An epidural is an anesthetic that the doctors use especially in childbirth to create a loss of sensation below the waist. In case of having an epidural, you may not have entirely regained sensation in your bladder, for which reason you may need a catheter, or a small tube to drain your bladder for up to 24 hours. If you require an epidural while you are in a birthing center, the authority will transfer you to the labor ward of a nearby hospital. However, the midwives have the training to manage the emergency. Also, the specialized care with epidurals in the hospital is always safer than home birth. It is into your lower back to deprive your lower body part of feelings or responsiveness in such a manner as to achieve the desired result.
The Procedure of an Epidural
Before an epidural, you will have a small drop of a liquid put into your arm. You can sit up, bend forward, or lie on your side curled up, while the last one is the best option to push the needle into the proper area of your body. Your doctor will advise you to remain still before washing your lower back with a cold antiseptic to inject an anesthetic in there. For this, your anesthetist will inject a needle between the bones of your spine and around the spinal nerves after your contraction, for which reason it is very important to tell them when you have a contraction.
To numb your pain, while removing the needle, your anesthetist will insert a soft and small plastic tube that will deliver an anesthetic into the perfect place of your lower back. In this way, you can expect pain relief within 5 minutes to 20 minutes and though you can have an epidural at any stage of your labor, having it only at the first stage of your labor is the best.
Epidural Injections
Some epidural injections contain various types of medications, such as steroids, to reduce pain and inflammation in your lower back, back, neck, legs, and arms. Your anesthetist will use an x-ray with a natural or synthetic substance used to add color or change the color of the locations along your spine from the bottom of your neck to the tailbone. He or she will then choose the correct spot to insert the needle, which is the most probable spot containing nerves causing pain. Pinched nerve, pain radiating from the spine, herniated disc, and spinal stenosis are the conditions, for which the anesthetists treat by epidural injections.
Recovery from Epidural
Generally, epidural analgesia is easy to tolerate, and you will hopefully recover easily and quickly after administering it. Although to switch to oral medication, your anesthetist can remove the epidural catheter when possible, he/she may decide to let the catheter remain there for several days that have almost no risk. Normally, you will recover from epidural within 24 hours. Do the same things whether you working as a madres de alquiler or surrogate mother.
There are both good sides and bad sides to using medical pain relief, so consult with your LMC before deciding to take them to know the best option for you. Water immersion is an option that may effectively decrease your need for epidural or spinal analgesia. In a hospital, you will have easy access to pain relief when you deliver your baby. Anesthesiologists physically in contact with and supported by staff are available all the time to provide you medications from epidural to narcotics when you request after your doctor recommends. The active labor phase in the first stage of labor can last for 3 to 5 hours, but if it is your first baby, or if you have an epidural, you may take more time.
