally second time round was fantastic. Everyone's experiences are different, so don't get caught up in the horror stories! If you are feeling really anxious, maybe have a session of hypnotherapy where you can deal with that by planting some positive images you can focus on when giving birth eg. imagining a place where you feel safe and happy. Lots of luck, and I hope it all goes smoothly

I would suggest calling the hospital up and making an appointment to talk to the head of anesthesiology before you even go in at all..:) Talk to them and see what they professionally advise....

If you do this now, you will be reassured of what you may need to do while in the hospital...and a local is always an option...it will take the edge off the pain....

I think it's really great that you are trying to prepare yourself in advance. I too have scoliosis (32 degree curve) and when I asked if there would be a problem with the epidural I was told not to worry. Long story short I had three failed epidurals and was so not prepared to feel the pain of labor. Honestly, I don't think they know if it's going to work unless they try and then it's 50/50.

Here's my advice....go into your labor very open minded. If you start feeling the pain and think you can handle it, go for it! If you start feeling the pain and it seems like it's too much, ask for the epidural and if it works problem solved. If it doesn't work, just know that I have the lowest tolerance for pain of anyone I know and am known for being a complete woos (sp?) and even I got through it! And afterwards if you have done it without an epidural it's a pretty cool feeling to know you gave birth like all the women before pain relief was even an option....we are made to do that! Just give yourself options. And make sure whoever is your coach in the labor room is also prepared! My husband did great, but I really threw him for a loop because he didn't think he would need to use everything we learned in the birthing class and we did!

As for the problem with the hips... like I said I ended up without an epidural and I still pushed myself out of my comfort zone normally. You are just going to do what your body is telling you to do to get the baby out and those other discomforts were not even on my radar. I did take longer to recover and had an MRI after giving birth because my pelvis and hips felt so out of whack. All anyone could tell me was it appeared that my pelvis had spread further than they usually see, but everything would eventually work its way back to normal and it did!

Good luck! Whatever happens it will still be a great experience because your baby will be in your arms after it is all over and the body is truly amazing at healing itself!

Maybe you should just tell yourself that you are going natural and dont worry about getting the epidural. If you had to have the kid on the fwy in bumper to bumper traffic you wouldnt have an epidural. Why even do it if you think or know there could be bad repercussions? If you can go without having the baby getting the chemicals of the epidural you should. The pain is not that bad and it makes you a stronger woman afterwards. So many women like to use "labor and delivery" as a guage to how other things hurt afterwards. If you don't feel it, you will never know what we know.

Just in case the epidural is not an option for you, I wanted to offer some reassurance about natural childbirth from my experience.... My contractions hurt (like really horrible cramps) but the pushing did not hurt AT ALL. I was going to get an epidural with my first, but there wasn't time and as it turns out I really didn't need it. I chose to have my second naturally as well because I knew I didn't need it. Childbirth was not as painful as I thought it would be, but they also can give you pain medicine in different forms. Congratulations on your baby!

I have scoliosis too. I wasn't sure how that would affect my getting an epidural. I tried to go naturally and ended up getting it at the end and it worked beautifully. I wished I had gotten it earlier! They had to stick my twice, but I could hardly feel the needle. It felt more like a pressure in my back. I had brought x-rays in case they needed them, but they didn't. Also my curve sounds pretty similar to yours too, but my hips are not still spreading.