Anyone had a walking epidural instead of the full epidural?

[Mama2Mia]

Would love to hear about people's experiences and what they felt didn't feel when they had the walking epidural........

i'm just keeping my options open and although i intend on going natural again i have heard the walking epidural was fantastic because you can still walk around and feel everything but the cramping in the abdominal area is numbed which sounds like the ideal pain relief!

[ComeBackKid]

I have never heard of this!

I always thought an epidural meant that you had to stay in bed. Is it widely available?

I'd love to know more!

[girlwithcookies]

Hi there.

I'm not sure about a walking epidural. you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true!

But, with that said, I had an epidural, and although I stayed in the bed, I had complete movement of both my legs and during the pushing stage, I moved from kneeling on all fours to sitting.

The problem with moving is that you are hooked up to machines that monitor your baby's heart rate, and also a drip and a catheter so even changing sides was a drama.

I could still feel when I was having a contraction and was encouraged to go with my body during the pushing stage.
I had a little magic button that I coud push to increase the epidural if the pain got too much.

Another thing was that if I was lying on one side, it would start to go numb after a while, and the other side would increase it's feeling, so I would need to flip over.

I was up and showering within a few hours and no side effects. so all in all a very positive experience.

[Mama2Mia]

found this FAQ bit on walking epidurals which may help answer alot of the questions.......i think sometimes its often referred to as a 'cocktail' which is what my girlfriend calls it

Q. What is the difference between the walking epidural and the regular epidural?
A. The differences lie in both the procedure and the medications used. The walking epidural is a combination of spinal and epidural analgesia. While the medications, often referred to as a cocktail, are a narcotic, a local anesthetic and epinephrine, used in smaller amounts than the regular Epidurals.



Q. If I can walk, what can I feel?
A. The walking epidural is not designed to make you feel deadened. It is designed to provide enough pain relief that you are comfortable and yet still aware of the contractions. So it will not mask extraordinary pain that you and your practioner would need to be aware of.

Q. Can I really walk?
A. This really depends, women receiving the walking epidural will not be able to walk for the following reasons: woman refuses (15-25%), leg weakness (often described as not feeling normal), and maternal hypotension (low blood pressure).
I would also add that some facilities do not allow you to walk with this type of medication for fear of legal ramifications. I do want to point out that if you were 90 years old and had just had hip replacement surgery and this type of medication it would be required for you to walk.

[pkbub]

Hi there.

I'm not sure about a walking epidural. you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true!

But, with that said, I had an epidural, and although I stayed in the bed, I had complete movement of both my legs and during the pushing stage, I moved from kneeling on all fours to sitting.

The problem with moving is that you are hooked up to machines that monitor your baby's heart rate, and also a drip and a catheter so even changing sides was a drama.

I could still feel when I was having a contraction and was encouraged to go with my body during the pushing stage.
I had a little magic button that I coud push to increase the epidural if the pain got too much.

Another thing was that if I was lying on one side, it would start to go numb after a while, and the other side would increase it's feeling, so I would need to flip over.

I was up and showering within a few hours and no side effects. so all in all a very positive experience.

My experience was very similar - I didn't get a catheter at the start, but had one at the end with a stitch I needed - I was very happy to have it for a few hours after the birth, so I didn't have the urge to get up and pee.

I stayed in bed mostly to have the heart rate monitored, and I thought I'd be around there for a while and wanted to relax while I could. But my labour went quickly and I moved around in the bed alot and gave birth kneeling. Even at the start, before the epi wore off, I could feel my legs ok - they just felt a bit tingly and heavy.

[Harlequin]

Yep! It was awesome!
Got rid of the horrible contractions but I could still feel a dull ache in my coccyx area.
I even got up and went to the loo to pee, the midwife and hubbie flanked my sides in case I toppled over - I was a bit shaky and exhausted by that stage as it was around 18hrs into the labour...
I was so sure I'd be able to pee, but I couldn't lol I did a lame trickle.

[dotti]

Hi gals,
I haven't posted in BH for months but just have to add my own experience to the question of walking epi's / low dose epi's.

