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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Epidurals

12 replies

Linnet · 10/04/2004 22:24

I'm sure I've heard/read that there is a certain point during labour after which you can't have an epidural.

Does anybody know what it is?

How many cms do you get to before they say no it's to late to have one now?

anyone know, I'm curious as to whether I did actually read this once upon a time or if I imagined it.

OP posts:

Chuffed · 10/04/2004 23:08

I asked the same question in my antenatal class and the midwife said at our hospital there isn't a point really but often you are very close to actually giving birth by the time they have the epidural set up you have had the baby if you leave it too late. It probably depends on how quickly you are progressing too.

hercules · 10/04/2004 23:09

I was 7cm dilated and was given one although they did advise against it as it prolonged the labour but at that point I didnt give a toss. I'm sure there is a cut off point though.

hana · 11/04/2004 00:55

I had an epidural but can't remember at what point I was at (dilated I mean) I do know that it was 'topped' up a few times but once I got to about 9 cm the midwife suggested no more top ups as I would be able to feel the contractions better and push with more control when it came to pushing if I let it wear off. This worked for me as I didn't have any stitches, just very minor tears.

Original poster

Linnet · 11/04/2004 18:40

bump to top

OP posts:

motherinferior · 11/04/2004 18:42

I think some hospitals won't give it to you lateish, but you'd have to find out what the policy was, I guess. They won't give it to you early, either, I know. Good luck, if and when you do opt for one.

mears · 11/04/2004 18:52

Getting an epidural when you are approaching the second stage of labour is really too late because the pushing stage of labour can be totally disrupted which prolongs everything, or the baby is born before the epidural is effective. For a second baby it probably means from 8cm onwards an epidural would be too late or therabouts. A fist baby would be 9cm to fully dilated (10cm).

californiagirl · 11/04/2004 19:27

It's not so much cms as minutes until delivery. I got an epidural at 9+ cm, but I'd been at 9+ cm for 7 hours at the time (and I didn't deliver for another 3 hours 40 minutes). The anesthesiologist didn't even ask how dilated I was until he was finished. It may also depend on how strong the epidurals usually are at your hospital; mine was almost a walking epidural, I could feel my legs and I could feel the contractions, but they didn't hurt until the end and even then just enough so I had to breathe through them. When I got to pushing the nurse said that I could feel the contractions better than they could see them on the monitor.

handlemecarefully · 11/04/2004 20:11

My experience same as California girl - I got stuck at 9+ cms for hours and they administered an epidural (thank God)

Original poster

Linnet · 11/04/2004 21:43

Thanks everyone.

Was just wondering as I was looking over my notes from when I had my first baby and I noticed that when I had the epidural I was 6-7cms dialted. After that everything slowed down, not sure it was directly linked to the epidural as dd was also in the OP position as I discovered afterwards but I did wonder if being 6-7 cms had maybe been a bit late and if I'd have had a shorter delivery if I'd skipped the epidural. I have it in my head that by 7cms it's not advisable but looks like I might have dreamt that. Not sure what the hospital policy is.

Still nothing to worry about it was a long time ago now and I was just curious.
This time I'm going to try and go without an epidural, well I say that now we'll see how things go at the time.

Thanks again.

OP posts:

handlemecarefully · 11/04/2004 22:00

Linnet,

Things frequently slow down with an OP delivery (I had the same). Probably not the epidural's fault

handlemecarefully · 11/04/2004 22:01

Should have clarified - with me, things slowed down before the epidural (so in my case definitely not epidural related)

Heathcliffscathy · 11/04/2004 22:07

blimey california girl, you and me both, i laboured at home for 37 hours (! ) before going to hospital, i'd been stuck at 8 1/2-9cm for 5 hours, gave me epidural, could feel everything, and totally mobile, pushed ds out in 12 minutes!!!! was fantastic, don't think it would have been tho if i hadn't laboured for so long before hand...that is, might have slowed things down, also fact that i laboured so long i think was why i didn't tear/have stitches at all, i was in hospital for 4 hours total and then back at home!

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