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CarrieMum 
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Joined: 08 May 2008
Location: Hamilton
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 Topic: Epidural straight away?
Posted: 16 August 2011 at 12:16am |
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Does anyone know if its possible to have an epidural inserted pretty much straight away when you arrive at hospital? If you have private health insurance is this an option?
I ended up as failure to dilate with my DS's birth and after 14 hours of very painful contractions ended up with an emergency caesarian.
Im quite traumatised by all that and for my second child I was thinking of asking for an elective caesarian. But really I would prefer not to have major abdominal surgery again (even though the pain from that was nowhere near as bad as even one contraction!).
Do you think it would be possible to instead ask for an epidural as soon as I go into labour and hope I manage to dilate this time? I know plenty of women who dilate fine with an epidural in place from the beginning (although they were being induced) so surely it can't be all blamed on the epidural when you fail to dilate, I was contracting for HOURS without an epidural and only got to 4cm.
I know they won't induce me as I've already had a caesarian and the risk of rupture is too great.
I guess what I want to know is do you think they would rather give me an epidural early or elective caesarian because there is no way in hell Im going through all that pain again for no reason (eg ended up with caesar anyway).
I'd really appreciate your help and advice. Thanks.
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JessDub
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Joined: 29 February 2008
Location: Hamilton
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 7:58am |
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This is a good question for your MW/OB. I have a feeling that Waikato Hospital's policy re epidurals is that you have to be at least 5cm dilated before you can have one.
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High9
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 8:13am |
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I'd ask your mw/ob but was there a particular reason you didn't dilate? Baby's position etc?
I found the epidural made things manageable in terms of pain but I wasn't in that big a deal of pain but I'd stopped dilating so mw induced me and gave me an epi at the same time and that sped things up a bit.
I also think some mws have certain rules regarding them too...?
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Hayz001
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 9:24am |
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Yeah I think certain hosptials/anaesthetists have certain rules (ie you have to be at least 4cm) to have one as otherwise it can really slow things down and then you have the same issue with failing to dilate/needing synto drip etc etc. I would certainly talk to your midwife about it and let her know that you absolutely 100% want an epidural at the earliest opportunity. Because they need to do bloods, insert a line and monitor baby for a cetain time before they'll give it to you (and wait for Doc to be available to do it) it can actually be a while from when you request it to when you get it - so perhaps it's possible to do all that preliminary stuff as soon as you get to hosp, no matter how dilated you are, and then as soon as you reach the 'threshold' bam, you can get it straight away?
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Jaune
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 10:16am |
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I was induced at Waikato Hospital end of last year and the rule was at least 3cm dilated. If they give you an epidural too soon it slows labour.
I guess if you really don't want to experience any of the pain of labour you'd be better off with an elective c-sect.
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Cinderella
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 11:37am |
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it is a good idea to have it on your notes before you go into labour that you want one as soon as is possible because as someone said it takes about 30 minutes to set up. It also effects one side more that the other at first and walking is not possible. I delayed as long as possible so I could move around as gravity an movement is supposed to speed things up. Also a warm shower is supposed to relax you and speed things up.
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jano1
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 12:33pm |
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I was induced with DD and after breaking my waters did nothing, along with gel insertion they deided to hook me up to the syntocin drip. At that stage my mw suggested I might be comfortable having an epi as they planned to ramp me up to the highest dosage to try and get DD out (didn't work though). I think I might have been 3cms? I only made it to 4cms despite all the syntocin so maybe different hospitals have different policies?
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TheKelly
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Posted: 16 August 2011 at 5:10pm |
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Like High9 said,do you know if there was a particular reason why you didn't dilate?
I think one of the scariest things when you have your 2nd is that you are more prone to thinking that your birth will be like your first babies,and if you had a great experience with your first,thats not a worry,but if you had a bad experience then your bound to be more nervous about labour.
Just wanted to say though,i've had 3 babies and all of the labours were completely different...my first was 24hours...my second was 4 hours and my 3rd was just under 2 hours,my second the contractions were more intense,my 3rd they were very bearable.
So don't get too stressed that you will have the same sort of labour for your second,often the labour is quicker and because you have done it before,your body is usually more willing to do what it needs to.
Im not saying that you shouldn't be having an epidural or anything by any means,I was determined to have one with my last (didn't,but thats beside the point ) but I just wanted to let you know that often the second births are easier (not always,but a lot of the time ) to hopefully ease your fears a bit.
And agree with letting your MW know that you want an epidural asap in labour and having it in your notes too
Edited by TheKelly
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Epidural straight away?
