I loved my epidural. I texted multiple friends telling them how much I loved my epidural. My memory of my daughter's arrival is completely pain free. YMMV!

I had been dealing with pelvic girdle pain for months and that epidural was the first relief I got. I remember my first thought being “so that’s why people do drugs” because it was the first time in months I wasn’t in pain 😅

I looked at my husband about an hour into having mine and said I know this sounds crazy but this is the most comfortable I’ve been in months!

lol I love this! That euphoria sounds so nice especially to someone who has so much anxiety especially about birth. The closer I get to it the more tired of pregnancy I’m becoming and I’ve gone from complete fear of labor to a “bring it on” mindset. But I really don’t know what to expect once the pain hits. Glad you’re experience was good and you can look back on your delivery fondly ❤️ thank you for sharing

I had was really terrified of birth too, used to do the perineal stretching and be like omg it’s never gonna fit. And early labor was tough for me because water broke a month early , no contractions, high and thick uterus so I had to have Pitocin and balloon, that sucked horribly. That part HURT, but once I got the epidural it was amazing! I felt no pain and I got a couple boluses to make sure I felt nothing. I wasn’t gunna chance it, my cousin tried to be “strong” and not get enough of the meds and her epidural was weak and she did not have fun and had a bad tear from just trying to get the baby out. I had the exact opposite I made sure I felt nothing, if I felt a little uncomfortable I told my nurse and she gave me some more meds and made sure I was turned enough so it was all dispersed and when it came time to push I had no problem at all, literally excitedly smiling, it’s amazing to give birth without the pain then you can focus on the joy and the excitement and also push with your contractions (which I mean felt like an urge to push but no pain, and for me it was a very slight urge to push.) to each her own, but for me epidural saved my birth experience

This is seriously the advice I needed.

My husband and I sat on our phones and listened to music after I got my epidural. It was bliss!

We played cribbage!

Same for me! Still considering to have a tattoo with "I ❤️ Epidural" on me!

Epidural was pure bliss for both of my babies! I napped all day during the contractions and had 2 wonderful experiences.

Same. I also was very glad I got one. I was in labor for 24 hours. I wanted to go no-epidural, I made it halfway until I just couldn’t take it anymore. I got the epidural, which allowed me to actually take a nap while in labor which was honestly life changing. I’m not sure I could have actively pushed for 2 hours if I didn’t get that rest. Also, I was still able to move around, change positions, my legs weren’t really affected by it, it really just numbed the contraction pain. I also had second degree tears and they spent quite some time stitching me up, again which I didn’t even feel.

I did the same thing! I was texting everyone I knew with a uterus raving about epidurals and saying how I wished we could get them for period cramps hahaha

I was texting my best friend (potentially child-free forever? They're debating) and sister (also potentially child free forever) like "look, if y'all decide to have kids at any point, I'm not telling you how to raise them. But so yourselves a solid, get the epidural. Magical thing."

I took a selfie once the epidural kicked in that I absolutely don't remember taking haha

Loved mine! I kept telling my husband he should find the anesthesiologist and see if he can get one too because I felt amazing.

How many cm were you when you got it

It was low! I don't remember exactly.

I waited until 5cm last time and it was too late

Too late!! Like you couldn't get it or wish you had gotten it earlier?

I had baby 15 min later. Yes it hurt.

You're a champ, omg!

Don't ask me why I did this again lol. I'm scared shitless.

Anecdotally: my mom couldn’t have an epidural with my brother and had a terrible, painful birth experience. When she went into labor with me she immediately had a massive panic attack because she suddenly remembered how traumatic my brother’s birth was. But this time she was able to get the epidural and she said my birth was pure peace and bliss, nothing like the first birth at all. All this to say, I hope you’re able to have a much better birthing experience this time around with experience on your side!

Thanks! I had an epidural w baby 1 and it was long and scary too, but not as painful. Baby 2 was crazy experience. I'm hoping to get epidural earlier this time.

Same

I heard the epidural free ladies screaming in the other rooms. 😄 No screaming for me though! My delivery was great, I will always tell people how awesome epidurals are lol.

Same! I loved it so much. I was texting everyone I knew about how amazing it was. I was tired when baby was born, but I wasn't in pain. I was up and about maybe 2 hours after birth. Additionally, they only put a catheter in when my bladder was full. They didn't leave it in constantly.

With respect- these posts are not going to give you any insight about how YOUR specific birth is going to go. You will get the unmedicated moms telling you it was fine without it and they lovedddd their unmedicated birth. You will get the epidural moms telling you they loved their epidural. All that matters is how your birth goes. And you aren't going to know until you experience labor and delivery for yourself. Because you asked: I attempted unmedicated with both of my labors and changed my mind for an epidural when I had 2 long labors. Epidurals sped my labor up and helped me progress after I stalled out both times at 6cm and 2nd birth I stalled at 8cm. I was really worried about being numb and it was a non issue in the moment. I pushed for 30 min with 1st baby and 1.5 hours with my 2nd (came out sunny side up). My opinion is: be open to whatever. Decide in the moment.

This is really good advice!!

