early epidural... any experiences?

[kri5ty]

I have been told by my consultant i am to have an epidural as soon as i go in to hospital due to medical problems

Has anyone had this? Just wanted to know how it went, as i can imagine no one reading my notes so they are not aware of this?

And while we are on the subject, at which point do you actually go to hospital? lol

i went in the hospital quite early on in my labour with my last dc because i started having seizures in between the birth of my dd2 and ds. i had an epidural probably an hour or so after i got there, wanted to stay as calm as possible as stress can cause seizures, i always knew i was going to if i was able to, the pain was just starting to ramp up to the second stage. it definitely lengthens the labour but its a trade of i am happy to pay. out of my 3 i have had 2 epidurals and fully intending to again with this one. hope this helps.

Thanks hun,

I thought i would have to have a section, so i had prepared myself for a more "medical" setting

I know it will mean a longer labour, but like you say it a good trade! I just think i may get annoyed not being able to walk around etc.. then again i prob wont have the energy to anyway!

the walking thing is a pain but to be honest if you have your partner there, a good midwife etc time will pass pretty quickly and with the epidural you may be able to sleep. oh but you will feel pain at the end (or they at least try to engineer it that way) . i remember being really fucking shocked at this a screaming at my midwife why can i feel this. its to do with the babys head and the pressure and things but its better that way because you know when to push. they do, do mobile epidural's but i have never had one.

aww thanks hun :)

i guess just having the pain at the end is ok... well everyone else gets it, and at east i will (fingers crossed) have a pain free labour up until then!) Myboyfriend hopes i wil sleep as there is a pub 5 mins walk from the hospital lol

Do epidurals always mean a longer labour?

I had an epidural and it wasn't until I had it that things started moving along. I had stayed at 2-3 cm for about 5 hours, had the epidural and was fully dilated and ready to push within 2 1/2 hours.

Sorry, a bit off topic but just thought I'd mention that I don't think it necessarily means a longer labour :)

aww no hun any experiences are great to hear!

i just dont really know what to expect thats all! WHen he says "epidural straight away" i dot really know what he means but i have 5 months to find out lol :o

I had an epidural before an induction, I had the baby within 10 hours, last stage being very quick, I felt the urge to push very strongly but no proper pain, not a mobile epidural so catheterised and bedbound.