I had a low dose epi as I had intended to go without drugs but ended up hitting the wall. I hunched over as the needle was painlessly inserted into my back and almost instantly the intensity of my contractions reduced. I layed down for a little while to recover as I had been actively labouring for some hours. I was aware of every contraction but the pain was gone. My doula then encouraged me to get up and go to the loo. Moving around was just what I needed as bub moved down and before I knew it, I was ready to push. I delivered her standing up with 20 minutes of pushing.

Gosh I just assumed everyone would know of this option, so I'm happy to share my story if it provides labouring mother's with another alternative to being bed ridden and pushing their babies "uphill".

I'm just about to give birth to bub number 2 and although I would love to succeed at a full natural birth this time, if I feel I need the help with a low dose epi, I will definately take it. Most of all I think it just helped me to relax enough to dilate the rest of the way!

Best of luck with your birth xox

[kezzaskids]

Hi gals,
I haven't posted in BH for months but just have to add my own experience to the question of walking epi's / low dose epi's.

I had a low dose epi as I had intended to go without drugs but ended up hitting the wall. I hunched over as the needle was painlessly inserted into my back and almost instantly the intensity of my contractions reduced. I layed down for a little while to recover as I had been actively labouring for some hours. I was aware of every contraction but the pain was gone. My doula then encouraged me to get up and go to the loo. Moving around was just what I needed as bub moved down and before I knew it, I was ready to push. I delivered her standing up with 20 minutes of pushing.

Gosh I just assumed everyone would know of this option, so I'm happy to share my story if it provides labouring mother's with another alternative to being bed ridden and pushing their babies "uphill".

I'm just about to give birth to bub number 2 and although I would love to succeed at a full natural birth this time, if I feel I need the help with a low dose epi, I will definately take it. Most of all I think it just helped me to relax enough to dilate the rest of the way!

Best of luck with your birth xox

Can I please ask which hospital this was in?? I will be at King Eddy in perth.
Thanks

[Mama2Mia]

i just can't believe that in all the pregnancy classes i've been to not once have any of them mentioned this option :no:

dotti thanks for posting your experience.....i too intend on going full natural again but if i get to the point where i can't take it anymore and feel like dying (like i did first time round) then i would love to be able to have this option available.

I haven't even asked my Ob about it yet as i only just heard my girlfriend tell me of her experience using it so at my next visit i'll definitely be asking about it!

[Harlequin]

Yeah it's amazing how few people know about them..

You always hear people go on about not wanting to be numb from the epi and wanting to 'feel' the birth.

Heck, I felt everything. I had 17 or so hrs of contractions, 7 hrs of bliss thanks to the epi, then it was allowed to wear off before I started pushing bub out... so you feel everything.

[~Candy~]

I have never heard of this type of epi...it was never offered to me even though I begged for hours for an epi..I thought an epi was an epi...lol and I've had 4 babes :confused: Just goes to show...no ALL info is given whilst preg...grrrr

[dotti]

Hello again,

Kezza I had my epi at Attadale Private Hospital. The dr who administered it was told by the midwife (who was a dream) that an epi was not part of my original birthplan so he just gave me a low dose. I didn't ask any details as my eyes were rolling in the back of my head by this point but he was fantastic and he even popped in the next day to check on me.

It is def worth asking for a low dose first off. I'm not sure exactly what it consists of but it worked for me :yes:. Remember it's our bodies and our babies and medical staff are there only to assist as best they can...don't let them fob you off!

xox

[cordz2911]

Hi,
just thought it was interesting that my DP's sister in sweden had a walking epi....gave bith on the birth stool thing...apparently that is the norm over there...the walking epi.
I don't know why it isn't offered more here, I could feel and move my legs but still wasn't allowed off the bed until 4 hours after I had given birth.

[rachel86]

Hi I had a walking epi went through 16 hrs of labour then as she was heading down the canel i went into back labour ouch!!!!!!!
requested an epi and they told me about it. was great could still feel everything but the back pain was gone i could even feel the contractions i pushed for an hour then rushed of for a caesar she was to big to feet through so they just topped it up.

[em1984]

I heard the reason it isnt overly common is because not all anasthesiologists (sp?!) are able to do it. Apparently it requires quite a bit of skill, and generally only the top trained ones can actually do it. Now this could be a load of bull but its what someone told me, and that its just luck if there is an anathesiologist in the hospital that is able to do it at the time...:)

[~Emmylou~]

I heard the reason it isnt overly common is because not all anasthesiologists (sp?!) are able to do it. Apparently it requires quite a bit of skill, and generally only the top trained ones can actually do it. Now this could be a load of bull but its what someone told me, and that its just luck if there is an anathesiologist in the hospital that is able to do it at the time...:)

Close - they don't like them because of liability issues for both the anaesthetist and the hospital.

