How do you know when to ask for an epidural?

[@gyufuli]

Is there a point when asking for it is too late? A delivery nurse said in a video that it was when you get into the pushing phase, but I am not sure (2nd baby, first one was c-section, though i was in labour for a full night before)

[@AshWolf_180]

When the baby starts crowning, it's too late to ask for an epidural. Also, sometimes, when you get to a point where you absolutely can not stay still during your contractions or/and they're too close together because of where they have to put the epidural you need to be as still as possible.

[@conqher_pelvic_health]

It's truly whenever they feel you can't sit still long enough for the epidural to be placed. For the procedure, you need to be able to sit on the edge of the bed and hold still, likely for a few contractions. So once contractions are so close together and intense enough, you'd be unable to keep still through them and they say "it's too late" for the epidural. For almost everyone, it would be unlikely to hold still long enough by the time you're in the pushing phase, and for some it can be earlier than that.