Can you request an epidural?

[gowiththeflow87]

I've just found out I'm expecting my second. With my first I said I was happy to go with the flow and see if I wanted an epidural or not once I was in labour. By the time I wanted one.. it was too late!
Can I request an epidural prior to going into hospital? And how much pain does it take away? Thank you.

You can request it before you get to the and the minute you get to the hospital - but you will only get it if you are not too far gone. I had an epidural on my first and it was great. My second arrived so quick that I was already 9cm when I got to the hospital and it wasn’t possible for me to have it even though I was shouting for it!

You can request it at any time, and let them know from the start that you want one. It completely removes all pain - you won’t feel anything.

I think because I didn't know what to expect with my first I didn't want to seem like I would just go straight for epidural without seeing if I could ride it out. By the time I'd decided I couldn't ride it out - I was 8cm and it was too late 😂 I mean the thought of another natural doesn't fill me with dread but the thought of a pain free labour makes me feel much better!
Does it slow labour? Or make the pushing stage longer or more difficult?

I would say it was poor communication on the midwife part. Next time I would see how I am but specifically ask the midwife if I want an epidural how long will it take etc. You have to request it then they have to find an anesthetist that is free to do it, which can take time if theatres are busy. There are pros and cons so I would read up about it. Personally I needed it, baby was back to back and other drugs didn't work but I felt nothing not even a real urge to push so felt odd. But then also afterwards you have to wait for it to wear off and have a catheter until it does.

Of course you can,you can usually do it when you see the midwife in 3rd trimester when you discuss the birth plan.She will write it in your pregnancy book.
It doesn't necessarily slow down labour,not in all cases.
In regards to second stage-same,you may actually feel an urge to push.It may not be as intense as in labour without epidural but many women reported feeling of slight pressure etc.Either way,they will record the frequency/lenght of your contractions on monitor and may do examination to check for dilatation.
Good luck and don't worry.It's definitely an option.

@PurpleMustang

I would say it was poor communication on the midwife part. Next time I would see how I am but specifically ask the midwife if I want an epidural how long will it take etc. You have to request it then they have to find an anesthetist that is free to do it, which can take time if theatres are busy. There are pros and cons so I would read up about it. Personally I needed it, baby was back to back and other drugs didn't work but I felt nothing not even a real urge to push so felt odd. But then also afterwards you have to wait for it to wear off and have a catheter until it does.

My last midwife wasn't great. We asked her about anti natal classes - she said we were too late for them, we found out about one, turned up.. and she was running it!!! We have moved since so I'll be at another hospital. I think I'm going to get them to write on the notes that I'm definitely wanting an epidural when I get to hospital. They've got rid of the nice midwife led unit I had my last baby in anyway. I really wanted a water birth last time but it doesn't really appeal to me this time round. It didn't work anyway as they had to get me out of the birthing pool to have a ventouse birth. Thanks everyone x

Yes I wrote in on my birth plan. Obviously you never know what might happen and right staff might not be available at the time etc etc

Request it the minute you get there if you want one as it can take time for an anaesthetist to be available if there are emergencies. I waited 2 hours for mine.

Also, if you're having a back to back baby and having back contraction pain, an epidural DOES NOT numb this pain, fyi.

I was told at 7cm I wouldn't need to have one and I was very assertive and told midwife I'd be having one. Another midwife told me that if I wanted one at 10cm, I'd get one at 10cm. Being "too late" for an epidural is a myth.

I had one on my birth plan but it wasn't offered me, I was in agony and young so didn't think to ask, by the time I did they said I didn't need it and it won't be long til I was 10cm. They had to give me one in the end as I was told to push to soon and cervix became swollen. The relief was amazing, I still felt pain but it was more pressure and nowhere near the pain I was feeling before it.
As others have said if you want one make sure you request it ASAP, that's the mistake I made

Yes I had similar plan to you with my first, to go with flow and request epidural if I felt I needed it. labour progressed quickly and was 7cm by time we got to hospital, epidural was offered and eagerly took up the offer! I loved the affect of the epidural - took all pain away (felt some slight pressure sensation with contractions but midwives feel your bump and tell you when to push) but there were downsides, namely:

