https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:26:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-555417 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:36:10 +0000 Kemma 555417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Waters broke at 530am, went into established labour at 1130, was at 5cm at around 8pm. We transferred to hospital at 11pm and at 1am I hadn't made any further progress so my midwife made the call to give me pitocin at which point I got the epi. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-555347 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:22:15 +0000 ladyfingers 555347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had decided I would probably get one beforehand but hadn't committed to it and wanted to wait as long as I could. My first contraction and I committed to it, but still wanted to wait till I was 5 cm to ask for one. Thankfully I was 7 cm when I was admitted, only an hour into active labor, because if I'd shown up and was like 3 cm I still would have requested that shizz way early. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543820 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:43:06 +0000 littlebittyhouse 543820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wanted to go natural but was induced 2 weeks early for high BP, low fluid and heart decels. Held out until I was 6cm. At that point my contractions were 90 seconds long with a 20 second break - basically transition. 5 hours later I was complete. I wish that I was able to hold old longer! Hiring a doula next time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543562 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:46:25 +0000 creativemomma15 543562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was hoping to go naturally and even labored until I was 10 cm with nothing but I needed a c-section because he was breech. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543542 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:42:25 +0000 Mrs.M57 543542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew I was open to getting one, but was going to try to go without if possible. I got one at 5 cm, about 4 hours after my water broke. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543531 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:40:09 +0000 winniebee 543531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I change my response - I always knew I would get an epi, even before I got pregnant. But I actually got it at 6 cm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543522 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:37:32 +0000 cascademom 543522@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My answer's a mix of three of them. I knew I wanted an epidural before I got pregnant. I came into triage at 4 cm dilated and got my thing which fast tracked me to get an epidural by the time I was admitted. I had to wait an hour or so after being admitted to get the epidural because it was a busy night/day there. So, I got it around 5cm dilated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543516 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:35:02 +0000 loveisstrange 543516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They gave it to me when they started my pitocin drip. The doctor seemed to think it was best so that having it later wouldn't stall out my labor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543501 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:30:30 +0000 bunnylove08 543501@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>before i got pregnant. They administered it to me at 8cm. I almost wasnt able to get one because I wasnt in a L&amp;D room yet. my DH and sister demanded one for me, so they did it in triage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543411 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:05:19 +0000 hilsy85 543411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At about 5cm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543216 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:13:25 +0000 SleepyMonkey 543216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>at 5 cm, right after they administered pitocin. that first contraction after pitocin was terrible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543206 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:08:06 +0000 winniebee 543206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got it around 6 cm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543180 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 07:58:57 +0000 blackbird 543180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My doc won't let you have one in early labor...I'm hoping to get to about 6-7cm before I get it. The nurses said DEFINITELY get it before transition if you're getting one, because that's the worst part.</p> <p>eta: I totally misread this. I already know I'm going to have one, I'm just hypothesizing about when I plan on having it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543172 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 07:57:14 +0000 MaisyMay 543172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always knew I'd use pain meds. During labor I was at 5, they'd given me pitocin an hour previous and were going to break my waters. It seemed like a good time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-543163 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 07:53:53 +0000 heffalump 543163@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always knew I wanted an epi. I get severe migraines, and have gotten them my whole life. So I knew how I deal with pain. I'm not good with it, I don't like it, I don't want it. I did the research and decided an epi was for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542989 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 02:01:06 +0000 Ree723 542989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oops, I voted wrong - I voted for when I got it (active labour) but i'd actually decided before I ever got pregnant that I would definitely be getting an epidural! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542954 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:56:16 +0000 sarac 542954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I labored without pain meds for 12 hours while on cervadil. At that point, they checked and found that I hadn't dilated at all. They offered me a foley catheter induction followed by pitocin, and I accepted the epidural at that point. I had and still have confidence in my ability to handle natural labor. I had no desire to handle the physical stretching of my cervix. Nope! I took the epidural, went through hell when it failed, and then delivered a baby with an apgar of 1 who spent a week in the nicu. SO much fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542948 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:40:33 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 542948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Before I got pregnant. I mean, I would love to say I am strong enough to tough it out but when I get regular period cramps I go searching for any leftover hydrocodone from a previous surgery. So... epi it is! I still want to see how long I can hold off. Who knows, maybe I will change my mind! (Hahahahaha) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542944 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:35:46 +0000 lovehoneybee 542944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Minnie_Girl: two days of back labor...daaammnn way to go! My epidural stopped working a few times but active labor was only about 12 hours (and early 18 hours, but it didn't get bad until active labor set it). I was begging for an epidural like 3-4 hours into active labor...I don't think I could have handled 2 days! Huge snaps for you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542935 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:25:13 +0000 StbHisMrs 542935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was progressing super fast after my water broke, there was no time to check me before I got it. I was checked just afterwards and almost complete, if I had to guess 8.5-9. I still felt it all. I got it at 8 with my ds, that one worked better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542908 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:06:25 +0000 skibobrown 542908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought (and the doctor thought) that I was still in active labor. I had been in labor for almost 3 days at that point, so I finally succumbed and agreed to the epidural. It turns out I was actually just starting transition. If I had known I was in transition I wouldn't have gotten the epidural, since it's a pretty short (but horribly painful) stage. In any case, it worked out great for me, so I have no real complaints. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542892 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:58:09 +0000 Minnie_Girl 542892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After over two days of back labor. </p> <p>The above sentence gives me the right to vote PONIES! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542829 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:32:26 +0000 Running Elley 542829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was pretty sure that I was going to get it before I got pregnant. I had a brief interlude of deciding to go all natural while I was pregnant but that didn't last too long =P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542821 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:30:05 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 542821@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had already been in the hospital for 17 days with painful contractions for half of them.</p> <p>I got my epi at 4cm after puking twice and getting morphine twice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542519 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:18:26 +0000 yin 542519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>7cm when I could no longer take the painful contractions. Wish I could have waited longer but enjoyed being able to relax with the epidural. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542331 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:45:45 +0000 littlebug 542331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>After 16 hours of labor, I was still stuck at 1cm. I was contracting every 2-2.5 minutes with zero progress. I knew that I needed the epidural if I had any hope of making it through the rest of labor and especially if I wanted to push him out on my own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542306 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:41:04 +0000 tysonja 542306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I decided to get an epi before labour! But didn't get it until 10cm (not by choice!) hehe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542299 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:40:00 +0000 prettylizy 542299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't end up getting one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542295 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:39:23 +0000 autumnlove 542295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At 7cm! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-decide-to-get-an-epidural#post-542291 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:38:38 +0000 Mrs.B 542291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With DS I got one at 8cm. I was induced for medical reasons. With DD I REALLY wanted one at 9cm but it was to late and I went natural. I did want a natural birth so I'm glad it was to late to get it. </p>