# Epidurals and the Urge to Push



## Liquesce (Nov 4, 2006)

If you've ever had an epidural when giving birth, did you still feel an urge to push?

I'm not really interested in advocacy for or against epidurals themselves ... it's just that I keep seeing women making posts including a point about women who have epidurals not feeling the urge to push, but also women making posts saying that when they had one themself they still felt it. I'm just curious what the norm is among people who've had one, even if it's just an anecdotal norm.


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

I have never felt the urge to push in 1 epidural birth and 5 unmedicated births. During the epi birth she started coming out on her own, for the others I was told to push, but I never felt the urge.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

I had an epidural with my first and I had the urge to push and could feel the pushing and the baby moving down, etc. It also took me about ten minutes to push her out.


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## ColwynsMommy (Aug 2, 2004)

I've had two epidural births. Both times I felt a somewhat premature urge to push, and once fully dilated, I was able to push quite effectively, and after the first push or two experienced fetal ejection reflexes--quite easy second stages, thankfully. My epidurals were fully functioning, too, btw.. I had no pain during contractions, didn't feel any pain as they were moving down, nor did I feel any ring of fire. But I could feel the sensations of birth.. just not as pain. They even thought the epidural had been turned off or come loose, but nope.









It's to the point where I'm actually a bit worried about this time, since I'll be homebirthing.. I don't want the baby to come as fast as it did in the hospital. I think I'll try side-lying to see if that slows things down, if it seems like I'll have another super-fast second stage.


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## Gremco (Nov 2, 2006)

I didn't feel anything at all. I found out recently I was on a morphine drip as well. I probably consented to it, but was so out of it at the time that I don't remember. I had a posterior baby and I had been in transitional labor for at least six hours at this point.


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## LemonPie (Sep 18, 2006)

I had one epi birth and one drug-free birth and didn't feel the urge to push with either of them.

This time I plan to avoid all coached pushing, so we'll see what happens. . .


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## Celticqueen (Feb 17, 2007)

I had the urge to push because the epidural did not fully numb the pain on one side of my body...It was a sort of funny feeling.

And with that urge to push, no one believed me because I had the epidural, and the baby's head was already pushing out of the cervix because I *did* have that urge...

It was frustrating no one believed me but at the same time, I don't really blame them...The point of an epidural is to numb you for crying out loud.

-Caitrin


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## MisaGoat (Jul 10, 2006)

I don't think I did. I never felt an urge to push.

I did push though. I had enough, it was time for the baby to come out. 1 1/2 hours of pushing, although I wonder if I started to push too early making it more difficult. The total labor was over 20 hours, he was occiput posterior. He was born about 9 hours after the epidural.


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## kwilki8 (May 24, 2005)

I had a late epidural with my first birth and felt the urge to push about 1/2 hour after it took effect. I pushed for about 15 minutes before she was born.


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## mommathea (Apr 7, 2008)

With my first the epi one I had absolutely no feeling to push at all.
With my next 2 the natural birth ones I had a very strong urge to push


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## kittywitty (Jul 5, 2005)

Had an intrathecal and no, I didn't. In fact, ds just kinda came out as soon as it was in. The nurses screamed at me to stop pushing and I wasn't as far as I could tell. I didn't even know he was that close. They *held* him in until the doc could get there.


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## channelofpeace (Jul 14, 2005)

I voted yes, but other might have been more appropriate. I didn't haven't the "irresistible urge to push" but i most definitely could feel the pressure of each contraction moving the baby down and once he had labored down a bit, i would push with each contraction that caused the feeling of pressure.


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## MommytoHHH (Sep 12, 2006)

I did. I was talked into an epi for failure to progress and it worked for me. Got the epi, went from 3cm to 10cm in just a few hours, felt the urge to push and pushed my DD out in about 15 minutes. I was also allowed to push sitting up. That was my first birth. I did tear, but likely because my DD had a HUGE head.


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## Redifer (Nov 25, 2006)

I had one epi birth and one drug-free birth.

