Honestly how were we able to give birth without epidural in the old days?

[DanaPonds]

Epidural anesthesia only became common in the 1980's. I feel sorry for my grandmothers and great-grandmothers from both my mom's and dad's side. My paternal granny is only 4'10 (a lot smaller and thinner than me when she was my age) and yet managed to have 3 normal, vaginal births... ouch. Her poor thin, small body.

At least my mother got epidural. I think if all of the sudden epidural was banned, I would likely opt for c-section. No way I'm going to go through that pain, no.

But honestly, how did we did it without epidural back then?

Updates

+1 y

Neither of my grannies in my family had c-section. All were normal, vaginal birth without epidural. Nope, there is no way I would manage that.

[Anemone978]

I got an epidural.. which was pretty shit and didn't work, then they ended up taking it out because my blood pressure was low and it wasn't helping me.. I felt everything and was in labour for 15 hours the contractions were close together and I couldn't even talk by the end of the fifteen hours, I had to beg my husband to tell them (because I couldn't barely talk) just do the emergency c section because I couldn't do it anymore I needed sleep and I couldn't take the pain anymore..
For my second kid I told them I wanted a C section and I wasn't taking no for an answer because I wasn't going through that shit again lol So the second one went smoothly..

[Kelly6]

it is why there were more death during birth back then

[Anemone978]

@Kelly6 Yeah for some reason me, my mom and my sister all had to have c-sections for our first.. none of us dilated and for my sister they really tried with her she was lucky and had no pain but they couldn't get her dilated..

[Apple1996]

I've had both natural and epidural births. It doesn't make much of a difference during birth. The only thing the epidurals allowed me to do was get some rest instead of waking up every mintue for a contraction. My 4th birth I stayed home and slept till I was 8 cm and went to the hospital and got a epidural just to sleep more before I gave birth

[abc3643]

My mother had an epidural and that was in January 1963...

[DanaPonds]

She's a lucky lady.

[abc3643]

Not really. It's been around a long time...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3417963/

Local Reg Anesth. 2010; 3: 143–153.
Published online 2010 Dec 8. doi: 10.2147/LRA. S10237
PMCID: PMC3417963
PMID: 23144567
Epidural analgesia for labor: Current techniques

...
In the early 1960s, the lumbar epidural replaced caudal analgesia as the preferred technique. Compared with the caudal route, lumbar epidural analgesia is more comfortable for the patient and easier to perform. The technique required less local anesthetic. Motor function of the lower extremities and abdominal muscles can be maintained. The extent of sympathectomy can be better controlled, resulting in less maternal hypotension. The block can be extended and used for cesarean section if necessary. During this period of time, bupivacaine was synthesized and became the drug of choice in obstetrics because of its long duration of action and absence of tachyphylaxis. The use of lumbar epidural catheters in the 1970s permitted administration of pain relief early in labor, rather than only at the time of delivery.

...

[sheikalana]

A woman’s body was made to give birth. I also cannot imagine myself giving birth without taking an epidural I’m a petite tiny woman I feel like I don’t have enough strength to handle the pain but Lord knows. There’s still so many women who opt to give birth without epidural. I would pass out with the pain.

[Anonymous]

I had a natural birth because my epidural failed not once but twice which is quite common. I was experiencing contractions every 10 to 30 seconds for over 15 hours. As someone else said you have to suffer through it

[DanaPonds]

Yet if you had to suffer through it, then why did some women like my paternal granny and others still wanted to have another child, still went through all that painful process a 2nd or 3rd time? Why if one time is bad enough.

[Opinion Owner]

A lot of women continue having more kids after going through it. Everyone is different so I can't explain why they decided to have more kids, but for some they chose to have more kids to give them siblings and some chose to have more kids because the pain is temporarily despite it lasting hours or in some cases days

[Anonymous]

I have a couple friends who gave birth without epidural, their own choice. They said there are certain positions you can lay in that make it less painful, and also walking around helps.

[Anonymous]

People just suffered through it.

[DanaPonds]

I feel terrible for what my poor grannies had to go through just to bring a baby to life. What I don't understand is if it hurt so much the first time, why would they decide to have another baby like my paternal grandma that has 3 children?
If I were brave enough to pull through the first time... no way in hell I would go through that a 2nd time, much less 3rd time. Nope

[Jmmmfi4]

I doubt it's as painful as you girls claim

[Anemone978]

Nah it is pretty damn horrible pain to be honest.. unless you are lucky and the kid just comes out, if not it is really bad!

[DanaPonds]

If that was the case then there wouldn't be movies showing how painful it is nor mothers sharing their painful stories.
Needless to say, I can't imagine going through that twice. If once was painful already, why do they want another child? Why go through that pain again?

[NotInterestedSorry]

Being a guy how can you say that. It is one of the most painful things a woman can go through and it's not just pain that is short. Some women experience the pain for hours, sadly some are even in labour for days

[scooogy]

I wouldn't