Epidural

WWC

Hi,

Hope everyone is good today.

This may sound like a stupid question but v new to all this.
Does going public/private make any differnce to getting the epiduarl.

Just chatting to a girl at work who went public and said she was left waiting too long to get the epidural as staff were attending to private patients?!?

eviltwin

WWC wrote: »

Hi,

Hope everyone is good today.

This may sound like a stupid question but v new to all this.
Does going public/private make any differnce to getting the epiduarl.

Just chatting to a girl at work who went public and said she was left waiting too long to get the epidural as staff were attending to private patients?!?

I wouldnt have thought so but maybe it depends on the hosptial.

I've just had my second child and had the epidural both times. I was public and had no problems getting it. The midwife told me this time that they were given in the order women came into the delivery suite so I only had to wait a few minutes for him to come in. With my first child he was in the delivery room waiting for me!!

January

WWC wrote: »

Hi,

Hope everyone is good today.

This may sound like a stupid question but v new to all this.
Does going public/private make any differnce to getting the epiduarl.

Just chatting to a girl at work who went public and said she was left waiting too long to get the epidural as staff were attending to private patients?!?

I think she probably took that up wrong, women are given epidural in the order that they ask for it. It doesn't go by whether you're public or private. I had to wait half an hour on mine but that was only because he was giving it to the woman in the next room!!!

crazy cat lady

In Holles St they are given in order by when they are asked for. Eg. If you are there for 3 hours and then ask for an epidural after the 3 hours, the woman that came into the labour ward half an hour ago but asked for the epidural 20 minutes ago will be first in the queue.

If you are a public patient, the registrar anaesthatist will site the epidural.

If you are a Semi-P or Private patient the consultant anaesthatist will site the epidural.

How long you have to wait will ultimately depend on the queue in front of you!

My advice would be that if you know that you will definately want the epidural, ask for it sooner rather than later.

Das Kitty

Yeah it's definitely done in order of who asked first, depending on how busy the anaesthetist is it could take up to an hour.

tfak85

i think if you're private and you get an epidural about 300euro goes on your bill but other than that it's the same for everyone...

other reasons epidurals can be delayed are if there are emergencies around the hospital etc....

drBill

Apologies for being a bit off topic but I'm reminded of the story where the midwife asked the a girl in difficult labour how she was getting on and the response came back: "Two words: Epi Dural!".

In our local hospital a few years ago one of the midwifes scared us when she mentioned almost casually that there can sometimes be a situation there where both the anaesthetists could be unavailable if, say, they had to accompany a patient to Dublin in an ambulance. So no epidural service for a time.

January

drBill wrote: »

Apologies for being a bit off topic but I'm reminded of the story where the midwife asked the a girl in difficult labour how she was getting on and the response came back: "Two words: Epi Dural!".

In Wexford General a few years ago one of the midwifes scared us when she mentioned almost casually that there can sometimes be a situation there where both the anaesthetists could be unavailable if, say, they had to accompany a patient to Dublin in an ambulance. So no epidural service for a time.

Hey, don't be scaring us pregnant women with your tales of no epidurals available :P

gowayouttadat

I was public, have a history of spinal problems so the epidural was going to be complicated and they really took their time and paid a lot of attention to me so I don't think it makes any difference. In the end it was too bloody late anyway but that was a midwifes fault and had nothing to do with public v private.

crazy cat lady

drBill wrote: »

Apologies for being a bit off topic but I'm reminded of the story where the midwife asked the a girl in difficult labour how she was getting on and the response came back: "Two words: Epi Dural!".

In our local hospital a few years ago one of the midwifes scared us when she mentioned almost casually that there can sometimes be a situation there where both the anaesthetists could be unavailable if, say, they had to accompany a patient to Dublin in an ambulance. So no epidural service for a time.

I've never heard of there being no anaesthatist available at all. Sure you might have to wait if the anaesthatist is in an emergency in theatre or if siting another epidural, but there should always be an anaesthtist in the hospital, just in case there is an emergency

seire_jayne

I'm not sure if it makes any difference whether your public or private. But i had been asked at my second scan if i wanted an epidural and i said yes. Was in hospital 2 days before i had my little girl and had told them again i still wanted the epidural. But unfortunately it was me who realised I need to start pushing :eek: as my midwife had said about twenty mins before tat it would be a good while before I would be ready. A girl who lives down the road from me had her baby a few hours after me in the same hospital, got the epidural even though she came 2 days after me and asked for it about an hour before she had her baby. She was a private patient. But I'm not sure if that was the reason or was it because she was older, or because she was alot more demanding :pac:

January

Labours progress differently. The midwife may have thought you had ages left before the pushing stage. In actual fact the anesthesist may not have been able to make it in 20 minutes anyways.

seire_jayne

oh i know that you have. to have it half an hour beforehand but she didnt check to see how dilated i was which she really should have, but it was an easy labour, I'm pregnant again not sure whether i will get the epidural this time

fi1979

epidural, pros and cons? anyone...

hacked

crazy cat lady... you mentioned getting the epidural sooner rather than later. How long does it last? My fear is that i'll decide I want one and that it will wear off before im finished!

