Epidural anaethesiaepidural catheter

An epidural is a special type of local anaesthetic drug that is injected into the epidural space at the side of the spinal cord. It numbs the nerves which carry the pain from the birth canal to the brain. For the majority or women in labour given an epidural,they experience complete pain relief

An epidural is administered by an anaesthetist, so, if you think that it is right for you, and you want a hospital birth, discuss with your midwife whether an anaesthetist is always available at your hospital.

Anaesthetic is injected into the space between the bones in your spine through a very thin tube. This tube is left in so that the anaesthetic can then be pumped in continuously or topped up when necessary.. On average it takes 20 minutes to set the tube up and then another 15–20 minutes for the effects to be felt.

An epidural can be especially helpful for those women who are having a long or particularly painful labour or who are becoming very distressed because it takes the pain of labour away and you wont be as tired after the birth.

 

However an epidural comes with some disadvantages:

  • It makes your legs may feel heavy and makes it difficult to change positions leaving some women feeling helpless. You may not be able to get out of bed after the labour for several hours afterwards
  • It makes urination very difficult, and a catheter may need to be inserted.
  • A drip will need to be inserted in to your arm to give you fluids and help maintain adequate blood pressure.
  • Your contractions and the baby’s heart will need to be continuously monitored by a machine. This means having a belt round your abdomen and possibly a clip attached to your baby’s head.
  • Often you will not be able to feel your contractions, and the midwife will have to tell you when to push. If the effects of the epidural wear off when you need to push it is much easier.
  • A persisting backache sometimes affects some women who have had an epidural.

In some hospitals, a mobile or ‘walking’ epidural is available. This is when the anaesthetist gives you a different combination of drugs which allows you to move your legs while still providing effective pain relief.

return to pain relief