'walking epidural'?

[HardCheese]

Could anyone describe their experiences with a 'walking epidural', or point me to any information on them? I had been preparing to try to do without an epidural (first baby, older mother, very nervous), because I deal much better with pain and stress when I can move around, walk and change position, and someone mentioned to my partner the possibility of an epidural where it was still possible to move around - is this too good to be true, as I suspect? Or when they say 'move around', do they just mean changing your position on a bed...?

Apparently the hospital I had DD too in use low-dose 'mobile' epidurals according to the booklet I've been given for DC2. It said that with the epidural in there would still be mobility in the legs and freedom of movement around the bed - how much fucking movement can you do on a narrow bed? - and they don't allow standing or walking with it in place in case you fall over.

However, the epidural I had definitely didn't allow any kind of mobility, not even to wriggle round the bed - I couldn't feel my legs AT ALL and couldn't move without assistance from DH and a MW.

It was only printed 4 months after I had DD so it wasn't as if there was masses of time to change the policy, write the booklet (it's a great big book) and print it in between me having DD and them producing the info.

Crap - thanks, Flisspaps. I agree on the mobility on the bed issue, and the idea of not being able to move at all without help gives me the cold sweats, so I suppose I'm back with Birth Plan One, involving stoicism, walking and/or water and swearing.

It might be different in your area, and the phrase 'don't allow' always gets my back up. If I'd have seen that before I had DD then I'd have been off the bloody bed.

I don't really see the point in a mobile epidural if they then make it awkward for you to be mobile, being able to give your leg the odd shake every three hours hardly makes for an active birth!

Your Plan 1 sounds good to me.

I had a mobile epidural. I didn't get up and move around as I was induced and had continuous fetal monitoring, but I was mobile enough to change position several times during the second stage.

Working, thanks - what kinds of position changes are we talking about? Getting from sitting to all fours on the bed, that kind of thing?

I was the same as working9while5 - had a mobile epi which you topped up yourself with a clicker. It is possible to walk (i walked to the loo about anmhour before baby arrived) but as working said, it's really more so you can reposition yourself on bed/chair, wherever you're birthing. This was at UCLH.

I had it on my first dd and was allowed to move around. I was limited though by the fetal monitors. I got sick when they gave me a top up o the epi and was able to go to the shower to clean up. Walked to the labour room with it.
With dd2 I opted for breathing and no pain relief and it went really well. It really wasn't as bad as I had feared. I'm a bit of a control freak though and felt more in control of my birthing experience by being able to feel everything and move as I wished.

Yes, was on all fours on the bed, and then kind of up on the bed with my arms over the top so I was pushing in a sort of "squatting on my knees" position. Can't really remember in any detail, sorry!

I think I'm missing something here, baby brain is obviously getting to me. I thought the point of an epidural was to completely block all pain so you couldn't feel anything? Therefore you won't need to move around to relieve the pain? At least, this was the case when I had DD. It was a treat to get a break from 'marching' through the contractions after 12 hours and have a lie down and a bit of a kip. I think I need it spelling out to me very simply as I am a bear of very little brain!

Try the water first!

Most women get beached on the bed once they have an epidural in. And as we know this is not good for moving the baby down through the pelvis and staying in upright positions.

I couldn't feel anything Zuleika! But I had movement in my legs of sorts... I could move like that but couldn't feel any contractions/pushing much except as pressure.

I couldn't feel the contractions with this epi but could feel the pushing.
I would think that being able to move position in the 2nd stage would help prevent possible tearing and damage to tailbone. Therefore speeding up recovery afterwards. But that's just my idea. I stupidly let them put me in the litomny position and had 3rd degree tears and couldn't sit for 6 weeks with my sore tailbone.

I had a c sec at the Lindo and had a mobile epi for 4 days pot op. it was the nuts, I had zero pain, didn't need any other post op pain relief and full mobility so was up and walking 7 hours post op with no assistance. The only thing I couldn't have was a shower until it came out. My sister in law had 2 natural deliveries at John and lizzies and had mobile epi for both with full mobility. She had 2 pain free deliveries and like me ages them very highly. If they are available then I would def say give them a go but I haven't heard many uses of them in the NHS.

I had one of the first mobile epidurals when I had DD2 17½ years ago. They were still in trial stage then. I have to say they were (as was I) rather surprised at how much mobility I did have. I was able to do pretty much anything except feel the pain. I delivered her at half 4 in the afternoon and was home by 8 that evening, so I can definitely recommend it.

Having had a dreadful first labour with DD1, there was no way I could go through that again so would have signed up for anything... Would have done it with my other two if I could, but one was EMCS and the other was a hundred years later and age/blood problems meant I had to have an ELCS with DD3.

Or as squiby so succinctly puts it 'it was the nuts'

Mine was at St. Mary's. I know they do it at George's, Thomas's and Kings too as well as UCH and QC. I suppose that's useless info if OP is not in London though!

Hi op, I had mobile epi in st George's London - I was able to move from bed to ball and change positions fairly easily. It dulled the majority of the pain (ended up with cs so not sure how it would be with pushing stage). Id definately reccommend trying a mobile epi before full if you are offered it. Only real drawback was the catheter got in the way on the ball and I wasn't 100% confident on my feet so wanted dh by my side when on ball...

I get it now, thanks everyone (and apologies to the OP for hijacking). I tore quite badly with DD, which I wondered if it might have been due to not being able to control the pushes because I couldn't actually feel it, but it could have also been down to working against gravity. I'd not thought of that before

They may be more widely available as I had one at Lancaster. It wasn't described as a walking epidural but was certainly light touch when it was set up. I was able to walk, sit on a birthing ball, go to the loo unassisted, that sort of thing. My legs felt slightly tingly like pins and needles and I could feel the pressure of the contractions but no pain.

Thanks, everyone, I'll be giving birth on the NHS, probably at the Homerton in Hackney, where it isn't available, it seems. Oh well.