Gestational Diabetes and Epidurals

A-OK, even with an epidural

Almost everyone I know is talking about the epidural article from Slate, which I shared here last week.  Well, I've decided to join the conversation by sharing my own experience with pain relief during labor and delivery.

Unfortunately, my desire for a totally "natural" childbirth was thwarted the moment my midwife diagnosed me with gestational diabetes.  She insisted that I give birth in a hospital.  I agreed, of course, but I was still determined to deliver Trey without the use of pain medication.

Life, as it turns out, had other plans.  When my water broke, I wasn't in labor at all - not dilated, not effaced, not experiencing contractions.  My midwife tried to induce labor using several gentle methods, but to no avail.  I had to have pitocin.

After the pitocin was administered, I endured fourteen hours of nightmarish, artificially-induced back labor, and I probably could have handled more.  But, once again, my decision was dictated not by my own abstract desires, but by inisputable medical facts.

The pitocin-induced pain drove my blood sugar level so high that something had to be done.  I could either accept an epidural, which would block the pain and, hopefully, lower my blood sugar, or receive insulin intravenously, which would drive my blood sugar levels down artificially.

I opted for the epidural - and I'm really thankful I did.  I was able to sleep a little before pushing, which was a tremendous blessing after being awake all night.  And because my midwife allowed me to wait until Trey had completely dropped, my delivery was also fairly easy.  The entire experience was fundamentally different than what I'd hoped for, but it was still a good one. 

Thankfully, Trey was born without any blood sugar problems - a major concern for babies whose moms had gestational diabetes.  He did have a hard time establishing breastfeeding.  Maybe it was because of the epidural, or maybe it was due to the fact that my nipples were extremely flat.  All I know is that Trey was finally able to latch only after several weeks of pumping had fundamentally altered the shape of my nipples.  And although I can't be sure, I have a hard time believing that things would have been different if I'd skipped the epidural.

In theory, I still support natural childbirth practices.  I hope to deliver my next child without pain medication.  But I also realize that sometimes life gets in the way of our best laid plans.  And when that happens, there's no point in feeling guilty about all the ways in which we've "failed."

And so, I am at peace with my less-than-perfect childbirth experience.  The events of the day didn't unfold the way I'd intended.  But when all is said and done, I walked away from the experience with a beautiful, wonderful, healthy son.  And that is, by far, the most important thing.  Everything else is just noise.

Did you use an epidural?  Was it out of choice or necessity?  Would you make the same choice for a future delivery?