• epidural aren’t instant, in my case I had to wait over an hour for the Anaesthetist to see me as they were tied up with other patients (no idea what affect Covid is having on availability of Anaesthetists at the moment...)
• The procedure can take a while to do, took an hour for mine to go in(!) funny when you see it on ‘One Born Every Minute’ as looks like takes 1 min! They had to remove the first one from my back though as it was not in the right position and start again, so in normal cases is prob half this time. Contractions were at their strongest when they were doing it (8cm by this point) and you have to sit upright totally totally still while they are putting it in which was incredibly hard with strong contractions, the brilliant midwife put her arms around my head and whispered ‘still still still, you can do it!’
• The pain relief builds over time - was not instant for me; the midwife described it as ‘cutting off the sides of the hill’ so at first you are left with the peak of the contraction ie the ‘top of the hill’, which is strong but mercifully shorter. This fades though and eventually all pain goes which is great! Again took about an hour for me to be totally pain free but others may have different experiences of this.
• Slowed down my labour CONSIDERABLY. In fact labour stopped completely for a few hours when was nearly fully dilated and was strapped to machines to monitor baby. Was so glad of the pain relief though, didn’t really mind as long as baby was ok
• Long pushing stage. I don’t know if this is always the case, but in mine took 2 hours and nearly needed forceps delivery as they were concerned baby was getting tired/ heart rate had slowed.
• The extended pushing time caused extra injuries in both bottom and vagina which took several months to resolve (and bottom injuries in particular were more painful than the labour as soon as the drugs wore off). Am convinced the 2 hours of pushing were responsible for the injuries, or at least the extent of them, which my mums friends who’d had shorter pushing stages did not get.

I really want to avoid these injuries again, which I believe were due to the long pushing time because of the epidural, so am opting for a non-epidural birth next time round. It’s such a shame, as I loved the no-pain effect of the epidural(!) but cannot face the complications and long term pain/ problems/ anal surgery that followed.

I know a non-epidural birth will be more painful, but am hoping the labour will at least be shorter and post natal recovery easier/ quicker.

I could still feel crappy pain on one side depending on how I was laying but I was able tk nap and stopped screaming. So it was good shizzle.

Crampy

I've got to be honest - my epidural didn't take the pain away!! I think it did partially, but certainly not fullly.

I insisted really early on. I'd discussed it in advance and been told I could have an early epidural, and I brought this up when in early labour. I was given it at something like 2cm... One midwife was very sceptical about it, but my labour proceeded to progress in a textbook manner.

When I went into hospital I was 4cm dilated, I waited roughly 6 or 7 hours until I was 7cm dialated when I decided that I wanted the epidural. In my case it did slow everything down, I had to be induced with a drip to hurry things along and they were preparing to intervene as DDs heart rate was going too fast. In terms of pain relief it was amazing, and I regretted trying to go along with nothing for so long. Around two hours before I started pushing I stopped pressing the little button so that the feeling in my legs and stomach started to come back so that I could kind of feel when I was contracting and would know when to push, however I never had that intense urge to push that so many women seem to get

My birth was rubbish to be honest, I went to hospital at around 11pm, was moved to the ward at 4am, I had all manner of pain relief, until they finally offered me an epidural at 6cm, as well as the induction drip, I slept for 6 hours woke up 10cm and pushed for 15 minutes, had an episiotomy and he was here. I have to say, the minute I had my epidural my labour was bliss not a minute of pain after it. I knew I needed to push when I woke up, but wasn't pain was more a pressure.
Would definitely consider one for my second

There is little point requesting one in advance but yes, do so when admitted to Labour Ward. Epidurals can be sited for women who are fully dilated and in the second stage. The difficulty comes when things are progressing rapidly (frequent and strong contractions) as there is a need to sit (or lie) very still at critical points in the process, plus monitor the fetal heart, and that can make it more challenging, mostly for the labouring woman.

Request it the second you arrive as they have to get an anaesthetist to perform it once the time is right.

They may not be able to get to you though at the right time depending on their work load at that moment so be aware of that

Forgot to mention, I was only pushing for 45 mins after being in labour for 18 hours, so for me personally it didn't impact on the pushing stage but I know this isn't always the case

In answering your second point, a well working epidural, well sited (see my last post) should give you effective pain relief. Most epidurals are low dose, meaning you can walk/move around freely and go to the loo, and you will still feel some pressure in the second stage (which is beneficial).