No epidural

BabeDebolt · April 2013

Just curious of those of you who decided not to have an epidural in the hospital. I am thinking at some point the doc said to youThis is your last chance to take it. If you didn't take it when you had one last chance while dilating, what was the length of time from that point was it until your babies birth? I know everyones time will all differ but just curious! Thx!!

luvmyducks · April 2013

I did not have an epidural in my hospital birth. But no one said anything to be about it bc it was in my birth plan. So I'm not sure what the cut-off time is.

Hthar07 · April 2013

I think I heard from our labor and delivery class that most hospitals won't offer/give you an epidural after you are dilated to 8 cm (though on the whole I don't think there's a lot of time left between 8 and 10 for full dilation on average, and by the time you're at 8 cm you've gotten through the worst of it, meaning the transition phase). I only comment because I want to avoid an epidural if I can... Not that I know how things will go. Guess I'll find out when I get there!

BabeDebolt · April 2013

I'm with you. Planning for no epidural and to get thru the hard part. I heard too 7cm is the cut off so at 8 you're going natural like it or not. Did the classes mention any average time women deliver from the 8cm point? Interesting to know the hard part is around 6 and 7cm. Thx!

BabeDebolt · April 2013

Ok. Congrats! thats great. At what part of dilation would you describe was most difficult??

melissamomof3 · April 2013

I have had 3 children none of which did I have an epidural. I do not like needles and the thought of the epidural just gave me the willies.

I'd have to say that with all 3 of them I only pushed for maybe 5 minutes. The worst part was getting the head out! baby #3 was a dry birth and it was the worst pain ever!!

Critter015 · April 2013

I was offered an epidural at around 67 cm just after they broke my water. The anesthesiologist was about to go into a Csection and would be unavailable for the next hour. I was doing fine so I declined and was pushing an hour later. DD was born after 40 minutes of pushing. I have a friend who basically arrived at the hospital at a 10, but was still able to get an epidural. She was really glad she did because her son's head was turned and required some manual manipulation for delivery.

babyalex124 · April 2013

I stated in my birth plan that I didn't want to be asked for meds so I'm not sure when the last possible second is. But I do know I went from 6cm to 10cm in 2 hours.

I think it may depend on your doctor when they are willing to give you a "last call" for an epi. My friend's OB said she can have one at 10cm. Never heard of that before.

babyalex124 · April 2013

BabeDebolt:
I'm with you. Planning for no epidural and to get thru the hard part. I heard too 7cm is the cut off so at 8 you're going natural like it or not. Did the classes mention any average time women deliver from the 8cm point? Interesting to know the hard part is around 6 and 7cm. Thx!

For me labor was completely bearable until 7-8 cm.

KatnisOnFire · April 2013

I had planned on getting one when I got to the hospital with DS#1, as i had horrible back labor, but when I got there I was fully dilated and not able to get it.

jess9802 · April 2013

I asked my OB this question when I was pregnant. He said until I was fully dilated and ready to push I would be able get pain relief of some kind. My hospital offers epidurals and intrathecals. As I recall the intrathecal takes effect much more quickly than an epidural and can therefore be offered much later in the process. I ended up asking for an epidural at 4cm and wish I'd asked for it earlier.

Phoopy · April 2013

jesi_nickles:
I had planned on getting one when I got to the hospital with DS#1, as i had horrible back labor, but when I got there I was fully dilated and not able to get it.

I had my mind set on a med-free birth but also had terrible back labor and by the time I gave in and asked for pain meds (of any kind!), I was already fully dilated and ready to push and couldn't have any... Unfortunately I then had to push for over 4 hours without meds... Yikes.

luvmyducks · April 2013

BabeDebolt:
Ok. Congrats! thats great. At what part of dilation would you describe was most difficult??

I'm not sure if you meant to quote me or not.

Probably somewhere between 7 and 8cm was when it got really difficult. Before that I was handling them fine. I was stuck in transition for 4+hrs so that was difficult. I'm hoping it is only around an hour this time

LissaLynn0682 · April 2013

I had pitocin at 4 am. At 9:45 am I was asked yet again if I wanted the epidural. I was at 4 cm. I figured that I would try it a little longer before I caved in for the epidural. I am terrified of needles and didn't think I could handle it. By 10:30 I told my husband that the next time the nurse came back I was asking for the epidural. Since it took 5 hours to get to 4 cm I thought I couldn't handle another 5 hours with those contractions.

When I told the nurse at 10:40 that I wanted the epidural, it was too late. I went from 4-10 cm in 45 minutes. 40 minutes of pushing and the baby was here.

The nurse did give me an interesting perspective....She's never heard anyone say they regret the epidural once they had it. The thing I liked about the epidural-free birth was that I was able to get up and walk around within an hour of giving birth.

oliversmommy32912 · April 2013

When I got to the hospital I was 8cm. They asked me if I wanted an epidural and I said yes. When the anesthesiologist came in they rechecked me and I was 9cm. They asked me if I wanted it still and I said no. He was born about a half hour later, about an hour after I was first checked.

vrj0522 · April 2013

It depends on how fast your labor is progressing. I got my epi at 8 cm after I started shaking pretty badly. My SIL says I was probably moving to transistion and would have had my LO soon after but I knew I wanted and epi and got one. I was fuly dialated 2 1/2 hrs later.

awesnap · April 2013

LissaLynn0682:
I had pitocin at 4 am. At 9:45 am I was asked yet again if I wanted the epidural. I was at 4 cm. I figured that I would try it a little longer before I caved in for the epidural. I am terrified of needles and didn't think I could handle it. By 10:30 I told my husband that the next time the nurse came back I was asking for the epidural. Since it took 5 hours to get to 4 cm I thought I couldn't handle another 5 hours with those contractions.
When I told the nurse at 10:40 that I wanted the epidural, it was too late. I went from 4-10 cm in 45 minutes. 40 minutes of pushing and the baby was here.
The nurse did give me an interesting perspective....She's never heard anyone say they regret the epidural once they had it. The thing I liked about the epidural-free birth was that I was able to get up and walk around within an hour of giving birth.

I flipped onto hands and knees while my epi was in. I also was able to walk around an hour after birth, they took it out after I got stitched up. I did not get the bolus and it was wearing off by the end but still was pain free while pushing and for stitches. It just depends. I swear I had the best epi ever.

jenny1980 · April 2013

With DD1 I got an epi and this time did not.

My midwives never asked or gave me a cutoff. By the time I asked for my progress to be checked I was at 10cm.

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