When is early for epidural?

Question

Hi ladies,
This is my second pregnancy and I am only 10 weeks along, but already starting to think about the labor:)) I had my epidural when I was dilated 2cm, I  told the doc that I heard epidural slows down contractions,but she said it was not true...and sure enough I stopped dilating for a while, then they gave me another medison(forgot the name) to bring contractions closer, but my baby was in so much stress his cord was wrapped around his neck and it slowed down his heartbeats, so they had to stop it I almost had emergency c section...anyway I was in labor 17 hours...my question is in your experience did epidural slow you down and how much were you dilated when you got it? Another question is did you feel any pain? Bc I was drugged up but still was in a lot of pain.

bnicole89 · Accepted Answer

I had mine at 2 cm too and everything went so smoothly....everyone is diffrent....it never wore off or slowed my contractions down. I was in labor for 7 hours...my water broke as well so that's why they admitted me

MammaXsTwo · Answer

I think I was 4cm but honestly I don't remember. I can tell u that I had the worst back labor (which I wouldn't even call it bc the pains were in my rectum) and it didn't even work on my left side so I felt all of that. Whatever u decide I would DEFINITELY let it wear off for the pushing part bc they had me pushing for 3 hrs. Ridiculous...I'm sure that isn't typical though. Good luck w everything!

Panush · Answer

Yeah, that is strange, didn't they have other doctor or something? Mine was pulled out with forceps, and I had some bad tears

gokuangel · Answer

My baby also did have the cord on him but the dr also left me sitting at 10cm for 1 hr maybe a lil more cus she said the other girl would deliever b4 so she went to do her baby and came bk to do mine i know weird but thats what she did! n like i said 27 mins of pushing he was out she never told me he was like that till he came out they just put the plunger thing on his head and got him out as quick as possible!

Panush · Answer

yes, i had I V hooked(hate IVs more than epidural) and epidural hooked, yes i laid down the whole time, and in the middle of everything they asked me lie down on one side, my baby's heartbeats were really weak bc of the long labor and the cord. THe worst part was that I wanted to push but they wouldn't let me bc they needed that pushing time to be as short as posible, so I waited until +2 or should I say 12cm, after 2-3 push he was out...ah I shouldn't start thinking about this now:)))

tweetykhan · Answer

I got mine st 3 cm, n I went from 3 cm to 10th cm in just half an hr...u got both epidural and oxytocin one after other, and that made my labor really fast... Good luck

MissKellee · Answer

I didn't have an epidural :) wasn't that bad. My labor was 14minutes lol so this time around I'm still not gonna have one lol. I just always hear from friends complaining about back pain after epidurals so I'm not risking it

marajean21 · Answer

Hmm..well maybe the only reason it would've slowed was because you couldn't stand and walk around to keep them going? Some women stop progressing if they lie down,so maybe something like that had happened?

Panush · Answer

it's been 2-3 years, sorry maybe I was 4cm, I am all confused,and can't remember well.  my water broke and I lost the mucus plug, then started dilating, I think I was 2cm when I got to the hospital, but I am pretty sure it wasn't more than 4cm when they gave me epidural..all I know it slowed down so much that got everything complicated, and yet I couldn't think straight but could feel contraction pain...I am still gonna get epidural, bc I am scared from pain, but will wait until 6 cm at list

gokuangel · Answer

My water broke and i was only dilated 1 cm  and this went on for 8 hrs!! my body was so tensed up and i couldnt relax so i never went further i was having contractions so i was pretty demanding about getting an epi!! They finally gave it to me and i went into active labor pretty quick they came bk 2 hrs later and i was 4 cm and from there just kept on going i wound NOT needing pitocin like they thought! Another 8 hrs from when i got the epi i was finally at 10 cm so it was the norm about 1 cm per hr! it was awful b4 i got the epi but i was fine after that i didnt feel nothing! but total labor time from when i arrived to when i had him was 19 hrs!! But like i said 8 of that i didnt move from 1 cm! and pushing time wasnt bad for me either i only pushed through 4 or 5 contractions and he came out time was about just under 30 mins!

marajean21 · Answer

Just curious, but how did you even get one so early? I know people can be dilated weeks before delivery and the hospital I go to won't even admit you until you're 4cm. Were you overdue or having other complications where they thought you were for sure going into labor? I've just never heard of being admitted and given anything unless that person was induced..

Panush · Answer

Yes this time I will wait a lot longer, I even didn't have any pain when they gave me...just wanted to see your avg dilating before asking for epidural...thanks!

rachyrou · Answer

Oh and I went from 7-10 in just over three hours and only pushed for 30mins

rachyrou · Answer

I had mine at 7cm. Can not believe you were given.one at 2cm! Mine helped a lot..no.pain but felt pressure..I'm pretty sure if it works you won't feel.pain. I ley mine wear off for the pushing though as I wanted to feel what I was doing and didn't want an emergency section x

AAOrozco · Answer

I got my epideral at 6cm and I dilated the lost 4 cm in less then 1 hour. My labor and delivery when super fast though. I was only in labor for 6 hours before my little girl arrived. I'm hoping this time will be just as simple.

Lisamarie71185 · Answer

Mine was ordered at 4cm, but was like an hour or so before i actually got it

Clysta · Answer

That's way too early to get it. Generally they prefer you to be (depending on the hospital) 4-6 cm and in active labour. I got mine at 5 cm and stalled at 8 cm for an hour or two. I felt a little pain on my left side, but that was relieved by moving onto that side. My epidural wore off during the pushing part (which I prefer) so I felt all of that.