Nurse Shares Different Types of Epidural Patients in Pre-Labor — Oh Baby!

Working in the medical field comes with a lot of unforgettable experiences. Surgeons can perform life-changing procedures, anesthesiologists supply patients with meds so they don’t feel anything during said procedures, and of course, OBGYNs and natal nurses have the pleasure of helping new moms welcome new life into the world.

Since nurses assist doctors with various patients, they’re able to see certain things that most doctors don’t — from dealing with testy patients to their behavior after a procedure. So, when one nurse decided to share the types of epidural patients on TikTok, moms, and healthcare workers all couldn’t help but chime in. Here’s the rundown.

Most moms will tell you that an epidural is music to their ears. In case you’re unclear about what it is, the Cleveland Clinic shares that an epidural “is a procedure that involves injecting a medication — either an anesthetic or a steroid — into the space around your spinal nerves known as the epidural space.” Further, “the goal of an epidural procedure is to provide pain relief (analgesia) or a complete lack of feeling (anesthesia) for one region of your body, such as your legs or belly.”

In other words, this medication helps women ease through labor with little to no pain. So naturally, some women who opt against a natural birth (no medication) or simply prefer a more comfortable experience typically go for an epidural.

In an Aug. 28, 2023, TikTok video, creator Anna The Nurse (@anna.the.nurse) shared her experience of watching different types of epidural patients.

“If you got an epidural in labor, what did you do? I slept,” the video caption reads.

Throughout the video, she acted out patients who received the drug ranged from women who proceeded to get into the full-glam mode, patients who instantly call family, some who try to get work done, and folks who sleep.

Anna also shared that some women love on their significant other, experience itching, or discover that their epidural is not working on one side of their body.

Not to mention, some find themselves having adverse effects to the medication and can end up puking, or worse, the medication doesn’t work. Interestingly, Anna revealed that some epidural patients feel so numb that they start to worry about how to push.

An epidural is widely popular due to how it makes labor go smoother for some people. So when folks saw Anna’s TikTok about different types of epidural patients, they immediately shared their own experiences.

“I was a sleeper. The post-epidural naps were the best thing about labor,” one person said.

“I was the one whose didn’t work,” another user said.

“I was soooo itchy! It was the worst part of the whole process for me,” another person revealed.

As you can see, epidural effects vary for each woman. However, no matter what they experience, the result is hopefully a healthy baby.