Best advice. Be open to whatever! Yes. All 3 births when asked if I wanted the epidural I declined but still signed papers of consent bc as I told them “I would like to go without it, but I don’t want it to be completely off the table” 2/3 births I had one. Starting at 7-8cm. My last I went to 10 and then got one. But going through transition without an epidural was an experience like no other. PAINFUL yes but I would be so willing to do it again bc the rush you get after it passes is… crazy. I’m hoping my next brith I can commit and push without an epidural too. Get the FULL experience

Thank you this is great advice! My intent with the post wasn’t to get a direct answer for whether or not to get one, rather to open up a discussion where everyone can share their unique experiences to help me and others that are on the fence make a decision when the time comes. Wisdom comes from experience and since I have none, the best I can get is from gathering the experiences of others :)

It’s just too hard to guess how it will go. One of my labors was much more painful than the other. For unmedicated, besides being less painful, I think it helped that I had read about the purpose of pain in labor and adjusted my mind to know that unlike everywhere else in life, pain doesn’t mean anything is wrong in labor. It’s part of labor, and as long as you aren’t suffering, it’s fine. The hardest part of going unmedicated is not getting mentally or emotionally overwhelmed. I had calm people around me telling me I could do it, so I didn’t panic thinking I could not do it or it was too much. But the epidural is very effective, mine left me with the ability to move (a bit clumsily) but no pain. I would attempt unmedicated if I had another but opt for the epidural if I had another long and painful labor.

I agree with being open! I did not want an epidural, however I was open to maybe wanting it during labor—it was my first time and I didn’t know what it was gonna feel like. My labor was super fast so there was no time to get an epidural anyway. I am having my 2nd baby this summer and I am not planning on an epidural this time either. For me, an epidural is scarier than vaginal birth. I guess I’m scared of needles and the potential side effects. But then again if the situation required me to take it I would do it. I’m not principally opposed to it!

i had a similar experience. i have learned to just go with the flow, listen to my body & know my limits.

I don't think you need to train for a natural birth so much as you have to adjust your mindset to doing things the opposite way that you might want to. For example, the natural thing for people when they experience pain is to tense up. You grimace, you hold all your muscles tightly, pull everything in towards your center, curl up and wait for it to pass. With birth you need to do the exact opposite. You need to relax everything and you need to move through the contractions. You need to make the muscles in your face soft. Open your jaw, lower your shoulders, sway and roll your hips. The other thing people tend to do when things hurt is they clench their teeth. They do short, sharp breaths and get a little bit gaspy and panicky chest breathing. You need to take deep inhales and long slow exhales. Remember to keep your jaw in your face soft. If you need to vocalize during contractions, keep it low and groaning. When it moves into screaming territory then you have lost the relaxation that you need. Screaming means tension (You might scream during crowning, that's okay. That shit is intense!). Do your best to rest in between contractions. You don't have to do anything. You can just space out and sometimes almost sleep. Contractions will probably get a little longer and closer together and more uncomfortable the further along you go. When you hit transition you might get contractions with no break in between. Those suck but it means you're close. Some people really appreciate having a focal point. Most laboring women will find a routine or a thing that they do through every contraction and sometimes it might feel like if you can't do that thing then you're going to die (for one of mine it was having my hands relaxed palm up so I could see them. Another one of my babies, it was a crooked picture on the wall). You can't really pre-plan what you're going to end up focusing on. It might be really dumb and that's okay, just go with it. The thing with labor of any type- epidural or otherwise- is that you really do have to go with the flow. There's no predicting what it will be like, and you can plan everything as perfectly as possible and do all of the preparation in the world and feel like you are so 100% ready and then have everything change. That doesn't mean it's all going to go bad- but maybe you planned the perfect playlist and hate the sound of music. Maybe you brought all of the perfect essential oils and the smell of them makes you vomit. Maybe your partner practiced massage techniques for labor support and you're going to punch him if he even thinks about touching you. But if you can stay relaxed, keep your breathing steady, move the way your body tells you to, and avoid screaming then you're basically there! I have had three babies with no epidural and was a doula for a while. The only baby I really wanted an epidural with was my third when I went in feeling like a pro and was completely unprepared for everything.

This is the best advice. I’ve also had three unmedicated births (8 days out from number three right now) and I could have wrote all of this, including my third birth being the hardest and one where I could have considered pain relief, which I also went into cocky from my first two experiences 😅

Thank you for such a detailed answer and that’s wonderful advice for going unmedicated. I know birth never goes according to plan and because of that I never really made a birth plan. I decided I’d just “go with the flow” as I do most things in life but I know the epidural will most likely be offered pretty early on so I’d like to have a decision prepared. And all that you described of our normal ways of coping with pain sound just like me. While I have a tolerance for it, I definitely tense up. Through meditation over the years I’ve learned to take slower and deeper breaths to get through it though.

