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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Hi! Anyone had epidural?

32 replies

Kardelen · 14/02/2023 20:03

Did they do it straight away on request?

how was the pain after?

im having contractions since 6 am! But they’re 10-15 mins apart. I was meant
to have early epidural but when I called them they said to wait till I get one every 3 mins to attend hospital. Another midwife I saw face tO face on my routine check yesterday said to go in straight away but I’m confused. Esp. Because I’ve been having contractions since 6 am and it’s still
the same, but pains increasing.

would it be too late to receive one if j go when I start having contractions every 3 mins ?

OP posts:
Eh1112 · 14/02/2023 20:07

I had an epidural with my first. I was discouraged having it until I was quite far along - 8cm I believe. It only worked on one side initially and had to be moved just in time for me to start pushing. My experience was that they were very reluctant to give it to me until I was almost ready to deliver! I had gas and air up until that point.

Sucessinthenewyear · 14/02/2023 20:08

No it won’t be too late to have one when you get to 3 contracts in 10 mins. Have you tried bouncing on a birthing ball to get into active labour?

Mine was as soon as the anaesthetist was out of surgery. About 30 mins after I asked.

Led9519 · 14/02/2023 20:08

Hard to say contractions every 3 minutes is active Labour but possibly some way to go.
Keep asking for one.
I’m not sure what you mean how was the pain after. There wasn’t any pain after 👍🏻. At least not for me and I’ve had three. Maybe a bit of tenderness.

Good luck!!!

TheBeesKnee · 14/02/2023 20:10

I haven't had one but baby is due in May. Everyone has said that you need to be quite forceful/insistent on an epidural because they'll try to put you off/distract you or wait until it's too late.

Good luck!!

Justhereforaibu1 · 14/02/2023 20:14

They are very reluctant to give it. In my experience it takes a while before the person to do it is ready.depends how close to the hospital you are but id go in when they are 5 minutes apart and ask for it straight away, don't be waylaid with talk of birthing pools or other stuff as I felt they were trying to delay so it would be too late in my case. Good luck!

Original poster
Kardelen · 14/02/2023 20:17

@Led9519 ah so
glad there was no pain !

OP posts:
Heyboooo · 14/02/2023 20:17

Mine was given BEFORE I’d had a contraction. 🥲

I’d been in hospital for several days at this point for an induction, nothing had worked, baby needed to get out due to pre-eclampsia so last resort was the drip but before it got put in, I was in tears at this point due to exhaustion and being fed up, so they asked if I wanted the epidural put in place before the drip and I said 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 X 1000. Lol.

pain relief wise? Incredible. I didn’t feel anything from 1cm to about 9cm. I had some breakthrough pains though that were agony, but managed to get anaesthetist back for a top up, then proceeded to get to 10cm with 0 pain. I genuinely (when I didn’t have the breakthrough pains) sat there eating food, on my phone, none the wiser that I was almost fully dilated.

sending you lots of love and well wishes!! 🤍🤍

Heyboooo · 14/02/2023 20:18

Sorry, forgot to add, definitely push if you want one! I’m pretty sure that unless the head is almost crowning, they’re obliged to listen to your request and out the plan into place xx

Original poster
Kardelen · 14/02/2023 20:18

No definitely, that’s the plan. It was either a c section or early epidural. But I jisy hope
they don’t delay me saying there’s no beds available etc, as this happens sometimes

OP posts:
Artichoke55 · 14/02/2023 20:21

Push for one early on and get someone to help you be assertive once your there if you want one. My experience is they take forever to get blood results they need to go ahead, there are loads of different stalling tactics like that !

Yellowrosesblue · 14/02/2023 20:25

Epidurals are wonderful.I highly recommend them.
good luck

mzpsmummy · 14/02/2023 20:28

I had one, I was about 4.5cm along and 11 hours in of contractions that were quite close together. 1-2 mins apart sometimes 2-4 if I was lucky.

DS is now 3. No back issues / pain after.

I did see myself 2 days after (bad bladder control) TMI but it was just the once.

Luckily never had issues with it.

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 14/02/2023 20:28

I had one after the birth so they could get retained placenta out. The doctors were up to their elbows inside my uterus and I couldn't feel any pain 😂

Original poster
Kardelen · 14/02/2023 20:29

Omg they also need blood results?
that will take
forever!

