Anonymous wrote:I didn't get one with my first. With my second I got one when the contractions were regular. DS was born 3 hours later.

Note that epis don't always work so be prepared to feel everything anyway.

Honestly, once I hit transition with him I thought they've turned off the epidural. I yelled at my doula WHO SHUT IT OFF.??.? She said "sorry, it's on and in the max" and I had to use all the techniques I practiced anyway LOL

LOL, same here, though mine really had somewhat worn off by the time I got to pushing and they told me they couldn't "top it off" at that point, so I felt a LOT of the pushing. (Though I only pushed for 14 minutes as a FTM who was induced, and had zero tearing or anything, so maybe it was for the better that I had to feel it because it made me push better!)

I was also one of those "GONNA DO IT WITHOUT DRUGS" fools (not all women who go without drugs are fools, mind you, but wimps like me who really have no business pretending they can handle it but insist they can are fools) and went through about 2.5 hours of really fast, hard contractions (from the pitocin) before I finally hit my wall and begged for the epidural.

I can't say exactly when anyone else should get it, because that's very personal and subjective based on your pain tolerance, but I will say, don't wait to ask for it until the pain becomes unbearable. Because as I learned, sometimes the anesthesiologist is busy and can't get to you for 40 minutes, and then you're agonizing for 40 minutes. So ask for it when you juuuust hit the edge of "this might be too uncomfortable for me" to give yourself a little leeway if it takes a bit for the anesthesiologist to get to you.

Got mine at 36 hours in (another one going for unmedicated), at 7cm dilated. Baby came 12 hours later.

Honestly, the pain wasn't too hideous pre-epi, it was more the exhaustion, as a PP noted. I didn't have pitocin until three hours after the epi, because labor had stalled again. FWIW, my epidural did work to alleviate the pain and help me sleep, but wasn't so strong that I couldn't feel to push and change positions a bit during delivery.

Good luck tomorrow, OP! I've also heard that those pit contractions can be intense.

Oh, and PP with the short labor and anesthesiologist father: I'll donate a few hours to your next labor if you really want the joy of an epidural!

The midwives didn't really recognize I was in labor so I am not sure what point I was at. But I was having contractions every 2-3 mins. I was only 3 cm dilated. Baby came about 5 hrs later.

Personally I would not want to get an epidural too soon because the baby is getting some of the narcotics they put in there. Also be aware that you will still feel pain/pressure if they do it right - that's a good thing because you will be able to push better. By the time I was pushing I could feel the contractions well and was able to push efficiently. My legs were not numb at all and I could get up almost immediately after.

First Baby- Emergency C-section.

Second Baby- I really, really wanted VBAC so I went with a birthing center and nurse midwife. Epidural wasn't an option. I did have a completely unmediated VBAC. Everything about it sucked! Except of course the healthy baby.

Third Baby- I asked for an epidural when I checked into the hospitals. Contractions were about 4 minutes apart and I was at a 4. Pain level was moderate. It was an amazing labor and delivery. I actually got to enjoy the process because I wasn't in pain.

Anonymous wrote:I got it about 8 hours in at 5 cm. I did not "need" it then, but I knew that it wasn't going to get better pain wise, and the anesthiologist was available. I didn't want to risk asking for it during a shift change or when the MD was in surgery for a c-section. I didn't want to have to wait an hour in bad pain.
My OB told me that she got it at 2cm.
I would not allow a Dr to give me pitocin without doing an epidural first. That's torture. Pit makes the contractions come "hard and strong" and sometimes right on top of each other. Get the epi first if you are getting pitocin. You have to be able to sit still for the epi.

Interesting, I did not realize they would give an epi before pitocin. I have talked to family members who have been induced and, indeed, they did say the pitocin contractions are more intense that natural contractions. They all had their epidurals after pitocin started. But, I will definitely talk to the doc about the possibility of an epidural before pitocin starts. Thanks!

I went to the hospital and was admitted about 5 hours after going into labor and had the epidural administered an hour later--was 4 cm dialated and they started pitocin probably an hour after that. I didn't have to ask, they just did it which was great. I had back labor (18 hours of it), so it was a lifesaver, even though it didn't take away all of the pain!

OP here - thank you everyone for sharing. Your stories are very helpful and appreciated!