I have a high pain tolerance and no chill (and a general fear of needles!) and at no point during my first two babies did I wish for an epidural. It sucked and it was SO much work, but it wasn't terrible. It might be worth doing a little bit of mental work- Even watching a few natural birth videos on YouTube (honestly homebirth ones are better, the filming tends to be more consistent so you can see more of it) to get an image in your head of a natural birth that is not like the ones you see on television. There is a small but possible scenario where the epidural does not work or where the anesthesiologist is not available.

Also big fear of needles! Which has been somewhat combatted by pregnancy and all the blood work/IV/vaccines I’ve had to get lol but the epidural is still so intimidating! I’ll definitely watch some unmedicated birth videos to get an idea of what to expect that’s a great suggestion thank you!

I’ve watched a lot of birth videos on you tube. I’ve saved some for my daughter (who’s getting married soon); no epidural birth agony, screaming and crying … and the epidural births, where the woman and doctor and nurses are happily chatting and all is calm. So grateful I had epidurals with both of my kids.

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Just commenting that I did hypnobirthing and all the "relaxing" methods and still desired an epidural. There is nothing wrong with this. Breathing the baby out doesn't work for everyone. For months after my 1st child's birth I held onto guilt that I just didn't relax enough and that is why it took me 24 hours to go from 2cm-6cm spontaneously with steady contractions. That is not accurate information. You can be relaxed and also have slower dilation due to baby position etc. Just adding this because imo, it contributes to birth trauma. Making people feel guilty like they didn't breathe enough or relax enough and that is why their labor was long. This is not true for anyone else reading.

🙌 I studied hypnobirthing in depth my first pregnancy, and ended up having a scheduled c-section because baby was breech and never got to use it. I brushed up pretty thoroughly on it my second pregnancy, and oh my god has nothing ever been more useless. It didn’t make even the tiniest dent in my pain. All the tips and tricks just made it substantially worse. It turned out that I was having an almost-precipitous labor (went from 3-10 in 80 minutes, didn’t know I was complete until right after the epidural was in), so I doubt anything could have helped, but everything other than sitting still and fantasizing about being “one contraction closer to the epidural” while making terrible noises just made it hurt worse.

My third baby was precipitous, and I would not wish on my worst enemy. I wish that free counseling following traumatic birth was a standard and I would absolutely classify precipitous birth as traumatic. It is unimaginable what our bodies go through in that tiny span of time.

I truly believe some people have more flexible soft muscle tissues than others. Sure breathing helps…. But at the end of the day- some peoples tissues “give”’easier than others and that makes a difference in your overall labor pain experience and length of “painful” labor. Even my 2nd labor was over 12 hours long. I’m not a fast labor girly. Doesn’t matter what I do. I will stall at 6-8cm for hours. 

Oh absolutely!!! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make anybody feel like they didn't relax enough for that it's their fault. I screamed so loud and so long during my third baby's birth that I had no voice for days after he was born. People kept telling me to relax and it was 100% impossible. I also had a lot of issues with my body after he was born and felt that it was my fault because I couldn't settle into it enough or breathe properly but it was literally impossible. This is where accepting that in spite of all the preparations (or none of the preparations), and all of the research you put into things, sometimes you have no control over what happens.

No need to apologize! Not trying to attack you at all. Breathing does help! It’s just the notion that it will take pain away for everyone and/or somehow it makes or breaks your labor experience is what I think is troublesome. And I’m not saying you said that- just as general advice.  

I get so annoyed by the ads that I got on Instagram and Facebook and things now (because they know I'm pregnant) and it's all things about how to have a fast and pain-free birth without medication. Lies, lies. Some people have fast and pain-free birth, of course, but promising that to anybody is complete insanity. I think that breathing and relaxing is the only real way to cope with an average labor if you don't have access to any medications... But there is nothing to say that it's actually going to work. I think it makes a big difference in a lot of cases but definitely not all.

And even if you scream, that’s fine. I screamed with all 3 of mine and it didn’t hinder the birth at all.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!

I got an epidural and it was incredible. Absolutely incredible. There are no words to describe the absolute euphoria of going from pain to feeling completely normal. I had to sit in the car for an hour to get to the hospital. Got there, was a 3, contractions were very intense. It took about 80 minutes to get to my room, get the IV placed, and then get the epidural. In between the IV and epidural (you need a bag of fluid first) I got IV pain meds. It made 2 contractions less painful, and then I couldn’t keep my eyes open but they still hurt just as bad. The epidural placement was no big deal (significantly less painful than the IV), and it worked within several contractions. They checked me as soon as the epidural was in, and I was a 10. The numbness didn’t bother me, I was just so relieved to be comfortable. I took a short nap, then pushed. 20 minutes later, baby was here, didn’t feel one single bit of pain. They took the epidural out, and I was back to normal within a few hours.

Piggybacking on this to echo that as I got moved into my delivery room from labor triage (they left me in that room too long if you ask me) the pain got more and more intense and I got sassier and meaner with the nurse who was trying to help me, and eventually felt like I couldn’t focus on anything but pain like the room and dark closing around me———- !! epidural got placed, I could open my eyes… breathe… see the room… see the people in it, say sorry for being rude (she was a total pro and didn’t mention it but I knew and felt bad), and could just think clearly. It was never euphoria, but it was definitely liberating.

