re: Epidural users...

Quoting Taiter Tot's Mama [AP]:“ I was 4, but my hospital (kaiser) doesnt actually have a lower limit at all. As long as your contractions ... [snip!] ... 4 because they used the balloon to get me there (induction) so I opted to get the epidural before they started the pitcocin.”

ha!!! lucky!!!!!!!!! i wish!!

I'm a wuss, I was 2cm.

Quoting single&preggo[BGFM]:“ How many cm dilated were you when you got it? What is the ideal range? I know the upper limit is 7 cm... lower is like 3 or 4?”

I was induced, so I got it at a 3. It wore off at about 7cm and they would not give me more.  

i was 6 but i was told i could get it at any point :/
idk i had mine turned off to push and i felt it all...ended in c-sec so it didnt really metter sadly

Quoting mistyy:“ I was actually a little more than 2. My dr wanted the nurses to wait until I got to 4 but my contractions ... [snip!] ... to 4 but my contractions were horrible. They used demerol a few times but it wore off way too fast so my dr said ok to the epi.”

I feel your pain... I've been in "early labor" for over 24 hours... L&D sent me home last night to shower and stuff because they said I'd be more comfortable here, but they said I'd be back soon. I was 80% effaced but not dilated yet... the contractions have gotten so much worse since then though. They're always less than 10 min apart (usually 5-6), but the times have varied from 3 min apart to 9 min apart throughout the day. They've gotten much stronger, and longer... but not really more consistent. And I've had no other symptoms... If this continues much longer I'm not going to be able to handle the pain... but I'm worried I'll go back in and not be dilated at all and they won't even be able to do anything.

they said I was between 4 and 5.

Quoting single&preggo[BGFM]:“ I feel your pain... I've been in "early labor" for over 24 hours... L&D sent me home last night ... [snip!] ... to handle the pain... but I'm worried I'll go back in and not be dilated at all and they won't even be able to do anything.”

Oh mama I'm sorry!! I was induced so it all started and ended in the hospital!! Good luck with everything, I know its hard but try to relax!!

I was 1 because the anesthesiologist was going to surgery, so I needed to get it then or never.

Quoting single&preggo[BGFM]:“ I feel your pain... I've been in "early labor" for over 24 hours... L&D sent me home last night ... [snip!] ... to handle the pain... but I'm worried I'll go back in and not be dilated at all and they won't even be able to do anything.”

Remember what happened to me? Just know that your body will not fail you, even if they end up having to help you along. If you feel like you are running out of strength, dont feel bad if you need to ask them to help your labor along. I bore through that early labor (10 minute contractions) for just over a week and it was MISERABLE. If I could go back and have accepted my doctors offer to help me along earlier, I think I would have. But I still managed to find the strength to push for almost 3 hrs of pushing and a nearly 9 lbs baby. Your body will amaze you with what it can do, I promise!

Quoting Chandler's Mommy:“ ha!!! lucky!!!!!!!!! i wish!!”

The fact I was allowed to get the epidural before the pitocin was great yes. The fact I had already been having labor for a week by that point, not so lucky. I was SO ready to stop feeling those contractions by that point. I was DOOOOOONE.

with my first it was 2 1/2 right after they broke my water, my comtractions were on top of eachother and i was on pit as well. it did not work on one side because they would not let me go to my left side at all.

with nuber 2 it was at about 5 or 6 i belive it was only because the doctor want me to rest before hand.

with my 3rd it was at 3 before they broke my water, but it did not work right and only numbed my right leg. But i went from 3 to 5 right after they broke my water and had my son about 30-45 min later so about a little over an hoyr after the epi

Quoting Chandler's Mommy:“ i had hardcore full blown pitocin to the highest induced BACK LABOR!!! horrible...and i was super pissed when it didn't even work....”

Oh man yeah back labor SUUUUUUUCKS.

I wish someone had told me before my epidural: a good epidural only blocks about 80% of sensation, so you can still feel your pushes correctly. Also it can block pain but NOT pressure, which was most of what causes the pain of delivery so even thought a good epi will you from feeling the LABOR you will TOTALLY feel the delivery. I wish I had been more prepared for that. Since the labor was going so much smoother since the epi, I thought it would be like that until the baby was out. NOT so much.

I was 3, but I wasn induced, the contractions hurt so much worse!

I was like 5 or 6ish

It was like 6-7. It was a last chance thing. And it was wonderful. It's better to get it later if at all, because it slows contractions.