Anonymous wrote:I am in no way, shape, or form anti-epidural-- my dad is an anesthesiologist and spent 9 months telling me how great it would feel to have one. My plan was the same as yours- get an epidural when I needed it. Come labor time, I ended up going pretty fast for a FTM (total labor was about 4.5 hours), and by the time I got to the hospital and was begging for the epi, the anesthesiologist was busy with a C-section. I was ready to push before he was done, so I did it all without an epi. . . without any plans for "going natural." It was not nearly as bad as I would have thought (but I was lucky b/c it didn't last too long!).

It did leave me wishing I had done a little reading / prep for "natural birth"-- so, I tell you my story to recommend that, if you have time, you look over some "natural" pain management techniques & coping methods.

I'm planning on going "natural" this time IF labor is fast again, but if it gets unbearable or is slow, I definitely won't hesitate to ask for an epidural. (My dad remains disappointed that I did not get to feel the wonder of the epidural and has high hopes that I will have a longer labor/get one. . . umm, not sure I share that hope!)

Good luck, OP!

OP here - thanks for sharing your story. It is good to hear going natural was not as bad as you thought. I have family members and friends who have had good natural childbirth experiences. Knowing I will be induced (tomorrow!) and have the strong pitocin contractions, I am feeling extra wimpy and looking forward to the epi, though I know that is not guaranteed to work. That is pretty funny about your father hoping for a longer labor requiring an epidural - you would think that he had experienced the joy of one! Thanks again for sharing!

I got it about 8 hours in at 5 cm. I did not "need" it then, but I knew that it wasn't going to get better pain wise, and the anesthiologist was available. I didn't want to risk asking for it during a shift change or when the MD was in surgery for a c-section. I didn't want to have to wait an hour in bad pain.
My OB told me that she got it at 2cm.
I would not allow a Dr to give me pitocin without doing an epidural first. That's torture. Pit makes the contractions come "hard and strong" and sometimes right on top of each other. Get the epi first if you are getting pitocin. You have to be able to sit still for the epi.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked for it during transition but didn't get it until maybe 30-45 min later when the contractions had cooled off significantly. Had it for 10 min before delivering. Yes my nurse was incompetent and couldn't recognize labor.

Your contractions cooled off 10 mins. before delivering? Wow - how long were you in labor prior to delivering?

It was probably 20-30 min before delivering. I had time to contemplate not getting the epi before the anaesthesiologist showed up. It was about 90 min from contractions starting to delivery but induction started 10 hrs earlier. Thanks cytotec!

I am in no way, shape, or form anti-epidural-- my dad is an anesthesiologist and spent 9 months telling me how great it would feel to have one. My plan was the same as yours- get an epidural when I needed it. Come labor time, I ended up going pretty fast for a FTM (total labor was about 4.5 hours), and by the time I got to the hospital and was begging for the epi, the anesthesiologist was busy with a C-section. I was ready to push before he was done, so I did it all without an epi. . . without any plans for "going natural." It was not nearly as bad as I would have thought (but I was lucky b/c it didn't last too long!).

It did leave me wishing I had done a little reading / prep for "natural birth"-- so, I tell you my story to recommend that, if you have time, you look over some "natural" pain management techniques & coping methods.

I'm planning on going "natural" this time IF labor is fast again, but if it gets unbearable or is slow, I definitely won't hesitate to ask for an epidural. (My dad remains disappointed that I did not get to feel the wonder of the epidural and has high hopes that I will have a longer labor/get one. . . umm, not sure I share that hope!)

Good luck, OP!

7 cm, after several - maybe 4? - hours on Pitocin. Baby came about 2.5 hrs later.

I got it at 2 cm dialated, about 5 minutes after starting pitocin. My water broke the night before and I wasn't contracting regularly. Those pitocin contractions HURT and I wasn't about to deal with that. Best decision ever. LOVED the epidural.

Anonymous wrote:I asked for it during transition but didn't get it until maybe 30-45 min later when the contractions had cooled off significantly. Had it for 10 min before delivering. Yes my nurse was incompetent and couldn't recognize labor.

Your contractions cooled off 10 mins. before delivering? Wow - how long were you in labor prior to delivering?

I asked for it during transition but didn't get it until maybe 30-45 min later when the contractions had cooled off significantly. Had it for 10 min before delivering. Yes my nurse was incompetent and couldn't recognize labor.