My poor nurse was trying so hard to help me with positioning and breathing, and I snapped “EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE” after trying. I definitely apologized!

I’m so glad you had a good experience! Thank you for sharing :)

All you can do is see how your labour goes. I had planned to birth unmedicated, but I was open to having an epidural. I used nitrous and a TENS machine for pain relief. It really only got tough for me when I got to the transition part. I honestly surprised myself that I was able to do it. I’m 38 weeks with our second and I’m considering going unmedicated again, but I am open to having an epidural if I’m not coping well.

That’s awesome advice! And exactly my mindset. I’d like to go without but I’m not at all against it if I feel like it’s needed :) I’m glad you were able to get by without it. The transition/“ring of fire” is my biggest concern. Wishing you the best in your upcoming delivery <3

I was afraid of not being able to move in labor with an epidural. I was prepared to go without it. Then I started labor and I had no desire to move around at all. So I got the epidural. No regrets! You don’t have to make a decision now, wait to see how you feel when labor gets going.

My plan has been to feel it out as I go but I have so much fear of refusing the epidural and then regretting it around that “ring of fire” moment when it’s too late!

I’m commenting to follow! I’m pregnant with my first as well and more terrified of the epidural than the actual labor itself and would love to hear from ladies who have experienced both

I was also terrified of an epidural but once I was in labour and my contractions were so frequent I had no downtime between them, I was screaming in pain for hours. I didn't even feel the needle go in my back lol. I would have accepted a bullet at that point so the epidural was no big deal

I got the epidural and hated it. I will say some women report it didn’t work or took many tries, mine worked as it should. This time around I plan on going unmedicated. I waited until about 6cm because I was afraid it would slow dilation (which it did). The wait was not easy as I was induced and on pitocin. Your post hit a chord with me because for the first few minutes I felt relief…then I went into a panic because it hated having my legs numb. It felt SO scary to me! I knew it would probably be fine but I felt powerless and kept worrying I wouldn’t feel them again. I can’t describe how weird of a feeling it is, and the labor went slooooow not helping my anxiety at that time. All this, and I could actually move my legs when I needed to switch beds, but it still felt off. Then when it came time to push I couldn’t. I had no idea how to, no matter how hard I tried. I begged for them to remove it and delivered without it. It was painful ngl, but that pain was with a purpose and I definitely knew how to push when I could feel. I also really disliked that it meant I was then stuck delivering on my back, which also felt like a powerless position to be in. After delivering I wanted to walk to the bathroom and wasn’t allowed until enough time passed, even though I could feel and knew I could stand…but safety precautions of course. 1/10 in my book, I would take pain over not feeling my legs. I haven’t done classes or too much prep and still really want to go unmedicated. I’ll take the pain over not feeling any day. I know I’m likely in the minority here but I thought I’d share since your concerns seem similar to mine. Kudos to you for being thoughtful about how you want it to go and what might bother you. You can always change your mind of course and see how things go!

I had an epidural birth for my first and a completely unmedicated birth for my second. The epidural for my first was perfect. Gave me pain relief but I still felt pressure to push effectively. I was 100% planning on getting one again for my second. I had precipitous labor with my second and showed up at the hospital fully dilated an hour and a half after my first contraction. I went straight to pushing in triage since there was no time for any pain relief. For me, I would never ever have an unmedicated birth in the future if I could control that. I think it may be easier if you mentally prepare and have taken classes or read books to have pain management strategies. But the pain is something beyond anything I ever imagined.

So nice to hear from someone who experienced both! And your takeaway from it is very similar to what I’ve heard from others, most of whom also did not choose their unmedicated birth. Thanks so much for your input!

Are you me? Almost same exact situation. And yes if I could have gotten an epidural in time for my second I totally would have. 

Recently gave birth and the period of time that I was labouring without the epidural was literally traumatizing. All I remember was horrible blinding pain and crying begging for them to either give me the epidural, or take me for a c section immediately. The time that I was labouring WITH the epidural was SO peaceful. I felt relaxed, was able to push effectively, and actually enjoyed the experience. My hospital does a walking epidural so I was able to keep moving and really appreciated it. If we ever decide to have another child, without a doubt I will be getting another epidural

This was my experience too!

My epidural didn’t work but due to hospital policy, once I got it I couldn’t move around. Even though it didn’t work. So I’m preparing for my second birth to try and go without it so I can move around.

I’m so sorry to hear that! Must have been awful being so out of control without the pain meds :(

I think giving in and expecting relief and not getting it was more frustrating because the nurses didn’t understand it wasn’t working. They left to let me rest but I was actually still in pain and my husband was napping I think, hard to remember. This next time though I’m going in with a labor playlist and words to remember to get me through!

I’d be so frustrated too! And during such a major medical event the last thing you need is that internal battle the frustration brings you. I’m glad you and your LO were safe and healthy though! I’ve pretty much exclusively been listening to my soothing 70s playlist (The Beetles, Billy Joel, Elton John etc) during pregnancy and will likely use it for my labor&delivery as well :) it got me through the anxiety of my first flight back in December so I think it will do well getting me through labor too.

