# Cut off point for epidurals?



## cooch

M in uk and I'm wondering what the cut off point is? I've heard in the us (possibly wrong) the cut off is 5cm dilated. Which seems so low. I also have the figure 7 in my head.

We're studying to have a hypno birth but I'm having my doubts. I'm just wondering what point you can change you're mind at?


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## azure girl

You can typically get one after 4-5 cm up until you push if you want in the US. The thing is that epis take time and sitting still is important! And they aren't 100% immediate on the relief, more gradual from my experience. I got mine at almost a five and that was my choice, I knew I didn't want to scream mean things at DH, so I took it when offered.


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## tristansmum

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule. You could go from 4-10 in 10 minutes or be at 9 for hours so it's down to the midwife to call it. Really once you get to 10cm its unlikely you will get one as by the time they get to you chances are you will be delivering plus its hard to sit still while needing to push. Personally I'd say don't worry about it until you need it. In my experience if you have been coping well then suddenly start demanding am epidural you are in transition and baby is coming!


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## emyandpotato

I went in to hospital at 9cm and half an hour later I was going through the can't cope stage and asked for one (didn't mean it but it feels like the right thing to say when you're at that point!) and they said no. He was born about an hour later.


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## AllyTiel

Here in the US we can get them anytime we want up until 10cm. I got one at 6cm with my daughter and they kept asking if I wanted it earlier. Didn't feel I needed it until then. My mom was 9-10cm with her 3rd child, my bro and she demanded one and got it. Basically as long as an anesthesia person is available to put it in, we can get it. :)


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## Eleanor ace

I remember from my antenatal classes that my hospital don't generally do epidurals until you're a minimum of 4cm and regularly contracting (otherwise I guess there wouldn't be any point!) but I expect they make exceptions in certain cases. I don't think they have a specific cut off cm wise, just when it seems too late- that LO is coming soon, or the contractions are so on top of each other that they couldn't get the mother to stay still long enough to do it safely.


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## femalecyclist

I got one at 9 cms and it was the midwife pushing for it. This happened when I was transferred from the midwife unit to the hospital. I am in the UK. Go figure.


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## dairymomma

I'm in the US and was told with my DS that I couldn't get one anymore at an 8cm because 1. I was progressing SO fast (1cm every 20-30 minutes once transition hit) and 2. the person who had to put it in lived an hour from the hospital so I'd basically be pushing by the time they got there. With my DD, I was told they don't like to do one after 7-8cm for the same reason-you are usually pushing so soon after. However, my sis had one at 8cm with her last baby because she basically demanded it. Trouble was, as she was bent over and they were inserting it, she suddenly yells, "I NEED to push!!" They got her situated and she pushed her baby out just as the epidural started to kick in. So she got it for nothing, really. :haha:


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## smileyfaces

I was refused one with my first at about 7-8cm because i was progressing really really quickly so by the time the anaesthetist got there it would have been too late (and they were right!)


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## MummyToAmberx

I didnt asked for one in my first labour i was curious they replied with it would be to late i was 8cm (i went 8-10cm in 30mins)

In my second labour i hit my transition stage and asked for 1 and they said its to late i was 7cm 

Im in uk


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## NickyKB

I'm in the UK and got mine at 8cm. The MW did do and extra exam to check that I wasn't fully dilated though before they called the anaesthetist to put it in.


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