January

You can get a top up hacked. I got mine at 3pm and it started to wear off around 7pm... they tried to top it up before the c section but were unsuccessful.

January

fi1979 wrote: »

epidural, pros and cons? anyone...

Pros: No pain

Cons: Can't move around during labour or immediately afterwards. Can feel very sick from it.

bogtotty

fi1979 wrote: »

epidural, pros and cons? anyone...

Pros: no pain

Cons: it mightn't work; it might only half work (quite common) leaving only one side numb; it can cause a leak in the dural membrane leading to severe headaches for weeks after birth (rare); it can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure resulting in fits (rare); you have to have a catheter inserted to keep your bladder drained; you have to have an IV inserted; you will not be able to walk for a few hours afterwards; you will not feel the urge to push so labour may take longer (common); longer labours are more likely to need interventions - forceps/ventouse deliveries and emergency c-sections are more common in labours where women have opted for an epi (see AIMS/Cuidui websites for stats).

So, you might not get a medal for opting for more natural methods of pain relief, but you certainly are taking less of a risk.

hacked

adrieanne__x wrote: »

You can get a top up hacked. I got mine at 3pm and it started to wear off around 7pm... they tried to top it up before the c section but were unsuccessful.

oh duh..can't beleive I didn't know that, thanks!

Honestly, all the risks with the epidural are quite rare. All the women in both sides of my family have opted for them and have never had a problem. Long labours run in my mothers side of the family, so I'll be putting in a request for an epi just in case. I would hate to get too worn out to push!

crazy cat lady

hacked wrote: »

crazy cat lady... you mentioned getting the epidural sooner rather than later. How long does it last? My fear is that i'll decide I want one and that it will wear off before im finished!

Once the epidural is sited there will be a constant infusion of the drug used to numb you. Yes the epidural can start to wear off but you can get a top up if it is not looking like delivery is iminent.

Sometimes the epidural can start to feel like its wearing off as the delivery gets closer. This is due to the huge amount of pressure caused by the baby's head sitting waiting to come out! If this is the case, its unlikely that you'll be given a top up as it will not have time to work before the baby is delivered. It can also be an advantage to feel this pressure as you will know where and when to push. I've not had my baby yet (any day now pg!) so I can only tell you this from a midwives perspective.

Pros and Cons: I think bogtotty covered them mostly!

Just to mention that if you need a catheter, they will just pass one after 2 hours to empty your bladder, and remove it again straight away, then again after 2 hours, and if you are still there 2 hours later they will pass one which will stay in place until your baby is born.

Unless there are any complications after the birth (bleeding, retained placenta etc..) the catheter, the IV line and the epidural will all be removed before you leave the delivery ward.

Its important to know also that the drug used in the epidural does cross the placenta, as does pethidine, which can mean that your baby might be a bit sleepy when born. Its vey safe for babies and even tho they will still be awake and alert when born, they don't always breastfeed as well straight after being born, but then neither do some babies born without an epidural. It doesn't affect breastfeeding in the long run.

fi1979

hacked wrote: »

All the women in both sides of my family have opted for them and have never had a problem. Long labours run in my mothers side of the family, so I'll be putting in a request for an epi just in case. I would hate to get too worn out to push!

Do long labours run in the family, or is it just that everyone is different? If its genetic, I'd better start a poll with my sisters!!
All this talk of labour is getting me a bit panicky, but I think I'm a bit prone to that this week anyway lol :eek:

hacked

fi1979 wrote: »

Do long labours run in the family, or is it just that everyone is different? If its genetic, I'd better start a poll with my sisters!!
All this talk of labour is getting me a bit panicky, but I think I'm a bit prone to that this week anyway lol :eek:

