Generally, when you have an epidural for labor, hospitals recommend limiting intake to clear liquids (water, broth, ice chips, clear juice) and avoiding solid foods due to the slight risk of needing emergency general anesthesia for a C-section, which requires an empty stomach to prevent aspiration. While some newer evidence suggests epidurals might speed stomach emptying, many providers remain cautious, so it's crucial to follow your specific healthcare team's guidelines.
An Empty Stomach Is Delayed During Childbirth, But Less So in Women Having Epidural Analgesia. CHICAGO – Physician anesthesiologists prefer that laboring women have an empty stomach because of the lower risk for aspiration (inhaling) of food in case general anesthesia for cesarean section becomes necessary.
You are advised not to eat any solid foods 6 hours prior to procedure. Patients can drink and have water until one hour prior to procedure. If you are diabetic please inform a member of staff on your arrival. Shortly before the epidural you will need to change into a hospital gown.
Sedation can sometimes lead to nausea. Eating before the procedure can worsen this sensation, and if you vomit during or after the procedure, it could cause additional discomfort or complications. Fasting reduces the likelihood of these issues.
Can I eat and drink after my epidural is in place? We ask that you do not eat or drink, other than ice chips, after placement of the epidural and administration of the epidural medications. Just like before surgery, this restriction is for your safety.
Post-Injection Care and Recovery
It is important to follow your doctor's instructions carefully regarding rest and physical activity. Avoid intense exercise or heavy lifting for at least 24 hours after the procedure, even if you are feeling better. This helps minimize strain on the epidural space and the injected area.
However, in many birth settings, oral intake is restricted in response to work by Mendelson in the 1940s. Mendelson reported that during general anaesthesia, there was an increased risk of the stomach contents entering the lungs.
Your doctor may tell you not to eat or drink for a certain amount of time before the procedure. Follow these instructions carefully. Take a bath or shower before you come in for your procedure. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
Epidural steroid injections do not directly lead to significant weight gain. However, the corticosteroids used may cause temporary effects such as water retention or an increase in appetite in some individuals. These changes are usually short-lived and dose-dependent, resolving as the medication is metabolised.
It is very important for every patient to have an empty stomach before any surgery or procedure that requires anesthesia, for two reasons: To prevent nausea. To keep any food or liquid from getting into the lungs.
Doctors began requiring women to fast during labor after it was documented in the mid-20th century that pregnant women who were put under general anesthesia had an increased risk for aspiration. Aspiration occurs when food or liquid is inhaled into the lungs. It can cause a severe inflammatory reaction or death.
Getting ready before epidural injections can help the procedure go smoothly and reduce risks:
The 3-2-1 contraction rule is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife, meaning strong, regular contractions every 3 minutes, lasting 2 minutes (or about 1 minute long), for over 1 hour (or 2 hours, depending on the source). It signifies active labor, but some providers suggest the similar 5-1-1 rule (5 mins apart, 1 min long, for 1 hour) for subsequent pregnancies, while others use 3-1-2 (3 mins apart, 1 min long, for 2 hours) for low-intervention births, with timing from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
The "5-5-5 rule" in a labor/postpartum context is a guideline for new mothers to prioritize rest and recovery in the first 15 days after childbirth, suggesting 5 days in bed, followed by 5 days on the bed (minimal movement), and then 5 days near the bed (gentle movement around the home). This promotes healing, bonding, and reduces stress, though it's a flexible guide, not a strict mandate, with some experts suggesting early movement can help prevent blood clots, making a modified approach ideal.
No research found for this review states that it is safe to eat and drink in labour; however, no detrimental effects on maternal or neonatal outcomes have been reported. Oral intake during labour remains controversial.
Sometimes epidurals can be done under sedation (a drug is given to make you drowsy and relaxed but still conscious). You should not have anything to eat on the morning of your treatment, however you may have a drink (tea or coffee without milk) if you wish up to 2 hours before your appointment time.
The anesthesiologist will numb the area where the epidural is administered, which may cause a momentary stinging or burning sensation. But because of this numbing, there is very little pain associated with an epidural injection. Instead, most patients will feel some pressure as the needle is inserted.
If the plan for your procedure is to use a relaxing medication through an IV, do not eat or drink anything six hours prior to the procedure. An exception is always made for routine scheduled medication, which you can take with a sip of water.
After having an epidural, you may not be able to feel when your bladder is full because the epidural affects the surrounding nerves. A catheter may be inserted into your bladder to allow urine to drain away.
What can you expect after a lumbar epidural steroid injection? If your injection had local anesthetic and a steroid, your legs may feel heavy or numb right after. You will probably be able to walk. But you may need to be extra careful.
Timing matters, but flexibility is key
There's no single cutoff point for an epidural. In many hospitals, epidurals are typically placed once labor is active, which is around four to six centimeters of cervical dilation, when contractions are stronger and more consistent.
Having an epidural does not increase the risk of birth defects, developmental problems or autism in your child. Myth 3: The epidural needle is huge. Truth: The needle is long—around 9-11 cm, but only so that it can reach from the skin into the correct area of the spine.
Basically, having a full stomach can increase the risk of food aspiration into the lungs, especially during general anesthesia, warns Teen. Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women's Institute in Florida, says she allows clear liquids during labor unless the patient needs a C-section.
A Foley catheter (another type of small plastic tube) may be placed in your bladder to drain urine since you won't be able to get up and go to the bathroom. The Foley catheter is placed after the epidural and is usually not uncomfortable. Itching can occur. You may be treated with a medicine to relieve the itching.
Once your cervix has thinned down and dilated to about two to three centimetres we will be able to break your waters. This is done on labour ward by performing a vaginal examination and inserting a small plastic hook and putting pressure on the bag of membranes around the baby to make a hole.