Nine months pregnant women walking around without full feeling in their legs, and catheters in their spinal spaces tend to make hospital legal types very nervous. The potential for falls and injuries is obviously higher than if a woman is completely immobilised as she is with a traditional epidural.

This is the reason we don't see them offered much in Australia.

[tegz_84]

i loved it & definatley use it again next time....although there was a couple of complications when the epi stopped workin and i had to get it inserted again...i had docs jabbin at my back for 40mins and they could not get the needle in, plus i had to deal with my contractions, then they got it again!!

I was able to walk with assistance, my legs were like jelly!! I needed a catheter inserted as I could pee!!

I could still feel the contractions, but i could not feel the actual pain of it!! It made it heapz more comfortable.....

[3InATub]

That could be what I had at the San, Wahroonga. I was in labour for about 16 hours and had an epi at the 14th hour, after being up for 36 hours. I could feel the contractions but not the pain. I did have a catheter. After the birth, I was on my feet about 30 minutes later but a bit shaky. I was terribly sick though just before I was able to stand up and needed an injection. From memory I think this was related to the inducement. No other probs and the next morn fantastic. It was so nice to be pain free and then not long after to get up and have a shower.

[LuvMy4Babes]

With 3 of my 4 babies I had the mobile (or walking) epidural and it was a GODSEND!

It took away that horrible nasty contraction pain but I could still get up to go to the toilet and feel the urge to push when it was time, etc. I have to say that I could still feel that horrible pressure when the baby's head is moving far down ready to deliver though. If the epi could have taken that away too it would have been perfect :laughing:

There was no numbness I hear of other people talking about.

I would highly recommend it.

[Mama2Mia]

that sounds ideal!

so you didn't have to have a catheter or any tubes in your back?

[Harlequin]

I still had tubes. You just have to walk with them with the metal walky thingy they are attached to.
The midwife helped me when I went to pee.

Not sure if its the same for everyone.

The thing I hate the most is when you say "i had an epi" people immediately assume you were lying flat on your back, numb from the waist down for the entire birth... when it couldn't be further from the truth :)

[OneNowOneLater]

I totally agree.

I loved my epi! Seriously, i would pass out from the pain with each contraction until i had the epi. Then I just had a bit of tightening across my stomach - thats it. As for knowing when to push - you CAN feel that (well, i could anyway - for me, it felt like i needed to go do the biggest poo in my entire life. lol, when i told my middy that, she was like "ha, ur body needs to push")

Just my two cents hehe.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

I had a fantastic epidural 3 months ago (after 17 hours labour, why did I not get it earlier!) I was totally mobile and could still feel contractions... but the pain in my back was gone - I felt the contractions through my bum (as the head shoved downwards - felt like an apple jammed up my bum). Ohh the blessed relief! I was aware of every contraction though - I felt more aware of the pressure of the actual baby and less aware of the chainsaw in the back feeling (that was totally gone). I hope this makes sense.

unfortunately my son went into distress not long afterwards (totally unrelated to the epidural - he had the cord very tightly wrapped 3 times around his neck so it became compressed as he moved downwards) and I had to have a c-section.

The epidural itself was wonderful though but I believe a large part of achieving this is simply the anesthetist's skill. It still took 3 attempts to get in by the way - I have a tricky spine.

I wish labour could be like that naturally - I still felt totally mobile and I was able to feel it as normal if you touched me, and I still felt the sensations of labour - but that cramping was gone.

You still have to be on a drip and continously monitored for blood pressure though - which I hate.

eta: If you're going to get an epidural get it before you're in utter agony - there is nothing worse than having to stay still for 2 hours while the anesthetist struggles to get it in.... I felt like I was going to pass out. The attending doctor told me that it's the skill of the anesthetist as to whether they get the right dose/ place in spine and that this anesthetist 'does a very nice epidural'.

He was actually an incredibly nice man also - very supportive - I briefly considered naming my son after him as the epidural started to work (thanks again Tim from Redlands!)