Well, I can't speak for everyone's family...but they do in mine. Not necessarily for all children, but definately for the first. Going back for a few generations, the average labour on the first child is between 40 and 48 hours!! :eek: I'm seriously praying I take after my father's side of the family, as my paternal grandmother seemed to pop them out like Pez. :P

cbyrd

i asked both times for an epidural as the pain was getting a bit much... they chaecked me and informed me i was almost 10cms and get ready to push..:eek: i had the gas and air for both no time for anything else so it would be nice to have the time to decide... only up side to no epidural was i was in the shower and up to the ward within the hour.. and i could've gone home after 6 hours after the last one:eek: (she was born at 6am and i was told i was allowed to go home at noon) my oh wouldn't let me though.. just in case!:D just in case he didn't get any sleep;)
but i really would want it if i was in that much pain and told i was only 2 or 3 cms :eek:

eviltwin

I've had two and I have to say I found them brilliant..couldnt have done it without them

This time around I got to 7cm before I got it and was in a fair amount of pain before I was given the epidural and the relief was just the best feeling ever.

Yes the cons as listed above are true but I have to say girls when I was in the height of my contractions I wasnt in the frame of mind to be walking around...I just sat on the bed and recovered in between them so the not being mobile thing wasnt really much of a loss

The fact that I had an hour of no pain at all before the baby was born was a well worth all the side effects

Just on what CrazyCat says about the pushing, the epi I had this time around did take away the pain but I felt the tightening of the uterus so I was able to feel when the time was right to push. The epi I had with my daughter left me total numb and I had to rely on the midwife to tell me when.

Mind you that was a long time ago now so I think the ones used these days are designed to give you some sensation rather than numb you completely

lalalulu

Pro's: Excellent pain relief (personally) as soon as i got it the pain stopped!

Con's: Way to many wire's,!! I had a drip in one arm for fluids, the epi in my back attached to a hand pump (so i could get more epi every 15mins) and a drip in my other arm for oxitocin (sp?)
I wasn't allowed out of the bed as legs were numb and had to have my bladder emptied by the midwife every half hour which was uncomfortable.
When it came to giving birth, i had had to much epi so i had absolutley no sensation from the waist down and so i couldn't push properly and had to have an episiotimy (sp?) and vaccum assistance. Babs had a cut on her head when she was born from the suction. All of this was because of the epi. Now if they had taken the pump off me say an hour before i had to push then all this could of been avoided. Even the doctor said this.

However if i was to have another baby i would go for the epi again

seire_jayne

was going to get the epidural this time round until read this thread :pac:
My last labour wasnt bad at all hopefully this one will be the same, most people I know found the epidural great but would like to be able to push properly

lalalulu

Defo try and avoid it, i have no pain threshold whatsoever so there's noway i could imagine being in labour without it!

caprilicious

Great thread ladies, its brill to see things from both sides pros/cons of those that have had it before as well as those that have managed without.

Personally I'm going to try not have it, I have a fairly high pain threshold and the hospital have assured me if I change my mind when the time comes then I will still be able to have it.

I think what has put me off personally is the increased risk of C-section. I'd really prefer avoid one if at all possible!
Also I've read that epidural can prolong the labour as the ability to push isn't as strong.

A girl I spoke to recently gave birth to a gorgeous little girl, she used a TENS machine instead and she found it great. She said the best thing for her was that she felt more in control, that if the pain got too bad she could give the TENS a boost/put it on stronger. I'm going to invest in one myself and hope for the best!

hacked

caprilicious wrote: »

Great thread ladies, its brill to see things from both sides pros/cons of those that have had it before as well as those that have managed without.

Personally I'm going to try not have it, I have a fairly high pain threshold and the hospital have assured me if I change my mind when the time comes then I will still be able to have it.

I think what has put me off personally is the increased risk of C-section. I'd really prefer avoid one if at all possible!
Also I've read that epidural can prolong the labour as the ability to push isn't as strong.

A girl I spoke to recently gave birth to a gorgeous little girl, she used a TENS machine instead and she found it great. She said the best thing for her was that she felt more in control, that if the pain got too bad she could give the TENS a boost/put it on stronger. I'm going to invest in one myself and hope for the best!

I'm the same. My pain threshold is high enough, so I'd like to try without it for a while, but I will be putting it down in my birthplan just in case! Like I said in my last post, if I take after my mothers side I'll really want it. If not, I might surprise myself. I'm not going to pretend...just get through it the best i can!

Das Kitty

Yeah I'm planning on avoiding it too fingers crossed. I get terribly claustrophobic when my legs can't move, also not being able to use gravity to help things along would bother me.

All could change on the day obviously!

Getting a loan of a TENS from a friend even if it doesn't make much difference there's a placebo effect of pressing a button.

crazy cat lady

The epidural is supposed to slow down the labour by approximately half an hour. I've no idea how that was worked out, I'd say its longer imo!

Every labour is different tho!