OP posts:
mzpsmummy · 14/02/2023 20:29

Just eat before you have it, as I wasn't allowed to eat once it was put in x

NameChangeFor2023 · 14/02/2023 20:32

My first, I was encouraged to have and I put it off. Went for it and got it quite quickly.

My second, I waited again but when I asked for it, I was told I didn't need it etc. etc. it was also changeover time. I pushed and got it quickly then.

My first epi was so much better than my second, which didn't work very well and I had to push for more drugs!

Never had bloods taken but both mine were inductions so maybe because they already had my bloods?

Original poster
Kardelen · 14/02/2023 20:42

Could be! Just hope they don’t delay

OP posts:
WhatHappenedToYoyos · 14/02/2023 20:45

With my first I asked for an epidural (was induced) and they came straight away. No one questioned me or told me I was doing well without it, even when I'd said I wanted to try without. I was expecting a bit more push back but they were really good at listening to me and almost instantly getting me the epidural. I was not very dilated at this point but my contractions didn't stop at all, probably due to being induced. My pain threshold is high but those contractions were something else! After my second DC with only gas and air, I realised just how unnatural being induced was in terms of labour experience.

The main downsides to the epidural were that I couldn't move my legs at all until it wore off and I was still having pain from contractions during labour - any time I had to lie on one side, the other side got no pain relief which wasn't ideal 😂

Whatever you decide, advocate for yourself and shortly it will all be over and baby will be here!

FluffyRabbitSocks · 14/02/2023 20:47

I had an epidural at the consultants request with dc2 after 3 1/2 days on the drip and not progressing past 4cm, the pain before it was put in was horrendous, I was vomiting because the pain was so bad. Partly my own fault as I had one pethidine injection after the first 24 hours and because I hated the feeling of it refused to have anymore. I did not feel the epidural go in and it was put in very quickly, the pain relief was instant as well which I was shocked by. When I was moved to theatre after another 12 hours of not progressing the existing epidural was topped up to c-section strength but unfortunately it was to low down my spine for a section so had to have a spinal block put in as well, again didn’t feel it go in. The spinal block blow the normal epidural out the water I was numb from the boobs down for a good 36 hours after but actually thinking about it I now wonder if it was because I was double anaesthetised.

PurBal · 14/02/2023 20:50

My midwife actually encouraged me to go for the epidural sooner rather than later if I wanted it. No point spending most of your labour in pain if you want it. Was put in about 30 minutes after asking.

Emmamoo89 · 14/02/2023 20:50

Loved my epidural. Got it at 4cm and didn't have to push for it. They were happy to give me it. Felt no pain. They had to tell me when I was having contractions.

SomeMonstersEatTelly · 14/02/2023 20:51

I was asked if I wanted one the moment I went into the hospital and said yes. It took almost four hours for me to get it, so I am of the view that it is worth asking for if you think you might want it later - otherwise it might be too late.

I was past 8cm when they gave it to me and they did try to put me off but I had a very fast, intense labour from 4cm onwards so I was undeterred. Just as well as I had to have an emergency c-section and would have had a general if the epidural hadn’t been in.

Emmamoo89 · 14/02/2023 20:52

Artichoke55 · 14/02/2023 20:21

Push for one early on and get someone to help you be assertive once your there if you want one. My experience is they take forever to get blood results they need to go ahead, there are loads of different stalling tactics like that !

I never had blood tests. I had them after had the epidural

Orangesare · 14/02/2023 20:58

I didn’t have blood tests before my epidural with my first. Got it at about 6cm as they put the drip on as labour was so slow. It worked for awhile and I slept then it hurt on one side but ended up with an emcs.
With my second I hand pethedine and went to sleep for a bit.

Led9519 · 14/02/2023 21:00

Btw I think you can top up your epidural every 20 minutes…. They normally set up a self administer one so…. My advice would be to hold off until you do feel you need the top up and don’t over medicate. The reason is when I did that it was soooo much quicker and easier to push when I wasn’t as numb (could feel pressure but no pain). With my first I did it too much and pushing was useless and took ages.

Second and third pushing much more effective and birth was quick. So just hold off on the top up until you need it.