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When you go into delivery they usually cut back on your epidural anyway so that you can feel the contractions and feel yourself pushing. Feeling things gives you more motivation to push more effectively. It could be that the medication was low so pushing the button didn't do anything, and they didn't tell you!

If your epidural failed you would definitely know... for me it was night and day. When it was effective, I was COMPLETELY numb and so comfortable, and I couldn't lift my legs at all. When it started to fail I was screaming at the top of my lungs, crying, sweating, throwing up, etc. It sounds like the drugs they put in your epidural probably weren't strong enough to fully numb you. Did they do the prick test as you went numb? For my prick tests I felt absolutely nothing when I was numb. And there's no way I could have gotten up and walked around an hour after delivery. They had to re-insert my catheter so I could pee because I was still completely numb all down my legs. I couldn't even swing my legs over the side of the bed to get up, let alone walk to the bathroom!

My epidural was placed around noon and I started pushing at about 4:30PM (DD arrived at 4:54) and by the time they were stitching me I was feeling every single stitch. I don't recall the actual pushing part but would assume that I could feel some definitely didn't have the "ring of fire" feeling. I was up and walking by 6:30 so I'm guessing they turned down my epidural but gave me percocet before they had even finished stitching so that probably helped some.

@Mrs. Bee: that's exactly how I felt during delivery-- with each push I'd just end it screaming in pain so the push would kind of fade towards the end!! I would have pushed so much better if the pain wasn't there. The discomfort I could have taken for sure.

@autumnlove: Same thing happened to me. I thought I was numb until they started the surgery. The doctors kept saying you'll feel pressure, but I felt pain. The anesthesiologist upped my meds twice during the procedure but it was still horrible. I was silent for the 15 hours of active labor through my contractions, but I was moaning and groaning and cried during the C-section.

I got my epidural late (about 20 minutes before I had to push) but I barely even felt pressure with the contractions. I felt no need to push so I ended up pushing for 3 hours. I did get up and walk around an hour after delivery but I couldn't pee by myself at that point. It was completely worn off about 3 hours after delivery.

I could feel strong pressure with each contraction through the epidural. The pressure was very uncomfortable, but it wasn't anything close to the pain that I was experiencing with each contraction before the epidural. Before the epidural I had no choice but to moan and yell through every contraction. (I was dilated to 7 cm when I got my epidural.)

I did feel the ring of fire through my epidrural (maybe they had turned it down?), and it was extremely painful. It makes me wonder what it would have felt like if I didn't have an epidural. I felt myself tear too

I felt the contractions as an ache. It was awesome!

I didn't feel much. It wore off at the end but I still didn't feel any pain or discomfort. I just got some sensation back and I started to push much more effectively.

I guess I was fortunate in that I didn't feel anything once they gave me the epidural. They had to tell me I delivered the baby and the placenta already!

this thread is scaring me! i plan to go in with intent for epidural!

I had a ton of pressure, but ended up with a csection, so not much help there.

My friend had one and it failed. She had her son unmedicated which she did not want. She said it was rough.

@mrsjazz: @autumnlove: my spinal failed too.. So I got knocked out and don't remember much. I was in so much pain.. I was in recovery for 2 hours..

I had an epidural that failed (it was only working on half My body- left side was numb, but I could feel everything on the rigt and had to have it redone. After that was much better till transition, that was just terrible!! By the time LO was delivered and they were stitching me up, my second epidural had worn off ( although I wa in labor for 3 days)

My epidural failed, so I got to feel max pitocin contractions unmedicated. It was hell. Never again.