The epidural is an injection close to the spine placed by an anesthetist. A little tube in your back provides you with constant pain medication. This prevents pain triggers from reaching your brain and thus making you feel less or nothing in your lower body. When the epidural can be inserted depends on whether or not there is an anesthetist available at the time of your labour. It is possible you have to wait a while in case the anesthetist is in surgery.
You can never predict the course of your delivery which makes it an exciting yet sometimes scary event. It is unpredictable how your body will react to contractions and labour. To maintain in control of your delivery it is important to be aware of the options available to lighten your pain.
It is important to be aware of the fact that any form of medicinal painkillers, with the exception of entonox, will mean we have to transfer you to the gynaecologist. The gynaecologist will first have to determine whether your as well as your baby’s condition is severe enough for the need of painmedication. This diagnose will be based on a half hour monitoring of your baby’s heart.