mobile epidurals - your experiences?

[mogwai]

If you have had a mobile epidural, could you share your experiences with us?

I know they are not done in every hospital, but turns out I have the option. I am particularly interested in whether you had enough strength to be in a kneeling/all fours position and whether you could feel enough to push.

Also, did you require ventouse or forceps or neither?

[charleypops]

Hi Mogwai! - I might go for one of these circs permitting. here's a thread I started a while ago on the subject which got a few responses that you might find useful.

[charleepeters]

Hi i my hospital only did mobile epidurals so i had one! My midwife said they effect every women different she said some women can still walk around but still be comfortable but some cant walk or feel anything! I was the latter i couldnt feel my legs but my midwife told me when to push so i didnt matter if i couldnt feel so either way you should be fine but i highly recomend an epidural i couldnt of done it without it it made my labour a happy experience, best of luck x

[charleepeters]

oh yeah i had no intervention completley natural only took 8 hours!

[mogwai]

thanks for that ladies, I'll have a look at that thread. Sounds like a good option though

[GeorginaA]

Loved mine - was at the end of a very long protracted labour (induction) where I couldn't cope any more. Wasn't able to walk around (wasn't allowed to in the hospital I was at) but for me it just took the edge off enough to cope again and could still feel amply to push. Had no further interventions and was up and about within an hour of giving birth and having a lovely soak in the bath! Left the hospital within 7 hours of giving birth to return to my own bed - luxury!

That in contrast to a "normal" epidural first time around where I ended up having an episiotomy and ventouse. Plus my legs still felt numb and wobbly 2 days later, and I had numb feelings in my hands (?!!) on and off for quite a while afterwards (the latter I'm not sure if it's related but it was very odd).

Definitely rate the mobile very highly.