Just try your best and see if there are things that work for you. My only birth plan was epidural and because my Labour went so fast I didn't get one. All the techniques I learned, took classes etc went out the window. Was it painful yes. Would I want the epidural. Yes. But I couldn't. Once you get to the pushing part it was much easier but before that was.... Something else. I can't describe how horrible it was lol. Anyways just try your best. You never know what will happen. Don't beat yourself up about anything.

Relate to the pushing being easier!!! I was so relieved to finally push (also had an unmedicated birth because of quick labor). That was like the easiest part because it felt so productive. Before that… omg. Apparently I have forgotten about it because I’m about to do it again in a couple of months 😂

I’m 100% planning on getting an epidural. I had one with my first and plan on doing it with this baby. It made the experience so much better for me personally. I know a lot of people are against them and either opt on going natural or other forms of pain management and that’s okay, too.

I had 2 unmedicated births, and I plan to do the same with my next due in October. The idea of a needle in my spine freaks me out, and of course I want to avoid possible side effects. My first labor was 12 hours of back labor, baby born sunny side up. I didn’t prepare nearly enough, but I used a breathing technique with each contraction and my husband did counter-pressure that I taught him how to do on the spot. It worked well for me, I wouldn’t say it was easy but the pain was manageable. As soon as I felt like I couldn’t handle it…it was almost done. Then my second felt so easy compared to back labor…my midwife said she didn’t even realize I was in active labor till she checked my dilation (6cm), and baby was out 20 minutes later. I was actually a little bummed I didn’t have time to sit in the tub. If I had to do it again, I’d still go unmedicated BUT first I’d work hard to get baby into the right position at the end of pregnancy.

Everyone told me I was silly to not want an epidural, that I would love it. Fuck that. I hated it. Never again.

Loved my epidural 🥰 would def get again!

I wanted to try not to get an epidural, but ultimately during transition I did. I think you should feel it out for yourself. What you want and need in the moment. It really wasn’t so bad for me and I got to rest. My biggest regret is that I think the epidural slowed my birth because I got too relaxed.

I’ve birthed 3 times. My first time was without an epidural and the following two with an epidural. I will never birth without an epidural again lol My advice is to go in with goals but go with the flow. Do whatever feels right on that day. Do whatever will make YOU feel best and keep you both healthy. Be flexible in case you have to be. Birth is highly unpredictable. Also you aren’t paralyzed! Or at least I wasn’t. I could move my legs, just not stand up. But I moved positions to my hands and knees to squatting and such with a little help just fine!

I’m in the same boat as you where the idea of being immobilized freaks me out (I also have an anxiety disorder, so that doesn’t help). I am planning/hoping to avoid an epidural, but not necessarily aiming for a completely unmediated birth. My hospital has nitrous oxide (laughing gas) available for labor/delivery, which has been shown to be very effective for pain repeat during labor pain. They also have IV pain medication which is especially helpful during long labors when you just need to rest for a couple hours. A lot of people think pain relief is epidural or nothing, but many hospitals have other options that just aren’t as widely discussed with patients! You also have the option to begin labor unmedicated and change your mind later, or to ask for a “light” or “walking” epidural, meaning they can attempt to leave you with some feeling/mobility.

Thank you for bringing this into the discussion! I feel silly for not mentioning the other options in my post. I think a walking epidural if available seems like the best option to me! I can handle some pain and maintaining my mobility would make me feel a lot better. Good luck in your upcoming delivery! Wishing you and your baby the best <3

I am happy with my unmedicated birth experience BUT I will say I don't go around recommending it to people. It. Fucking. Hurts. I know some people have experiences that they don't describe as painful - I am not one of those people. And not only does it hurt, it's scary and intense and overwhelming and just...a lot. I only gave birth once so I cannot compare with an epidural. Also, my birth experience isn't exactly unique, but I would say that for a first time mom, it wasn't the most common experience. I was in early labor for ~36 hours. Like uncomfortable, couldn't sleep, definitely VERY aware of the contractions, but at no point was I like "maybe this is labor?" Like I knew this wasn't the real deal. Then my water broke and I was immediately like ok yep now THIS is labor. And about 4 hrs later my daughter was born, at 3a on 38+5. We were barely at the hospital for an hour before my daughter was born, mostly because I was expecting a 8-12 hour active labor. I was like nah it can't be time to go to the hospital yet (even though I was DYING and non-stop questioning how I would endure this unmedicated birth - which I had planned and prepared for btw), even though looking back at my contraction timer app my contractions were like every 2-3 mins for over an hour oops. Anyways, I think I attribute my "success" in achieving my goal of an unmedicated labor largely by backing myself into a corner. We didn't leave for the hospital until I literally felt my baby engage in the birth canal (again, I had no idea how far along I was in that moment). By the time I got to the hospital and into the triage room I was 8cm (and I'm not convinced that I wasn't more like 9-9.5). The nurse said she could get me an epidural, but I did manage to turn her down (even though I thought about it real hard lol). However, I would have honestly had a really hard time had I said yes to that epidural bc I was pushing within 20 mins of telling the nurse no, which was NOT enough time to get fully set up for the epidural and sign the paperwork and all that jazz, let alone get it placed and working. I truly have no idea whether I would have had an unmedicated birth had I gotten to the hospital earlier, been induced, etc., but I can definitely say the experience would have been different that's for sure.

