Aftercare of Patient Who Received Epidural

No, that is absurd. I've had 2 epidurals and 2 natural births. After the epidural, you do have to let it wear off before you can go to the bathroom alone, etc, so it would make sense that you didn't pick baby up immediately and attempt to walk across the room, but that does not take 24 hours by any means. For what it's worth, even after a natural birth, I needed to be helped to the restroom immediately afterwards just because of a dizzy feeling, so it's really from the birth itself not the epidural.

My first two were born without any pain medication but I decided that for my third one I wanted to experience the birth not the pain! The labor and delivery were awesome. I laughed and got to see, hear, understand and remember it all! It took about three hours before I could stand without a nurse. During that time the nurses took the baby to give him all the checkups, tests, etc. that they do to the new babies. By the time I came back from the bathroom after standing on my own for the first time...I had my son in my care! The did caution me about carrying him around the room right away. Legs just aren't strong enough yet...at least you can't control them that well yet. But he was in my care about three hours after it was turned off!

Hi M.. I just gave birth to my first son in December of 2006. (I have a stepson who is 6). I received an epidural during my labor. I was not told to wait 24 hours before moving/taking care of my son. I was able to get out of bed a few hours after delivering. I did need some assistance for a while, but was up and moving around shortly after getting out of bed.
The nurses asked if I needed any help, but they trusted me to make that decision. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
A. F.

I am having baby # 3 and I have never gotten that from a hospital!! Infact I had a really tough labor with my first and they wouldn't even take the baby out so I could rest. They wouldn't even take her out so that I could shower!! So I think that it really helps to have someone in the hospital at all times to help mom out, just in case. I am always more nervous in the hospital it makes me feel better to have someone there with me!!
Congrats in the grandchildren!!!

Yes, I was given an Epi for vaginal birth, but ended up having an emergency c-section. I was told not to hold my daughter unless someone was with me. It was a good idea they suggested this as I was in no shape to hold her w/o someone being there. I was pretty drugged up! I was having BP problems and between that medication to bring my BP down and the Epi, I was in bad shape. I hardly remember holding my daughter, but what I do remember is that it was difficult to do because I was so weak. I couldn't get out of bed for 24 hours after Emilie's birth. Guess my situation may be a bit different than someone else.

I had an epidural with both my deliveries. The first one my epidural was very strong and my legs tingled alot, and I was wobblly on my feet. The first time I got out of bed I was assisted by a nurse, but after a few hours I was fine.

With my second, the nurse turned the epidural off as I was very close to giving birth, and my legs weren't tinglely at all, and I was fine to move around as soon as my labor nurse said it was ok.

I haven't heard of specifically 24hr. Both of my girls were born early afternoon, and by that night I was walking around with both of them.

I was told that I was not allowed to care for my first son for about 12 hours after his birth... which was really odd at the hospital we delivered at because they don't take babies to the nursery unless there is something wrong with them. So my mother ended up staying at the hospital with me to care for him. I had an epidural which my then husband accidentally pulled out of my back half way through. They ended up reapplying the epidural so I had a double dose of medicine and maybe that is why they told me not to try to care for my son. I know I had him at 7:21 on a friday night and was not able to even walk again until the next afternoon. As for setting up your daughter I would tell her to call the State Nursing Department and to make a complaint to the Hospital Board of Directors about that Nurse telling her to do it her damn self. That was that nurses job and if she had a problem helping your daughter she should no have gone to work that night. I would also file a complaint against the nurse and the hospital for making false claims about your daughter being unfit! GOOD LUCK!

I've had two babies, with two epidurals and I was able to breastfeed and care for them both unassisted and immediately following the birth and was not advised otherwise.

Hmmm.

Hi I have both of my boys with the Epidural and i was allowed to hold them right away i had no restrictions what so ever so i dont understand why they wanted you to have assistance for 24 hrs it makes no sense to me!

Hi M.,
I am 44 years young...LOL! I still remember that epidural shot like it was yesterday and it was actually 22 years 12 days ago!!!! The ONLY thing the nurse (or whoever it was) said was "Please don't move and if you have a contraction while I'm administering (sp?) the injection, try and breathe your way through it, but whatever you do, PLEASE don't move." They NEVER said one word about not moving or caring for my baby unassisted. Nothing. As a matter of fact, within 2 hours of delivery, and once my legs felt like legs again, they had me up and walking the hallway.
Would I do the epidural shot again? Oh yes. I wanted one with my second child, but she came too fast and there wasn't time. The ONLY side effect of the epidural, other than the obvious NO PAIN, was the point of injection in my back. It was uncomfortable for a few days and it itched like heck!
I hope this answered your question. 22 years ago, but I still remember...

