Walking epidural?

MOMama987 · February 2013

I plan to ask my doctor about this next week, but I'm curious if anyone has any experience with a "walking epidural?" (I think it has a formal name, too.) I plan to get an epidural, but I like the idea of this... To be honest, I'm not even sure if my hospital offers it. I think I read about it in What to Expect.

jerseygirl81 · February 2013

The one I'm delivering at offers the lower dose of medication, but they don't let you actually get up and walk around. I think it's an unfortunate name.

MOMama987 · February 2013

jerseygirl81:
The one I'm delivering at offers the lower dose of medication, but they don't let you actually get up and walk around. I think it's an unfortunate name.

Yeah, actually what it said in the book - that you won't be able to walk around, most likely, but your legs would probably be less numb, and you'd get a lower dose of medication in the beginning, then more as you need it / request it. I'm just wondering if it makes that much of a difference, I guess...

jerseygirl81 · February 2013

nola78:
I have a friend who says she had an amazing epidural that she could also walk with. Honestly, if she wasn't a doctor I'd probably tell her that she had no idea what she was talking about. But I believe her. My epi certainly wasn't like that -- I could move my left leg, but not my right. At least I felt no pain, though!

Oh, I have no doubt that it's possible! I just know that a lot of hospitals consider letting you out of bed with an epi (even the low-dose) to be a liability. Can't say I fully blame them, but I wish they'd call it something else.

BekW2009 · February 2013

jerseygirl81:
nola78:
I have a friend who says she had an amazing epidural that she could also walk with.  Honestly, if she wasn't a doctor I'd probably tell her that she had no idea what she was talking about.   But I believe her.  My epi certainly wasn't like that -- I could move my left leg, but not my right.  At least I felt no pain, though!  
Oh, I have no doubt that it's possible! I just know that a lot of hospitals consider letting you out of bed with an epi (even the low-dose) to be a liability. Can't say I fully blame them, but I wish they'd call it something else.

Why would someone go through the hassle of an epi and not get the full dose? Obviously if you could still walk that's one thing, but if you aren't allowed to I don't see the point.

Either way, at my hospital, once it was administered you had to stay on the bed.

kcwnc · February 2013

BekW2009:
jerseygirl81:
nola78:
I have a friend who says she had an amazing epidural that she could also walk with. Honestly, if she wasn't a doctor I'd probably tell her that she had no idea what she was talking about. But I believe her. My epi certainly wasn't like that -- I could move my left leg, but not my right. At least I felt no pain, though!
Oh, I have no doubt that it's possible! I just know that a lot of hospitals consider letting you out of bed with an epi (even the low-dose) to be a liability. Can't say I fully blame them, but I wish they'd call it something else.
Why would someone go through the hassle of an epi and not get the full dose? Obviously if you could still walk that's one thing, but if you aren't allowed to I don't see the point. Either way, at my hospital, once it was administered you had to stay on the bed.

From what I've heard it dulls the pain but still allows you to feel pressure so that you know when your body needs to push without being told when to push and hold via a doctor or nurse. Even with a traditional epidural you can still dial back the dose to feel some sensations if you'd rather have mother-directed pushing. Idk, not my style either way.

DiFazette · February 2013

BekW2009:
jerseygirl81:
nola78:
I have a friend who says she had an amazing epidural that she could also walk with. Honestly, if she wasn't a doctor I'd probably tell her that she had no idea what she was talking about. But I believe her. My epi certainly wasn't like that -- I could move my left leg, but not my right. At least I felt no pain, though!
Oh, I have no doubt that it's possible! I just know that a lot of hospitals consider letting you out of bed with an epi (even the low-dose) to be a liability. Can't say I fully blame them, but I wish they'd call it something else.
Why would someone go through the hassle of an epi and not get the full dose? Obviously if you could still walk that's one thing, but if you aren't allowed to I don't see the point. Either way, at my hospital, once it was administered you had to stay on the bed.

I've heard from a few people that they were so numb from the epi that they had to wait to push quite a long time - even though their body was ready. The lesser dose apparently allows you to feel the pressure to push, and you have enough control to be effective when doing so.

Allure816 · February 2013

WheN I had my epidural I had a catheter too.....I don't think you can really walk round with a catheter.

MOMama987 · February 2013

Allure816:
WheN I had my epidural I had a catheter too.....I don't think you can really walk round with a catheter.

The "walking" epidural is just the name - In general, it's not meant for you to be able to walk, it's just a lower dose of medication. The catheter can also be dependent on the hospital / where you deliver.

Schell2013 · February 2013

I wondered about this too. FTM maybe a dumb question but do they give you a catheder if you get this?

brinbri · February 2013

I had light epi and they pushed the catheder really hard. For whatever reason I was SO uncomfortable with it and begged them to take it out. They took it out and just used it once more to empty my bladder before I started pushing. So you don't HAVE to have it, but they really want you to have one.

jerseygirl81 · February 2013

kcbearc:
BekW2009:
jerseygirl81:
nola78:
I have a friend who says she had an amazing epidural that she could also walk with. Honestly, if she wasn't a doctor I'd probably tell her that she had no idea what she was talking about. But I believe her. My epi certainly wasn't like that -- I could move my left leg, but not my right. At least I felt no pain, though!
Oh, I have no doubt that it's possible! I just know that a lot of hospitals consider letting you out of bed with an epi (even the low-dose) to be a liability. Can't say I fully blame them, but I wish they'd call it something else.
Why would someone go through the hassle of an epi and not get the full dose? Obviously if you could still walk that's one thing, but if you aren't allowed to I don't see the point. Either way, at my hospital, once it was administered you had to stay on the bed.
From what I've heard it dulls the pain but still allows you to feel pressure so that you know when your body needs to push without being told when to push and hold via a doctor or nurse. Even with a traditional epidural you can still dial back the dose to feel some sensations if you'd rather have mother-directed pushing. Idk, not my style either way.

Exactly. Mine never really wore off enough for me to feel contractions, and it sucked.

surpriseaddition · February 2013

I had a true "walking epidural" when I had my DD, but that was almost 15 years ago. It was AWESOME! I was already 8 cm dialated and in tremendous pain when the doctor showed up at the hospital. She said there wasn't time at that point to get a true epidural, but she could have the anesthesiologist come to see if they could do something. What I got was basically a shot in the back, but it could only last for 2 hours and would then wear off. I was able to walk around, squat to push, could feel the sensation that made me want to push, and didn't have a catheter. Within 15 minutes of the procedure, I felt the urge to push, and could completely control my whole body. Not sure if that's available anymore, but for me it gave me the best of both worlds. It ended the horrible pain, but I could still get around and move and felt like I delivered her more naturally. GL!

Mama_of_Four · February 2013

I never knew there were different epidurals. But both of mine I could feel the catheter being put in and move my legs. Which the nurses were surprised and said I shouldn't feel that. Also I walked as soon as baby and I were clean because I had to pee. The nurses were surprised by that too.

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