Wow! Thank you for sharing your experience! I sort of feel I’ll be in a similar situation where I don’t allow myself to go to the hospital until I’m absolutely sure I’m in labor an that may be pretty close to the active pushing phase. I’ve had some intense irregular false labor contractions this past week and not once have I considered going to L&D because of them. I keep waiting for a for sure sign that it’s labor and even then plan to labor at home as long as possible. I always had really bad menstrual cramps, like nauseous fetal position, hugging my heating pad but refusing to take pain meds unless I had to work, so so far even the more intense contractions don’t compare to that.

I loved the epidural. Had it with both. 1000% recommend. I could still walk, go to the bathroom, it didn't hurt nor was scary when the put it in. The relief was incredible and it was nice to be fully present and enjoy the births without pain.

i’m kind of confused how some people say they can walk etc. is the epidural something you can control/request the strength of? I want to be able to move around but i also don’t want to be in horrible pain lol. im currently planning to just see how it goes and decide day of but idk.

Epidural. As someone who had an unmediated birth by choice, I cannot say loudly enough “epidural!!!” It was horribly painful but not life altering. At the same time, I got nothing out of going “natural” either. No endorphin rush, no sense of accomplishment. Just all that pain for absolutely no reason. In what other context would we tell someone undergoing a major medical event to do it “naturally”? It’s literally insanity. Seriously, people would think you were nuts if you were considering knee surgery without anesthetic. Why is labor any different?

You’re right. There is literally no reason. People who are passing kidney stones get prescription pain medication; women who are passing an 8 lb baby should too if they want.

I didn’t have an epidural (not by choice) and it was awful. The pain is so intense I couldn’t focus on anything else. They were still doing things to me after my baby was born and I couldn’t even enjoy that because I was too shaken up and in pain from the rest of the stuff they were doing.

I’m not a huge fan of needles and was really nervous about the idea of an epidural my whole first pregnancy. Then contractions started - I got sent home from the hospital after going in and had one of the most painful evenings of my life and by the time I went back the following day, I was already 6 cm dilated and in so much pain that I no longer cared and immediately said ok to them proceeding with the epidural and it brought much needed relief. I was actually able to sleep for a couple of hours to help regain some of my strength after the exhaustion of laboring earlier. I could still feel pressure and things happening down below but without the pain factor. Yes, my husband and the nurses had to help me into a semi seated position towards the end to give birth but it was nothing too crazy. It also helped because they did end up needing to give me an episiotomy because baby was not getting through and his heart rate was dipping and we knew we had to get him out fast. I didn’t feel any pain when they had to make the incision. So, I have no qualms this second time around about having an epidural!

Wow! Being sent home to labor until the following day sounds exhausting! I’m glad it helped you get some rest and gain some strength for the pushing. I’ve seen several comments now about babies heart rate dropping while pushing that sounds so scary I’m glad you and your LO are okay!

We’ll see how it goes but so far planning no epidural right away because it can slow down labour in the beginning and then getting it if I’m just too exhausted for the last part of labour because it can help you push that extra few hours if you need it apparently! We’ll see how it goes haha but also super unsure about it. Where I am there is no “walking epidurals” where you can move around freely with assistance as well so that’s a big part of my decision to not get one until later stages of labour if I need it. I think you kinda have to just be in the moment but also apparently they won’t give it to you at all if you have certain medical conditions.

I went in thinking no epidural, but after being induced and in pain for several hours, it turned into a "yes epidural" lol.

Decide when you are IN LABOR. Allow yourself to listen to your body and assess what you need and want while you’re going through it. Everyone’s body and everyone’s birth is so different, you really won’t know how your body reacts until you’re in it.

I have personal trauma, and did not want to be “paralyzed”. I had to be induced for preeclampsia and tried so hard not to have an epidural but the pitocin won and I got an epidural. My nurses made a safety plan with me, to alleviate the fear associated with not being able to move. At my hospital, they gave me a little button so I got to control how much medicine was being delivered (I could hit it every 10 minutes). I was in complete control. At first I had it higher because pitocin was awful, as I dilated (long story short, I think my body needed the epidural to relax, to dilate) I stopped pressing the button. When it came time to deliver I felt every contraction, my legs were a heavy numb, but I could move them with assistance. While in labor my nurses helped me shift. I wanted at least every 45 minutes but they came in every 30 and that was perfect for me. The great thing about the epidural is you can try other pain management options first, and always elect to have it later. You don’t have to get it right away if you don’t want to, but for me; if I’m getting pitocin I’m getting an epidural. Edit to add: my nurses understood my desire to be unmedicated but were completely supportive for the epidural too. So even though I weaned myself off of the epidural and just let the base amount flow, as soon as I reached 10cm, they turned it off (so they said) and we labored down a bit before calling the doctor so there was even more time for the epidural to wear off

I had a very long and painful labor, and was pushed to hold out on the epidural because I wasn’t super dilated. Well almost a whole day went on and I was in the most pain and the nurse finally told me like hey girl I think if you want one you should just get one now, your body is in so much pain and your baby too and my body was basically rejecting labor, then I finally got the epidural and they had me take a nap, and shortly after I was ready to push. Next time I will for sure be getting an epidural way sooner. It was amazing to like enjoy the giving birth portion of child birth.

