How likely is it that i will not be able to have an epidural with my second baby?

Question

I had an epidural with my son because labour was slow and VERY painful. Once i had my epidural my contractions became more regular and things sped up as i was more relaxed. My total labour in hospital was 12 hours (although i had painful contractions 6 hours before getting to the hospital). My first midwife said it was likely that i would be able to have another epidural second time round (if i desperately need it!!) but my second midwife says that cos my first baby was big and this one is average that it is unlikely i will be able to get to the hospital in time as second labours tend to be a lot quicker.

I was wondering how many people have had epidurals with their first baby but not got to the hospital in time for subsequent labours???

By the way, some hospitals won't give epidurals if you are past 6 or 7 cm dilated, although this varies from hospital to hospital...

i am only 20 weeks pregnant so i know a lot can change over the next few months.

Just thought i'd point out, if you turn up at our hospital 8cm dilated THEY WILL NOT give an epidural. By the time its kicked in, the baby will probably already be born or nearly born, so an epidural is pointless at that stage.

Answer 1

i think the thing to do here is NOT to focus on whether you'll get an epidural or not, but whether you are having a good healthy pregnancy and what you can do to learn to enjoy giving birth!. as women we have been forced into positions both physically and mentally where we have forgotten that WE are the providers of life and our bodies are designed for this purpose. yes in cases such as your 1st birth, drugs were useful and helped you. but how much that experience was down to the fact that women are not given enough correct info, or that you were ill-preoared and proably nervous and scared? who can blame you? i was my 1st time. but you can help make it a better experience for you and your baby.
many of us are too easily led into 'handing over' our bodies to men in white coats! buy 'Birth Reborn' by Michel Odent to re-learn what birth is all about. even if you are having a hospital birth (its pro natural birth) it helps you to realise how powerful us women are, how we can give birth with little assistance just lots of support etc.
i say this to you to as it sounds as though you are nervous again, and there is no need to be!
my 1st birth was 'managed' in hospital - i was late, was induced, tied to a machine all night , threatened with C-section if i didnt produce baby on time (was i on a production-line?!) etc and i hated it. 2nd birth in a hospital but by MY rules and enjoyed it. 3rd birth at home, planned, and LOVED it, even tho i ran out of gas and air. my body knew what to do, and by then i had learned that the mind is not in control during labour and birth as it is when we make all those other decisions in life, but the body is, as its the body that must produce the baby - and if you can accept that, relax and go with the flow, you will know intuitively how to be during your labour, and that you can do this yourself and only accept medical intervention in an emergency rather than as par for the course.
go to yoga for preggie women, read books on being assertive with doctors, re-learn the skills that medical men have stripped us of!
women NEVER lay on their backs to give birth before king louis of france decided he'd like to see what happens, so instead of him squatting to get a good view, a woman was put on her back...the cocyx cant open properly in this position, therefore impeding the baby's progress down birth canal. at the very least, sit up or squat on the hospital bed, do not lie on back, as its not nice for baby or you, and as birth happems to two people, its nice to consider both during the process!!
on my back for 1st baby....pushing was a nightnmare and SO painful-compared to 3rd birth, where i was on hands and knees and baby just shot out behind me into my hubbys arms! - partly because my body was in the right birthing position. what a joyous moment that was!
anyway, you get empowered with some inside knowledge and info, and you wont need a bloody epidural luv! plus that other lady gave some scary info on its side effects,take these seriously.
good luck, happy reading!

Answer 2

With my first labour i turned up at the hospital only 2cm dilated i was then put onto a ward given pethidine which made me woozy but pain free! After a few hours i was in so much pain i kept asking for the epidural and they told me i wasn't dilated enough. More hours went by and the pain was so intense they now moved me into the delivery suite and given me more pethidine and gas & air and still the pain was so intense i was only 5cm dilated and kept asking for the epidural and still they said no! I kept on at them and in the end i did have the epidural but as the same time i was pushing so the anatheseises had to stop but i begged and begged. He tried 4 times and he got the line in. Just for a second with no pain was lovely but my labour slowed down and i had to get my baby out with in an hour and i did. Ive said this time around i want an epidural as that was the best thing that helped me alot. People have said dont get it but its not them whos in pain!!

Answer 3

I was in slow painful labour with my first i was started, and it was around 18 hours long, i had an epidural for the last 5 hours of my labour.

My second baby came so fast 2cm to born in 30 minutes, i didnt even get the chance to have a parecetomal never mind anything else.

My 2nd labour was very quick and intense but i would have that again compared to my first, even with an epidural it was hell.

Just shows everytime can be different, think positive and hopefully you will get a 2nd labour like mine.

Good luck

Answer 4

I had an epidural for all three of my birth's. That being said, I don't recommend them. The epidural I had with my second pregnancy caused some damage to my spinal tissue. I started having bad headaches about 6 months after the birth. Fast forward 2 years and I had my third epidural. The doctor's still weren't sure if my headaches were from the second epidural, but everything that has happened since the third has proven it. Fast forward another 4 years and I now have serious neurological problems because if the damage done to the nerves around the spine during the epidural. I have severe headaches, tremors, sever dizziness, twitching, back and leg pain, and many other problems. The medication I have to take to treat my symptoms is the same as the meds someone with MS would take. The epidural made the birth's easier, but they have made my life hell. I can barely enjoy the children the epidurals helped me deliver.

Answer 5

i had an epidural with my first baby and was in labour for 6 hours. with my second baby i was in labour for 12 hours and i had a spinal then because the epidural wasn't working and i was becoming very distressed. every woman and every labour is different, nobody can tell you the answer to this question until the time comes. how long have you got left?

Answer 6

I was looking at a past question that you have answered about a prolapsed uterus. I just wanted to let you know that i have the same problem. I was preg with my daughter and found that i had a sever prolapse. I was on bed rest for the last 6 weeks of my preg. and my cervix has become damaged. I had a normal labor and have had no problems since. I am planing to have another baby if god will grant us. Also since my cervix was damaged the Dr. said it was possible that I will not be able to get preg again. but if i do i can still have normal labor. After i can have a hysterectomy. Also to answer this question. have had two epidurals.

Answer 7

I had never asked for epidural for my first two but asked for it on my third child ,i suppose it depends on the hospital my hospital policy was one booked epidural a day i was booked in for tuesday but mondays booking was still there as she wasn't dilated enough it ended up in a kind of race as in who got dilated most got the epidural well she had a one day start on me so got it and i missed out ,to tell you the truth she had a hard time forceps everything and i had smooth birth in 2 1/2 hours and she was still in the delivery room couple of hours later.

Answer 8

My doctor told me that since my active labor was only 8 hours last time, I could be looking at as little as 4 hours active labor this time around! Since I hadn't decided to get the epidural until about 4 hours in, I may not even get a chance to ask for it (if i'm lucky) but that's ok with me because I don't feel that I NEEDED it last time it was more about convenience. And I would love to try and go natural this time.

Answer 9

Whoever told you that your second labour would be quicker was pulling your leg. My midwives told me that.... did they also tell you the one that it wouldn't be so painful either!!!
My first was 26 hours, my second was 26 hours and I'm pregnant again - I'm going to put £50 down with my hubbie that it will be 26 hours again. I had epidurals. What on earth is your midwife talking about. My sister in law had 3 epidurals!!!

Answer 10

god your midwife talks a load of rubbish,,,,,,,apart from not being able to tell babys size so early on, on average a second labour can take 7 or 8 hours hours,,,, get to the hospital sooner rather than hanging around at home for 6 hours.

Answer 11

I had a very similar experience to your first delivery and did manage to have an epidural with both kids. Relax.