With the epi birth, I didn't feel ANYTHING, except for stoned and tired, with mild hallucinations. I was passed out sleeping for the majority of the labor.

With the drug free birth, I definitely felt an urge to push.


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## MommyinMN (Oct 18, 2007)

I had one birth with an epidural (my first) and one without. I did feel the urge to push with the epidural but it took awhile after reaching 10 cm...around an hour and a half. Once I felt it I felt the urge very strongly even though I was completely numb to contractions. I pushed for 15-20 mins. with her. I had only had the epidural in for about 30 mins. when I got to 10cm, (I was 6-7 when it was placed) so when dd was born I had the epidural in for about 2 1/2 hours. My ob didn't turn off the epidural (he will if the mother has a difficult time pushing) and was completely numb when the placenta was delievered about 20 mins later.

With ds I did not have an epidural and I felt the urge to push about 20 mins after arriving at the hospital. I was 7-8 when I arrived and he was crowning when the nurse came to check when I called. (just to compare the two)


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## njbeachgirl (Oct 8, 2006)

Yes, I had a pushing urge, my body was pushing on its own really. I was checked and sure enough was at 10. My midwife turned it down so it could wear off and I could feel the pushing better.


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## AutumnMama (Jan 2, 2004)

No. It was a horrible 2 1/2 hours of pushing.

It was such a HUGE difference with both DS's, it was like my body was doing the pushing and I was going along with it.

One time (with DS1) I tried to start pushing in a contraction before my body did it and I realized why I felt so horrible during DD's birth.

I really truly believe that if I had been able to experience the pushing 'urge' with DD her pushing stage would've been possibly shorter, and definitely not so terribly taxing.


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## hempmama (Dec 16, 2004)

I felt an urge to push both times (and the pushing stage only lasted 20 and 10 minutes, respectively), as did everyone I know who gave birth at my hospital and got an epidural. I think the dosage and skill of the anesthesiologist makes a huge, huge difference for this particular question. So you'd see most women at one place totally numb from the chest down, and most from somewhere else could get on hands and knees like me.


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

I'd have to answer "other" I guess...

I had an epidural, and didn't feel the urge to push during the epidural, but then it wore off (or something... no idea what went wrong; it just started fading away after a few hours) and sometime after that I suddenly felt that "urge" (or more precisely, I couldn't possibly NOT push when the contractions hit). By that time, I was sitting on the table in the OR about to get a spinal for a c-section though (and baby was still at -2 station and completely OP, not even vaguely interested in descending after 39 hours of labor including 2-3 hours of pushing).

While the epidural was working I could feel the contractions like mild BH contractions, which was nice since I didn't have to look at the monitor to know when to push, and I had great mobility, so I could push squatting and on hands-and-knees (trying to get that stubborn baby to turn around fercryinoutloud!)

I'd had the same epidural line hooked up to the pump earlier, and was really numb (I felt like the skin on the bottom of my body was about 3 inches thick). I had it turned off the first time I was trying to push, but went back on it because I was going insane with the pain and couldn't concentrate on pushing at all. Once it was back in place, I could push till the cows came home (or until the anesthesia just evaporated for no known reason














.


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## mama to 2 girls (Dec 11, 2006)

I voted yes but my epi was starting to wear off and I had an VERY strong urge to push....but they made me breathe thru the urges until they could find the stupid dr.!







: When she finally came in the room I actually started pushing and dd1 was born 30 mins. later.

But just to compare with dd2 (no drugs at all) I also had a VERY strong urge but there was no way in HE** I could have waited for anyone. I pushed for about 10 mins. My m/w didn't know exactly how long because she came so fast (she didn't think I was so close because just 50 mins. before I was only 4cms) that she forgot to look at her watch.


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## jenmn (Nov 11, 2006)

Yes. An epidural was not part of my plan but in the end it was what was needed to bring my daughter into the world vaginally. I could feel everything but the pain, was not numb feeling at all. I ended up with an epidural after about 8 hours due to water breaking first, then contractions starting, posterior baby and 100% back labor. After the epi I went from 4cm to complete within an hour or two without any pitocin. I tried other positions but ended up pushing on my back. Took about two hours, but did NOT tear, even with my 9lb big headed daughter!


