No cervix check before Epi... normal?

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Ausgirl, my knowledge is that you are correct and they will only give an epidural up to 8cm dilation.
Yes, generally, dilation would be checked prior to 'approval' of epidural or administration of intramuscular pain relief (most cases pethidine)... However, a skilled midwife that is working closely with a woman should be able to see signs of where her labour is at without checking cervial dilation and depending on your friends birth, it could be the case that contraction length, frequency, her response etc was considered well 'below' transition and therefore safe to give.
I think Kelly has an article about it but I can't for the life of me remember which one, so maybe I just read her post it in a thread (years ago however).

FWIW my dumbo mid with DS probably should have 'known' that even though I was still 'only' 7cm (after being that for 3hrs) the natural bearing down and already urge to push was a sure sign I was in transition and it was too late for an epidural...... the anaesthetist that walked in an hour later (8mins prior to DS being born) seemed to have more of an idea that I was about to expel a baby than she did.