You can get an epidural any time you want. There are a lot of stories about women being too far along to get an epidural, but this is a myth. Normally, it takes about 15 minutes to place the epidural catheter and for the pain to start subsiding and another 20 minutes to go into full effect. Typically, you can receive an epidural as early as when you are 4 to 5 centimeters dilated and in active labor. However, there are some side effects that mothers may experience: Many women fear epidurals will make them drowsy or foggy during delivery, but mothers-to-be are fully awake and aware during the labor. Once in place, the epidural needle is replaced with a small catheter tube that can administer more medication as needed. You will first receive a local anesthetic beforehand to numb the area where you’ll be receiving the epidural injection. “Ideally, the epidural will be strong enough to block the pain receptors resulting in pressure as the only sensation,” Neely says.Įpidurals are given by an anesthesiologist. This helps decrease sensation to the lower half of your body. Numbing medication or epidural anesthesia is injected into your spine, blocking the nerve impulses from lower spine segments. They can also give relief to women experiencing long, grueling hours of labor. What is an epidural?Įpidurals help ease the pain of contractions and delivery. There are many questions surrounding epidurals and we’re providing you with all the answers from our nurse practitioner, Katie Neely, to help you with your decision. With the number of women receiving epidurals nearly equaling the number of women who don’t, it’s truly a personal preference. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 60 percent of women who had vaginal deliveries received an epidural during labor.
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