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## JesseMomme (Apr 6, 2002)

I've never had one, but I believe the urge/no urge has to do with how high the meds in the epidural are cranked up.


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## New_Natural_Mom (Dec 21, 2007)

I answered yes. I woul say that it was less an urge than a "knowing". I could feel the tightening of the contractions and knew that was when to push. I will say that I couldn't feel myself pushing - which was a challenge.


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## hillklinz (May 1, 2008)

i had an epi with my labor, and the only real thing i noticed was some back pains when it was time to push. my back hurt so much my mom got the nurse to check and see if i was dilated to a ten...and when the nurse came in she said omg i can the baby time to get the doctor and push!


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## wyovol (Dec 31, 2006)

With my epidural, I did not feel an urge to push until near the end. I don't know if that was because of the strength of the drug or just the way my body works. Once I felt the urge to push, it went much quicker than with directed pushing. I'm having a natural birth this time and I'm interested to see how the pushing stage/feeling is different.


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## MissyLissa (Feb 18, 2008)

I had a VERY strong urge to push that started around 8 or 9 cms. I think I had a very light epidural though because I never got complete pain relief and was able to get up and walk within an hour of the birth. DS was born an hour-hour and a half after I got the epidural so I don't think it had time to fully kick in. I remember feeling more numb shortly after he was born. I certainly don't want to get another epidural in the future, but if for some reason I needed one I would want a repeat of the one I had. I feel so sorry for those women who are so medicated that they can't even push.


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## Septagram (Feb 8, 2008)

No. I didn't. I couldn't feel a thing from my belly button down. No pushing urges, no contractions, nothing moving, and I didn't feel the baby come out.







35 minutes of coached labor, 2 tears with stitches.

With my homebirth I felt the urge to push before my water broke and shortly after but sort of lost it when I was in the middle of pushing him out. I still pushed, though, and after 15 minutes he was born with a very tiny tear that required no stitches.


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## MsElle07 (Jul 14, 2006)

In my epidural birth, I felt increased pressure, but it was not an urge to push at all. (Especially compared with my unmedicated births, where I can compare the urge to push with what I experienced with my first birth.) The increased pressure was not even enough to clue me in that it was time to push. It took the MW checking me to let me know.


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## LotusBirthMama (Jun 25, 2005)

I had an urge to push with each birth. The first was a not too strong epi and the secpnd time I was really numb but still felt it. It was involuntary.


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## LaffNowCryLater (May 2, 2003)

I didn't at all with my 2 epidurals. It just felt like intense pain and that clued the dr.s in to check to see if I was 10cm, totally different than my last birth which was all natural at a birth center and my body totally took over. My midwife didn't even have to check me to see if I was 10 cm yet b/c my body did all the work.

I had one epidural where I could still move my lower body and the second one I was totally paralyzed.


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## Veritaserum (Apr 24, 2004)

I think it depends on the dose of the epidural. Mine was full strength. I was completely, totally paralyzed and numb. You could have cut off my legs and I would not have felt it. I did not feel any urge to push whatsoever.

With my unmedicated births I did feel the urge to push.

At epidural births I've attended as a doula I've seen some moms with low dose epidurals have a very slight urge to push, but even with the light epidurals most of them still needed to be told when they were having a contraction.


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## NatureMama3 (Feb 25, 2004)

I did not. I don't know if I would have or not, since when I was "10" I was told to push.


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## Steve's Wife (Jan 19, 2006)

Nope. They turned the epi off when it was time to push and I sort of felt the contractions, no pain, just the tightening, but I never felt thr urge to push.


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## Magali (Jun 8, 2007)

I voted yes. BUT...I couldn't feel anything at first. The doc came over to me and checked me and told me it was time to push, and I was like really? She told me to wait until I felt pressure and then push. I then concentrated and I could feel a wave of pressure and I pushed when i felt it. it was a very light feeling but it was there. I guess I didn't feel an urge to push though, I was just pushing when I felt a twinge down there...dunno, maybe I should have voted no. There was no coached pushing though, I pushed when I wanted to. Baby was born 20 mins later.


