• Home
  • Contact
  • New Patient
  • My Chart
  • Pay My Bill
  • Reviews
  • (608) 729-6300
  • 5801 Research Park Blvd, Suite 400, Madison WI 53719
Madison Women's Health
  • COVID Clinic Updates
  • Providers
    • Karla Dickmeyer, MD
    • Ashley Durward, MD
    • Isabel Nellen, DO
    • Erin Schoenecker, MD
    • Beth Wiedel, MD
    • Sarah Yanke, MD
    • Sarah Juza, MD
    • Stephanie Brasser, DNP
    • Shannon Wixom, APNP
    • Vicki Slager-Neary, WHNP, APNP
  • Services
    • Telehealth
    • Well Woman Care
    • Expanded Care Services
    • Pregnancy Care
      • Planning for Pregnancy
      • Newly Pregnant
      • Testing for Birth Defects and Genetic Disorders
      • During Pregnancy
      • Delivery
      • After Pregnancy
      • Pregnancy Resources
    • Lab Services
    • Surgical Treatments
    • Ultrasound
  • Patient Information
    • Your Visit to Our OBGYN Clinic
    • Insurance Plans
    • Our Policies
    • Patient Forms
      • Registration Form
      • Personal Health History
      • Insurance Coverage
      • Genetic Screening Questionnaire
      • Authorization form TO Madison Women’s Health
      • Authorization form FROM Madison Women’s Health
      • HIPAA Acknowledgment
    • Resources
  • About Us
    • About our Clinic
    • SCOPE Certification
    • We Care
      • Weave of Hope
    • Careers
  • Classes / Groups
    • Prenatal Yoga Classes
    • Baby and Me Yoga
  • News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
News

Epidurals for Labor: Risks, Benefits and Other FAQs

Blog, Labor & Delivery
Woman smiling after getting an epidural during labor

It’s no secret that giving birth is painful! But every woman finds a way to manage the pain of childbirth — whether that’s through breathing exercises, position changes, or an epidural.

During your third trimester, your OBGYN will ask you about your preference for pain management during labor. Whatever your decision, you can change your mind even during labor (up until a certain point). Our goal is to support you so that you can have a positive birthing experience, whatever that looks like for you.

About 70% of women in our practice choose to receive an epidural during labor. And all of them have had very similar questions, fears and concerns about the process.

What is an epidural?

An epidural is a common type of anesthetic used in labor for pain relief. Epidurals are the best option available for relieving labor pain. An epidural can be given at any time during the labor process.

While you are sitting up an anesthesiologist will first numb your skin and then insert a needle and a tiny tube (called a catheter) into the lower part of your back. The needle is removed and the catheter is left in place so that medication can be delivered through the tube. The medication typically runs continuously until delivery, with more medication given through the tube as needed.

The process takes about 15 minutes to complete. As long as you’re able to get into the right position and stay still for the time it takes to place the catheter, you can receive the epidural at any point during labor. That means that you can still receive an epidural even if you initially thought you didn’t want one!

Is the epidural needle painful?

Before the epidural is placed, you’ll be given a numbing injection. The first injection will feel like a short bee sting. This lasts only for a moment. Once that area is numb from the injection, the anesthesiologist will place the catheter to deliver the pain relieving medication. It takes about 20 minutes for contraction pain to subside.

An epidural creates a feeling of numbness from your belly to your toes. You may still feel pressure during labor, but the pain will be drastically reduced. If you are still uncomfortable even after having the epidural placed, the anesthesiologist may give you additional medication through the catheter or place the catheter in a slightly different position.

Because you will feel numb, it will be hard to move your legs. You won’t be able to walk around with an epidural in place. You may not feel as great of an urge to push, but you will still be able to push. Your team will help you know when and how to push through your contractions.

You also won’t feel the need to urinate, so we will place a foley catheter in your bladder.

Will an epidural harm my baby?

Medication from an epidural does NOT harm your baby. Because the anesthesia from the epidural doesn’t enter your bloodstream, it will not transfer to your baby through the placenta.

How long does the epidural last?

The epidural is intended to last for the duration of your labor and will be removed after you deliver your baby. It will take a couple of hours for the numbness to completely go away. You will be able to walk around after the epidural wears off.

To manage pain after delivery, you’ll be given ibuprofen. Ice packs can also be applied to help with discomfort after labor.

What are the side effects from an epidural?