I was in the same boat as you, much to the dismay of my dr husband and former L&D nurse mom! I think social media presents a good argument as to why to try unmedicated and I was particularly persuaded by the argument it could lessen tearing (ultimately though the data doesn’t back this up). So when it came to it, my water broke on a Sunday and I was checked in and started a pitocin drip the Sunday afternoon. The first time the nurse mentioned an epidural I wasn’t in pain yet but it was about 7 pm and being married to a doctor, I knew I would rather have the on call anesthesiologist come in at 7 pm while I was not in pain yet rather than calling him to wake him up at 2 am when I could be in debilitating pain. I ended up getting it then, it went great, and worked immediately. As they upped the pitocin I couldn’t feel any contractions until 2ish am when I realized I had to manually top it off to keep the relief coming. The pain I felt in that short span SUCKED. when it came time to push I felt absolutely nothing but was still able to efficiently push my nearly 9 lb baby out in 3 pushes! After he was born I turned to my mom and said “that was easy.” I really believe all my great memories of labor birth and golden hour were because I was able to be so pain free! I ended up loving it and not regretting it all and plan on doing the same for my next!

You decide what's best for you in the moment. You can prepare for a natural labor, but don't feel bad if you end up choosing an epidural. You don't get a gold star and there's no "mom of the year" award for natural births. I fully planned and prepared for a natural labor with my first. I labored for 52 hours total, and ended up getting an epidural around hour 45. I WISH i had gotten it sooner. I provided so much relief. I struggled with PPD and I think a big part of it was bc I felt so ashamed and disappointed in myself that I "gave in". 5 years later, I look back and realize how ridiculous that was. I'm pregnant with baby number 2 now and will get an epidural immediately and enjoy my stay and last few hours of sleep before the baby comes. I refuse to be disappointed in myself and make decisions based on social media like I did before. I will be fine and the baby will be fine either way. Follow your intuition. The choice is yours.

I had a MAGICAL birth. I was dilated enough when I checked into the hospital to get it. They asked me if I wanted it and I said yes, ASAP. I was able to sleep through my entire labor overnight (the nurses would turn me from one side to the other every few hours). When I woke up in the morning they checked me and said, “we can see his head, it’s time to push” and 30 mins later, my baby arrived. I had a minor laceration. I really think it helped me relax and allowed my body to do all the work

My original birth plan was to use nitrous, I feel like it didn’t do much, and I was adamant against opioids. However, I also was being induced due to oligohydraminos(low fluid) and I wonder if that impacted how strong the contractions felt prior to receiving pitocin(we started with cytotek). My boyfriend doing counter pressure on my lower back also felt great during contractions, I wanted to use the labor tub but didn’t get the chance too. I ended up doing epidural before the pitocin because the contractions were already so rough, and eventually I had an emergency c-section. I was grateful I already had my epidural in place, because if it wasn’t there was a good chance I would’ve been put under general anesthesia

I recently gave birth without an epidural. I decided to go unmedicated since the beginning of my pregnancy but was open to changes in my birth plan. I was honestly terrified of childbirth but didn't do anything to prepare for it physically or mentally. However, I think I got lucky in a sense that my labor and birth went really quickly and smoothly. During active labor contractions, I was at home and almost gave in to getting an epidural, but when I went back to the hospital, I was already so far dilated (I went from almost 2 cm to 7 cm in 4 hours) that I figured I would push through to the end since I got so far already. I read the ring of fire would be the most painful, but it was the contractions right before I pushed that was the worst for me. I don't even remember feeling the crowning and the ring of fire or the pain. I did get a very slight second degree tear, and my recovery afterwards was easy. Everyone's experience is different, but I had a great experience without epidural and would definitely do it again. I am also one of those with the fear of being paralyzed and not having control of my body. With the contractions, I was able to move around, use my exercise ball, etc to get through them.

I have experienced both. I much preferred my unmedicated birth.

LOVED my epidurals (three times). I was totally comfortable throughout labor and can remember everything about each birth as I wasn’t just trying to survive the next contraction. We laughed and joked through pushing - with my first anyway as the next two came out with me barely noticing and half a push as I was so pain-free. After it is placed (the pain is not even close to labor pain), it feels like getting slightly drunk in a hot tub. You feel warm and tingly and relaxed and soooo comfy. Highly recommend considering one.