Hi M.,
How are things going now? I hope that everyone is doing well. I have had two children both with epidurals. The first one after I delivered, and Lily was all clean and looked over, I had her in my arms and the nurses asked if I wanted to try to nurse her. I was told to stay in bed until I had feeling back to my legs but within a few hours I was able to get up and shower and the nurse came in the room until I was done if I needed anything. My second baby Isaac (8 months now) I had the epidural and almost passed out. My husband said I turned completely white and the nurses rushed and got cold washclothes and put them on my head and neck, but after the delivery and the epidural wore off (a few hours) I was holding and caring for him. We have birth suites because they don't take the babies to the nursery, you keep them in your room. I took care of him the first night all by myself because my husband took our little girl home. I would be disgusted by the service that your daughter received at the hospital. Was she told by that same nurse that she wasn't suppose to move or care for her baby for 24hrs? That was totally uncalled for what the nurse said to your daughter (cursing). There is no reason in the world she should have said that. What a negative atmosphere to have a baby in. She should have left whatever her problem was outside and not brought it to work. If that is how she was acting you should check with some of the other staff that night I'm sure they were getting a bad vibe from her. I don't know what else to tell you except that I'm sorry that the first wonderful experience for your daughter with her new baby was not what it should have been. I agree with the lady that wrote you should report her actions to the hospital and the state. I wish you all joy and happiness and many blessings.
Take Care and God Bless
S.

I have never heard of such thing... getting an epi and then not caring for your child. I was out of bed as soon it wore off, going to the bathroom and ready to leave the hospital. I know I am unusal in feeling so good just after having a baby, but I've never known any situation where anyone was discouraged from caring for their baby as a result of an eiprual.

I know you asked for advice from anyone except c-section epiderals, but i wanted to put my two cense in so her you have it..
I have a fifteen month old baby and am going to be having another one sometime this week. Anyway, I had a repeat c-section with the last one and had an epideral and guess what they had me out of bed that day. I had him early in the morning around 8:00 am and i was up in the afternoon. So as far as your daughter goes, i think you are on to something. sounds strange to me.
good luck to you and your family

Hi-
I had an epidural with both of my kids who are 4 & 2 now. I was advised to take it easy but never told to not hold my children or move. I was up walking around the same day I gave birth. My son was 10lb 3oz and my daughter was 9lb,10oz so they were big kids too. My daughter was in the NICU for 2 weeks after her birth due to jaundice, so I did have to drive there every day after I was released. (which apparently you are not supposed to drive for a week after giving birth, but how else are you supposed to go see your baby?) I hope that the birth went well! :)

I had an epidural and was given no restrictions. Your story does sound really shady though, I'd probably try to report it to someone. My nurses were all sooo helpful and super nice, the one that was with me throughout the day actually came back the next day off duty to see how I was. Nurses are supposed to be there to help, so that nurse definitely has problems.

No, I was never told any of that for 24 hrs. The only thing was if I didn't have full feeling in my legs not to walk by myself. As far as caring for my infant or moving I was in bed almost the whole time. That's kinda weird that they would advise you not to move or care for infant for 24 hrs. I could totally understand for maybe 12 considering the effects of the epidural could stay in your system for a while, but they told me that should all be back to normal within a few hours. They might have just been extra cautious if you labored for a long time.

I had an epidural and the only thing that I was told not to do was stand up or walk until after the epi wor off-I was breast feeding and taking care of my son as soon as he came out. Just unable to get up and move about for a while.
I would really hope that your daughter was not set up for a fall. The world is full of all sorts of people I guess.
Hope all is going well.

I have had 2 children, both vaginal. One with Epidural and one without. I was advised to not stand up, carry my daughter or use the restroom without help for an hour after delivery. It was not due to the epidural, it was because they worry about exhaustion and possibility of being light-headed, they do not want you to pass out. I have polled everyone I can think of that has had an epidural and none have been advised to wait 24 hours.

Hello! I have had one child, vaginally. I had mine removed right before delivery since it was empty and they new I had enough to stay numb. . .I was not told to not move, I was however to ask for assistance for a bit. I was not comfortable carrying my baby, but I did take care of her as much as I could from my position. Hope this helps a bit!

I have had 3 children, all vaginal. Two with Epidural and one without. I was advised to not stand up, carry my babies or use the restroom without help for an hour after delivery. The epidural effect wears off fairly quickly, but the main concern is because they worry about exhaustion and possibility of being light-headed, they do not want you to pass out. I have never heard of waiting 24 hours.