Epidurals are very safe. Serious complications are rare. The most common side effect we see is a decrease in blood pressure. To prevent this, you will be given extra IV fluid before having an epidural placed. If needed, the anesthesiologist may also give you medication to bring your blood pressure up.

Who shouldn’t get an epidural?

Occasionally there are circumstances where women can’t get an epidural. Occasionally we see this in women who have a low platelet count. Additionally, women who are taking blood thinners (such as heparin) to prevent a blood clot during pregnancy should not receive an epidural within 12 hours of taking that medication.

Will an epidural slow down delivery or cause me to need a C-section?

Some women are actually able to deliver more quickly after receiving an epidural because they feel more relaxed. They can push through the stronger contractions because they are in less pain. Other women may be in labor a little longer because they do not feel the urge to push to the same extent.

Your labor and delivery team will monitor you and your baby to be sure that you are progressing through labor at a safe rate.

There is no evidence that receiving an epidural makes you more likely to require a C-section. In fact, if you do need a C-section, having an epidural in place can help you be prepared for the C-section more quickly.

Other Ways to Manage Pain During Childbirth

An epidural is not the only way to manage pain during childbirth. You have several options available to you. You are also able to make changes to your birth plan while you are in labor.

Non-medicated pain control options

There are several non-medicated (or non-pharmacologic) pain control options. Read about other methods of pain relief during childbirth.

Intravenous (IV) and Intramuscular pain relief:

Pain relieving medication (opioids) can be given to help take the edge off of labor pain to make it more tolerable. This medication is either given to you through an IV or as an injection.

Opioids given through an IV catheter do enter your bloodstream, therefore they do transfer to your baby. Side effects include grogginess or sleepiness for both you and your baby.

Conclusion

We don’t judge your reasons for or against receiving an epidural.  Some of our patients choose not to receive any pain medications during labor while others request an epidural as soon as possible. (You may be surprised by how many women change their minds during labor!) There isn’t a right or wrong way of giving birth, and you aren’t more or less of a mom or a woman based on your pain management decision.

Whether you want a less painful labor or a medication-free labor, we are here to support you. Our goal is that you and your baby are safe and healthy!

July 27, 2021/by Dr. Sarah Yanke
Tags: C-section, epidural, giving birth
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://madisonwomenshealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/epidurals-for-labor-risks-benefits-faq.jpg 858 1200 Dr. Sarah Yanke https://madisonwomenshealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/mwh_logo-300x177.png Dr. Sarah Yanke2021-07-27 09:55:232022-01-26 13:37:57Epidurals for Labor: Risks, Benefits and Other FAQs
You might also like
A mother holds her newborn infants hand after breech delivery. Breech Baby: What Causes it and What to Expect
Woman packing birth bag filling out a hospital bag checklist Pregnancy Hospital Bag Checklist: What to Pack in Your Birth Bag
new mother holding baby after birth C-section vs Vaginal Birth: What are the Risks and Benefits?
First-time mom holding newborn baby after giving birth Giving Birth: Labor & Delivery Tips for First-Time Moms

Find Answers to Your Questions

Recent Posts

  • Lower Back Pain During Pregnancy: Tips for Prevention and Relief
  • Geriatric Pregnancy? The Truth About Having a Baby After 35
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): Symptoms and Treatments
  • Breech Baby: What Causes it and What to Expect
  • At-Home Genetic Testing Kits: Do They Really Work?

Browse by Category

Tags

baby weight birth control birth control pills birth control shots bottle feeding breastfeeding C-section clogged duct Clomid colostrum conceiving condoms Depo Provera diaphragms epidural exercise exercising during pregnancy fertility tips genetic counselling genetic screening gestational diabetes gestational hypertension giving birth Glow App gynecologist HPV screening kegels labor tips latching Letrozole mastitis menopause mini-pill NuvaRing OBGYN perimenopause Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) pregnancy pregnancy tips pregnancy weight gain pregnancy weight loss pumping STI ultrasound weaning

5801 Research Park Blvd, Suite 400, Madison WI 53719

608-729-6300

Reviews
SCOPE Certified logo
© 2022 All rights reserved. | WordPress Web Design by Bizzy Bizzy
Gestational Diabetes & Glucose Testing During Pregnancy Boy feeds an orange to pregnant woman with gestational diabetes Teen smiling at her first gynecology appointment How to Prepare Your Teen for her First Gynecological Appointment
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more×

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Other cookies

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

Accept settingsHide notification only