Epidural- how many cm were you when you got one?

[Butterflyrosebud]

Hi all,

38 weeks pregnant and worrying about labour/ pain relief options.

I’ve put in my birth plan that if I don’t feel like I can cope using gas and air etc. then I want to go for an epidural.

I want to avoid labour slowing down and interventions which I know can happen. So how long did you wait before getting an epidural? I was thinking 6cm... although I know you can’t exactly plan these things.

Any advice or input would be put appreciated

[BeyondThePage]

Haven't a clue. Was in pain, they took it alllllllll away... Not entirely sure I was ever told how many cms etc...

DD turned out to be breech, so was just as well I'd had an epidural as they had to do an EMCS anyhow.

[LupinsNotBluebells]

If you want to avoid interventions, I'm sorry but look elsewhere as an epidural isn't for you. Even a mobile epidural isn't properly mobile, just you may be able to stand up at the side of the bed. bitter experience of epidural to lower BP resulting in being stuck on bed and assisted delivery

Look at other pain options, TENS, pethedine, water, even hypnobirthing if you have time etc. before epidural as if you're stuck on a bed with a monitor on your stomach, your chances of getting an assisted delivery are high.

[Spam88]

Mine wasn't planned, but I was 6-7cm when I was transferred to the labour ward because I wasn't progressing. Doctor told me to get an epidural (which I was all for by that point). Bit of a wait to get it, but not too bad, then was examined afterwards and was 4-5cm. Had to have a hormone drip but didn't end up with an assisted delivery.

[MollyDaydream]

With my 3rd I got one as soon as I got to hospital, so maybe 4cm? Pure bliss.

[MonumentVal]

About 5 or 6. I'd gone in and laboured in the MLU for a couple hours before getting in their pool, but after 8 hours of nothing I had to get out again and got the epidural within half an hour (nothing continued to happen for another 20 hours).

[Jammycustard]

Had it before my drip. No assisstance required.

[MonumentVal]

Agree if you have an epidural you are more likely to have an assisted delivery, but it goes the other way round too: if your labour is one that's likely to need assistance, it's also likely to be a level of pain that makes you ask for an epidural. See how it goes.

[SomeKnobend]

I think they normally make you wait until 4cm as they don't count you as being in active labour until then. However if you are induced you get very strong contractions from all of a sudden so you can have an epidural from whenever you need it if being induced, even if you're not 4 cm yet.

[happymummy12345]

I didn't have one as I didn't want one at all. But I'd say if you're keen to avoid medical pain relief, there's plenty of other options that are available. I found that a tens machine, birth ball and birth pool really helped me. I didn't have gas and air as it made me feel sick after the first try.

[Sunrise888]

4cm, but then I was induced and the pain (and position of the pain) was far worse than I ever expected.

[hellohello12345]

I was induced and said I wanted the epidural straight away but they eventually did it at 5cm I think. Ended up having an emergency c section anyway so never went beyond that.

[GetInMyNelly]

I had an induction and asked for an epidural as soon as they broke my waters, midwife tried to talk me into waiting.

I told her under no circumstances was I proceeding with labour without an epidural. I only needed intervention because my DS had his cord wrapped around his neck and every time I pushed, he was pulled back up!

[TitsalinaBumsquat]

I was 5cm when I had my epidural. I had been contracting for about 16 hours but the time I got it so glad I did because my labour was 34 hours in total. I remember deliriously sucking on gas and air and making my midwife promise not to let me go too far to have the epidural.

[TitsalinaBumsquat]

Oh and I did then have to have the hormone drip because labour wasn’t progressing. I got to 9cm in about 32 hours. The doctor manually did the last cm and then I went back to 9. Ended up having forceps delivery.

[DragonsAndCakes]

You may find you don’t get a chance to choose exactly how far you are. I went from 3cm (not far enough) to 10cm (too far) in a very short space of time. There needs to be the anaesthetist, who won’t just be sitting around waiting m, either.

[DragonsAndCakes]

Random ‘m’!

[Rockandrollwithit]

I had one at 7cm.

DS was back to back and in an awkward position (arm above head). I would have needed an assisted delivery regardless of whether or not I had an epidural.

[annandale]

I went from 3cm to 10cm in about an hour, not that i knew that, so there was no time.

I would just say - if you're struggling with the pain, ask for pain relief. I put it off because I was afraid the options wouldn't last as long as I needed, and never got anywhere with anything except TENS and water.

[BuffyandHen]

Get your request in early if you are sure you want want as it may take time to get the anaesthetist

[Butterflyrosebud]

Thank you everyone for your input. I go through phases of being terrified and anxious, like I 100% want an epidural then other days I think I can do it without and Hypnobirth my way through. Bored on maternity leave and it’s all I can think about!

[ElinorCadwaller]

Insisted on one before drip. I didn't know at the time but without it I'd have had a v hairy (crash C section under general) delivery. With, I had a five hour labour+vaginal delivery with minimal tearing.

[KeepingTheWormsQuiet]

I had to have an epidural with my first baby, because I had pre-eclampsia and it brings the blood pressure down. It was an induction. They thought I had ages to go and did the epidural and said I should have a a sleep. I told them I felt pressure and they found I was 10cm and ready to push (it ended up as a ventouse delivery). So I had it really late, but it wasn't planned that way.

I only had gas & air with my next two births and that worked fine for me. It doesn't take the pain away: it just distances you from it.

[Cat12321]

I was 4cm dilated and was begging for one. I was originally wanting a water birth with just gas and air, but I couldn't hack it.

I will just say, that the epidural unfortunately didn't entirely work for me and failed entirely towards the end. I don't want to scare you, but no one told me that that was even a possibility and I was terrified. Vast majority of the time it's apparently brilliant

All the best!

[Havetothink]

0 cm, I had the drip to get things moving and went from no contractions to 3 a minute within about 5 minutes still at 0. Had no hesitation having an epidural.

[Spam88]

Just to add OP, you don't have to make any decisions now. Just see how you feel on the day and whether the pain is at a level you can deal with.