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

Yes, but the epi never fully took the pain and feeling away. Just lessened it (it was a really awful labor so less was just like a normal labor). Never had the euphoric feeling afteward though. That made me sad. All the pain and none of the pleasure.


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## wryknowlicious (Apr 19, 2006)

I've had 2 epidurals, and both times the urge to push was unstoppable.


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## kayabrink (Apr 19, 2005)

I had an epi, and felt a very strong urge to push. I also felt baby descending. And I pushed three times, and ds was out.
My mother had one epi, one non epi birth and never felt the urge to push. I personally think there are other factors in play.


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## leafwood (Jun 15, 2004)

With dd (my first) I had an epidural and wound up with pit also







:

I felt the urge to push, and they told me I was nuts, and then I told Dh that I was literally going to push the baby out so he got someone who would listen and dd was born 15 minutes later. It was like a strong urge to have a bowl movement. With ds I had no medical intervention and the urge was much stronger.


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## bellymama (Apr 15, 2007)

i did, but it didn't happen when they first told me i was 10 cm...it took a while for me to really feel the pushing happening whether i was pushing or not.


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## amyjeans (Jul 27, 2004)

yes- my 1st was born in the hospital. I was given an epi, but was not ALLOWED to push until instructed to. Even though my body desparately needed to.


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## YesandNo (Mar 16, 2008)

Quote:

I think the dosage and skill of the anesthesiologist makes a huge, huge difference for this particular question. So you'd see most women at one place totally numb from the chest down, and most from somewhere else could get on hands and knees like me.
I agree. I had both an epi and a narcotic. I was numbed - did not have any contraction pain - but I changed positions multiple times during pushing, ending up on hands and knees. And I definitely felt an uncontrollable urge to push.

I've heard of doctors turning off the epi at the pushing stage which always sounded crazy to me. This thread is helping me to realize my medicated birth was much better than some other women's experience.


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## Onemagicmummy (Jul 27, 2007)

i had an epi with baby number 4.
epi in @ 10.40
Drug administered @ 10:55 (they took 10-15mins looking for a "lost" needle!)
DH goes to call my mum and grab some food expecting things to take another 4 hours or so
Started feeling legs going numb around 11:10ish
top and sides of bump started going numb, belly button area stayed painfull as did my vagina/vulva
got "pushy" feeling around 11:15ish (dh on phone to my mum)
Get stronger pushing feelings in belly button area and vagina at 11:17
Get Checked by MW
Anteriour Lip
Pushed off
Push again, wher the heck is DH
DH gets back to room at 11:23ish
off we go i can feel all the pain in my happy button, oh my god it hurts
And MORE PAIN OH JEZLY JOE MAKE IT STOP!!
Baby crowns
Oh Look, Hand Up Agains Head, yeah so THATS why it hurt a bit more than last time
One More Push, Oh HEcked Heck THE PAIN!
baby born 11:34

Yeah less that one hour form Epi in to Baby born, i still felt urge to push. and it HURT more than my 3 previous none epidural babies!!

Kiz


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## limette (Feb 25, 2008)

After my homebirth transfer for my first birth I ended up on pitocin (without my knowing) and ended up begging for the epi. After I got it I remember still complaining about this dull achey pain in my butt. I ended up with a c-section shortly after despite being fully dilated due to distress.

Now that I've had a vbac I'm pretty damn sure that the ache I felt through the epi was the pushing feeling which annoys me because I could have pushed the first out instead of waiting until distress and then c-section.


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## Liquesce (Nov 4, 2006)

I really expected there to be some sort of norm to one side or the other, not so even a split.


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## DandeCobb (Jul 20, 2006)

i said yes but really i felt the urge to poop! i had an epidural and knew the feeling of need to have a BM could mean push time so i started calling the nurses in "i have to either poop or push someone come help me decide!" LOL, they all ran in and sure enough, push time!


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