is pushing more effective without the epidural?

[messica]

It is certainly worth asking if a 'walking epidural' is available as that can be quite a different experience. Where I live a walking epidural is not an option. An epidural pretty much means lying on your back with no feeling from your waist down. In some places there are more options so it is worth to find out. Of course walking epidurals don't work out for some people it is possible that you will still end up not being able to walk but that is only a minority of the time.

See, where I'm at an all or nothing one time bolus would be called a spinal. They are intended to take away all feeling and only last a set amount of time.

An epidural however, (or walking epidural if it's easier to understand but really there is no difference save for additional monitoring and period adjustments) is a catheter that delivers medicine no different than an IV does. With an IV in your hand or arm your nurse can completely nip the tube, set it at a slooooow trickle or push a giant bolus dose into your body. The amount of medication pushed and the rate at which it's delivered is completely controllable. With an epidural, the catheter is no different in concept. After the initial test dose it can be turned all the way down, set at a trickle, or push a bolus dose that completely numbs everything for the duration of delivery. It should all be completely adjustable throughout.


If a woman ends up being able to feel so little that she can't even push effectively, then either labor progressed too quickly for medical personnel to turn it down, or they weren't adequately trained on how to use the pain management most effectively. I don't know of many who would consider not even being able to feel the need to push and use of subsequent interventions like forceps - a successful or normal utilization of an epidural (save for times when they need to be jacked up for csections).

Uneven distribution is the result of being cranked up too high or not moving around enough. It always makes me sad to hear women who experience the one sided effect. I can just imagine them laying there on back or side with medicine pooling not doing them much good. That's just not how it's supposed to be. Same goes for a "walking" epidural. If legs start to go the fix should be as easy as turning it down.

 

[NDH]

Epidural means the needle and medication (local anaesthetic) goes in the epidural space between the spinal fluid.
A spinal is when the needle and medication (generally an opiod) goes directly into the spinal fluid.
Its the location that matters for the definition as the type and strength of the dose can change.

A walking epidural is usually a CSE or combined spinal epidural where you get a low dose local an anaesthetic and an opiod administered at the same time.
They're not very common outside the US and almost unheard of here in Australia.

 

[BunnyN]

The epidurals available where I live should be able to be turned down so as to feel a bit better for pushing but you are still not alowed/able to walk during the epidural or for some time after. In theory positions like lying on your side or even hands and knees should be possible but you'd have to be pretty insistant with hospital staff if that's what you wanted. Mostly it is assumed you will stay on your back. In some hospitals in some countries they are starting to make different positions standard for an epidural even when you can't walk.

 

[misscyn]

This website is the only place I've ever heard of a walking epidural. It was not mentioned to me during labour with my daughter, and I don't know anyone who's had one. So I'm guessing it's not something that is routinely available here. For me, epidural means you're completely numb from the waist down. Anyway I have an appointement with my doctor on Friday and I will def inquire if this is something I can request, although my plan A is still to try to go natural. Thanks ladies for all of your clarifications.

 

[Spudtastic]

I'm currently pregnant with my second and would like to try for a natural birth. However if the circumstances are the same as dd then I will have an epidural. Dd was facing the wrong way. It was a long slow very painful labour. At 4 cms my midwife said I had at least 9 hours to go and I wasn't getting any break between contractions. Contractions had been long painful and very close together for 7 hours already and contractions had started a few days before . She suggested an epidural. I had told her I didn't want an epidural but she told me she would suggest I have one if she thought I needed it. By the time pushing came I was rested and was able to push. I had the strength to do it whereas I don't think I would have without the epi. Yes, I did make my midwife have her hand on my tummy and tell me when to push because I couldn't feel the contractions. Because dd turned whilst in the birth canal it was still v v painful even with the epi.
I pushed for 1 hr 50 minutes. There was no intervention though I did have an episiotomy because my perinium is quite large (tmi).

 

[dairymomma]

I've had 2 natural births and one birth with an epidural. Overall, I'd have to say the epi didn't hinder my pushing ability one bit even though I couldn't feel anything during delivery. The nurses turned down my epi when the dr broke my water but I progressed so fast after, the epi didn't have any time to wear off before I pushed. With my natural births, it took 3 pushes (10 minutes) and 5 pushes (20 minutes) for my kids to be born. With my epi delivery, it took 1 push and less than 5 minutes for DD to be born. The dr was watching and he told me when to push. Yes, I know there's increased risks and all that but I can honestly tell you that just because there are those risks, doesn't mean it'll happen to you.

 

[Anh1982]

I had an epidural and couldn't feel a thing, but was able to push just fine, no suction or forceps. I had one small tear but I had no pain at all after delivery. I'm going to have an epidural again this time and hope for the same results!

 

[mysweetangel]

I just had my first 2 months ago and had an epidural. I had her out in 3 sets of pushes (20mins)

 

[nikkchikk]

I had an epi and I had no issues. But my epi also wore our a few hours before and i didn't ask for more when it was time to push. I had no problem pushing, as the nurses looked at my contractions and told me when to do it. Matched spot on with the pressure I felt as the contractions came on

 

[MommyJogger]

I had an epidural with my first and pushed for a very long time. I wasn't able to feel anything and did a lot of "purple" pushing, with the nurse jabbing me somewhere in the nether regions, demanding I "push to here" even though I was numb and had no idea where she was poking.
I had a home birth with my second and I highly recommend the intervention-free route. It felt quite good to push and took little effort, my body just did it on its own and recovery was much better. I could not have enjoyed laboring more than I did with my second baby without feeling overwhelmed by pitocin and then handicapped by the epidural.

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I had a wonderful epidural and had no problems pushing. The nurse actually complimented me! I had been able to get some sleep because I was pain-free and comfortable, so had plenty of energy and focus for that stage. Definitely was a great birth experience!