Too late for epidural at...?

[Lena]

I wouldn't suggest getting an epidural when your 8cm + because your nearly there and it can slow things down big time. I was measured at 4am and was 2cm and I couldnt have anything because you had to be 3cm or more to get any pain relief (or so they said). Then they couldn't check me again for another 4 hours because my water broke and checking anymore than every 4 hours risks infections so at 8am they checked me again and i was 8cm so i was too far along to have one. Did the whole thing on just gas & air

 

[_Vicky_]

I was 5cm I think - it was all planned though but as I was induced I went faster than they thought - pessary 8pm wanters broke 2.22am 5cm at 5am - fully dialated at 7.30am. Not sure when or why its too late but as I was a priority with twins I didnt have to wait for anything the whole way through. I found the keeping still and adminiostering of it very good and it didnt block any sensation or all of the pain but definitely most of it xx

 

[lozzy21]

Mine was at least 9cm possibly 10cm?!? No one knew i was in labour til i was 9cm?

It worked let me assure you

Wow, how did they not know till 9cm...?

God knows, I was too proud to show pain or something the midwives sat on their arses and seen to other women until I screamed a swear word *writes note to self for this time*

Maybe they could have stopped labour if they had clicked before, but they assumed I was fine at 27+4.

Lozzy I agree lol everything went a little blurry after those words

I had no contractions just back ache and was joking that i would be over the moon if i was 6cm and when they told me that i nearly died

 

[leelee]

I wouldn't suggest getting an epidural when your 8cm + because your nearly there and it can slow things down big time. I was measured at 4am and was 2cm and I couldnt have anything because you had to be 3cm or more to get any pain relief (or so they said). Then they couldn't check me again for another 4 hours because my water broke and checking anymore than every 4 hours risks infections so at 8am they checked me again and i was 8cm so i was too far along to have one. Did the whole thing on just gas & air

That depends on the situation. As I said above, I had been at 9cm for about 4 hours with no progression. They offered me the epidural because they knew the anterior lip probably wouldn't move and that my LO probably wasn't going to come of his own accord.

I don't think you can possibly give advice like that when your situation was so different. You did progress quickly so it was more straightforward. Had I progressed as quickly as you then I would have had LO at around 2pm rather than 9.50pm that night. 8 hours is a huge difference when you are in extreme pain.

 

[Lara310809]

I was told it's because you need about 4 hours between getting the epi and the birth of the baby; not sure why. So if you get it at 8 or 9cm, you're not going to be pushing for 4 hours. I heard the cutoff was 3cm.

 

[amygwen]

When I went to baby classes, the teacher told me the reason they don't administer the epidural after 8 cm is because the baby will be too sleepy when it is born, and if it's given much earlier in labor than they won't be as sleepy? Don't know if that's really correct, but that's what she told me!

 

[aliss]

I think in a 'normal' delivery they won't do it. When there are other issues (as others have mentioned), there are different rules that apply.

 

[sarahchops86]

I was given it 1.30 hours after being checked and found to be 8cm so god knows how dilated i was. I had been asking for it for 6 bloody hrs before that!

 

[Surreal]

I was told it's because you need about 4 hours between getting the epi and the birth of the baby; not sure why. So if you get it at 8 or 9cm, you're not going to be pushing for 4 hours. I heard the cutoff was 3cm.

I actually was told that I couldn't have an epidural before I reached 5cm, because having the epi too early could cause me to stop having contractions.

Of course, I didn't ask for one until I got past 8cm, and they told me I would have to wait another hour or two for my antibiotics, before I could push. Decided I couldn't just twiddle my thumbs and lay still through the pain. Didn't want to risk my baby to GBS.

 

[Lena]

I wouldn't suggest getting an epidural when your 8cm + because your nearly there and it can slow things down big time. I was measured at 4am and was 2cm and I couldnt have anything because you had to be 3cm or more to get any pain relief (or so they said). Then they couldn't check me again for another 4 hours because my water broke and checking anymore than every 4 hours risks infections so at 8am they checked me again and i was 8cm so i was too far along to have one. Did the whole thing on just gas & air

That depends on the situation. As I said above, I had been at 9cm for about 4 hours with no progression. They offered me the epidural because they knew the anterior lip probably wouldn't move and that my LO probably wasn't going to come of his own accord.

