I had PROM and got the epidural immediately at 1 cm dilated before they inserted the Foley bulb to start my induction. I fully dilated in 6 hours and had no issues so I guess the early epidural didn’t do any harm.

Everyone is completely different and labor will affect them in different ways. I got an epidural when I was 0 cm dilated, but my water had broken and I was having very painful and fast contractions and not coping well.

With my 2nd I got to the hospital and had baby an hour after I got there with no epidural. Contractions definitely still hurt, but I was better prepared mentally, baby was smaller and also in a better position I think. I was able to spend a good amount of time at home and only went to the hospital when I felt my body pushing.

I think I was 3 cm dilated when I checked into the hospital (Sibley) but my water broke first a few hours earlier and my contractions were pretty close together. They gave me the epidural as soon as possible after I was admitted.

I was told there is no reason to wait. I got one at 4cm.

I don't know if there is a minimum. My contractions were close and regular but I was barely dilated. They gave me an epidural as soon as I said I wanted one. I wanted to see if I could manage the pain, but it was too much. It took the edge of most of the contractions, but I felt the big ones. Everyone is different.

Contraction and birth is not that painful? She’s a unicorn. I felt like I was dying for most of my 30 hour labor. For most people the pain is more than you can ever imagine. Epidurals are a wonderful option. Thank god for them!

I had PROM and only 2 cm and they gave it to me. With my next I was induced and got it before they started pitocin.

I was induced and told I could get an epidural at any time. My contractions were really intense early (2 min apart and lasting over a minute) and my water broke at 2 cm and I got the epidural at that time because I was told they would get worse. It allowed me to rest and didn’t slow my dilation down.

^^^this was my firstborn

My water broke and 3 hours later the baby was born. Be careful not to wait too long!!

I was walking around at 4 cm from 36 weeks to 40 weeks.
Went into labor and went immediately to contractions every 4 minutes. Got to the hospital at 8cm.
For me - the labor from 8 to 10 cm was the absolute hardest.
(the transition phase). I got an epidural and it slowed down labor significantly.

For my 2nd child, my water broke at home and we went immediately to the hospital. Baby was born less than an hour after my water broke.

*dilated

I had PROM with my first. Showed up at the hospital with a Bishop score of 2 and no contractions. I was "fingertip dilated" according to midwife, so...maybe 1cm? Started pitocin. 6 hours on pitocin got me to maybe 2cm. Went ahead and got an epidural at the suggestion of midwife, who thought it might relax my body enough to encourage dilation (pitocin contractions after rupture of amniotic fluids is torture). I dilated very rapidly after the epidural.
I was surprised, because I always thought there was some guidance regarding dilation and receiving an epidural, but that wasn't the case for me.

I don’t do birth work anymore but was a doula and CBE for a decade. Stay home until you feel like you can’t laugh, eat, rest between contractions. 4-1-1 is a good measure. Contractions 4 minutes apart, 1 minute in duration, for 1 hour.

Also, please rest as much as you can during early labor and if you stop feeling the baby move, get a rush of bright red blood or your water breaks and it’s not clear or sweet smelling, contact your medical provider and head to the hospital.

How many cm diluted minimum will they give you epidural?

My SIL told me that she did not go to hospital till she thought she cannot tolerate the contraction pain or getting concerned, and she was 10cm diluted when she decided to check out at hospital. Once she admitted, she did not feel any contraction pain and she can hold the body still to get the epidural an hour after. She had 3 births, and she told me that contraction and birth was not that painful. Well, I don't want to be too late (labor begin and I cannot hold body still) or too early (they won't give me epidural) to get epidural when I decide to check in.