I don't think you can possibly give advice like that when your situation was so different. You did progress quickly so it was more straightforward. Had I progressed as quickly as you then I would have had LO at around 2pm rather than 9.50pm that night. 8 hours is a huge difference when you are in extreme pain.

Uhhh, excuse me? Why are people so bloody rude on this forum. Sorry your situation was different to the norm. I'm sure the OP will make the decision on her own when the time comes regardless of what you or i have to say and the midwives will guide her given her situation at the time.

My best friend had an epi at 7cm despite the midwives insisting she was nearly there. She was then in labour another 21 hours

 

[Kimboowee]

I had mine at 8cms, though it wore off before I could start pushing 4 hours later!

 

[leelee]

I wouldn't suggest getting an epidural when your 8cm + because your nearly there and it can slow things down big time. I was measured at 4am and was 2cm and I couldnt have anything because you had to be 3cm or more to get any pain relief (or so they said). Then they couldn't check me again for another 4 hours because my water broke and checking anymore than every 4 hours risks infections so at 8am they checked me again and i was 8cm so i was too far along to have one. Did the whole thing on just gas & air

That depends on the situation. As I said above, I had been at 9cm for about 4 hours with no progression. They offered me the epidural because they knew the anterior lip probably wouldn't move and that my LO probably wasn't going to come of his own accord.

I don't think you can possibly give advice like that when your situation was so different. You did progress quickly so it was more straightforward. Had I progressed as quickly as you then I would have had LO at around 2pm rather than 9.50pm that night. 8 hours is a huge difference when you are in extreme pain.

Uhhh, excuse me? Why are people so bloody rude on this forum. Sorry your situation was different to the norm. I'm sure the OP will make the decision on her own when the time comes regardless of what you or i have to say and the midwives will guide her given her situation at the time.

My best friend had an epi at 7cm despite the midwives insisting she was nearly there. She was then in labour another 21 hours

I am not being rude - just outlining my situation and saying that I don't think your advice is very helpful, as you seem to be basing it on yourself and a friends experience.

A friend of mine had an epi as she wasn't dilating and was in a lot of pain. The epi actually sped up her labour and she gave birth within 2 hours. However, I wouldn't come on here and advise mothers to be to get an epi to speed things up (just based on 1 friend).

Every labour is different and the MW will advise what is best for the person at the time.

 

[Blaumba]

When I went to baby classes, the teacher told me the reason they don't administer the epidural after 8 cm is because the baby will be too sleepy when it is born, and if it's given much earlier in labor than they won't be as sleepy? Don't know if that's really correct, but that's what she told me!

I think that's pethidine your talking about..? An epidural isn't pain relief as such so it doesn't have any narcotic effect on you or baby.

 

[aliss]

For ME, the epidural caused me to lose all feeling (I laboured 3 days and pushed 4 hours which was botched in itself and should have been a C-sec) so they turned it off (it was a controlled dose). That's clearly a situation where the epidural was interfering.

However, I'm sure there are some girls are in so much pain that they need the relief in order to concentrate. They wont' give you morphine or anything like that when you are 8+cm usually, so epidural it is.

Cause when you are 8cm you aren't really in any frame of mind to say or do anything except take advice from the medical professional, LOL.

 

[littlestar85]

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[littlestar85]

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[AP]

Cause when you are 8cm you aren't really in any frame of mind to say or do anything except take advice from the medical professional, LOL.

LOL - I definitely wasn't in the right frame of mind by 8cm!

So true - I remember saying only two things to the anethistist
"Does it hurt"

and

"I love you"

 

[aliss]

Cause when you are 8cm you aren't really in any frame of mind to say or do anything except take advice from the medical professional, LOL.

LOL - I definitely wasn't in the right frame of mind by 8cm!

So true - I remember saying only two things to the anethistist
"Does it hurt"

and

"I love you"

If I wasn't so crippled in pain I would have humped him

 

[loverguts]

I had one at 9/10cm as LO was back to back and he was a bit stuck for a while but i was still feeling an extreme urge to push which they didn't want me to do.
Personally, it did absolutely nothing for me.
I am jealous of the people who have it early and never feel a thing till their baby is out!

 

[littlestar85]

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