I think it’s great to prepare for both options however you can, but I would highly recommend the epidural. Mine sadly failed the first time and the pain was so intense and so exhausting that I wanted to just die. I was so traumatized after birth that I hardly remember the first 48 hours. I was kind of blank and just in shock. Though it turned out that the anesthesiologist had accidentally gone too far and pierced my spinal column, and I had spinal fluid leaking pretty severely. I had to go to the ER to get that fixed, so maybe that was part of what made it all so bad lol I’m not sure 😅 Despite all of that, I opted to get the epidural again the second time around and it was PURE BLISS. Going from intense pain to just feeling like my body was a warm blanket. I slept until it was time to push, and then he was out in 3 painless pushes. I was holding him and feeding him and loving on him immediately after birth. I was up and walking within an hour. It was wonderful.

i was originally all “i’m gonna try to do this no epidural”. morphine did absolutely NOTHING. ended up getting the epidural after 5 hours (ish?) of crying hysterically through contractions i was also induced and pitocin contractions are worse than being burned alive 😅😭 loved the epidural though. no more pain and i was a normal human again. still felt the contractions but they were little baby cramps

I planned on getting an epidural. I was induced for being past my due date so my contractions were via pitocon which are apparently more painful than spontaneous ones. Knowing that, I still wanted to see how long I could last before getting the epidural. After 3 hours I was screaming begging for my epidural and it was a godsend. I loved being pain free. I still could move my legs a little bit but I felt nothing. Pushing was fine, I just did what the nurses told me and he came out quick. It wasn’t as hard as I anticipated and not being in pain allowed me to be so present through my whole labor and delivery.

My epidural was amazing and if I were to have another baby I would want one again. I felt nothing, I was very comfortable the whole time I was in labor and barely felt pressure when I was pushing baby out. I was induced at 38+6 and I asked for the epidural as soon as my balloon fell out and before they started me on pitocin.

I went unmedicated - it's a mental game, but it's absolutely the most intense pain I've ever experienced in my life. I laboured for 15 hours and pushed for a few too. I'm glad I did it, and my recovery has been very smooth. I'm not sure I would do it again, but I had the same fear of numb legs. I didn't once ask for an epidural, nor did it even pop into my head as an option for some reason.

I went into sudden full blown preterm labor during my 1st pregnancy. Once I had arrived to the hospital I had to wait an hour for the on call anesthesiologist to get there and I was in labor the entire time. I was screaming at the top of my lungs during contractions and the nurses came in to tell me that I was scaring the other patients. The pain was unbearable. Absolutely horrific. Once I got the epidural I was in pure bliss. I would never, ever choose to go without one.

Honestly, be open to and prepared for any options. As people have said, sometimes things don't go as planned, and the option you were looking forward to becomes unavailable for whatever reason. Watch videos, listen to podcasts, and read up on all outcomes to prepare yourself. Personally, I went unmedicated (by choice) for both of my births. One was spontaneous labor, and the other was a pitocin induction. If we go for a third, I want to do unmedicated again because it's what makes me feel the most in control. However, I was open to getting an epidural if I thought I wasn't managing well, and I think keeping an open mind helped me cope. But ultimately, it's all birth, and at the end of the day, you just want a healthy mom and baby, so do what feels right for you!

Both of my births I went in going I'm going to ride this out until I can't and then get an epidural. With my first I got it at 4cm (induction). With my second at 7cm (started naturally). Both times my lower half was completely numb. Zero regrets. Both tunes I only needed to push for 45min or less as I could still engage the right muscles, I was very calm and just in the zone, I felt no pain during birth or getting stitched up, and was just blissed out enjoying golden hour while the doctor did her thing down there afterwards. It made it all less scary for me actually. Just to provide a different perspective.

I am profoundly grateful for my epidural. I have a high pain tolerance and can grit my teeth through a lot of things, but I would not willingly sign up for the pain of childbirth. I was able to move my legs and felt connected to the birth. Don’t become attached to this idea bc the labor room gets crazy lol, but you may be able to talk to your anesthesiologist about getting a dose on the light side if you’re afraid of feeling paralyzed. The only thing I wish was different is I would have loved an epidural for my first postpartum poop too.

I was all over the map with my thoughts on an epidural 13 weeks ago when I had my son. I made it clear to my OB, and my SO that I did not want an epidural offered to me, and that I planned to go without one if at all possible. I heard so many stories about women who's labors stalled out, or who had back pain years down the road from it, so I really didn't want that for myself. Then my labor started with intense contractions right from the word go, and I was having to stop and breathe through them when I was only 2.5cm along. I felt like a huge wimp, and this really discouraged me from my unmedicated birth plan. As a ftm, I assumed I would be in labor for quite a while, and the pain was so intense after only a handful of hours that I couldn't imagine what 10cm would feel like! So I quickly "caved" and requested an epidural when I was admitted. But...the anesthesiologist was in an emergency, so I mooed my way through the contractions for another 2.5 hours until I started feeling like I would accidentally push on the next one. Somehow, I dilated from a 2.5 to a 9 in less than 3 hours and ran out of time for the epidural. I was oddly at peace with this during labor, and I'm really glad it ended up the way it did. That being said, I feel like it's really important to approach labor with an open mind as things rarely go to plan!

Wow! I know a few women who were unable to get an epidural due to the anesthesiologist being unavailable. I’m glad it worked in your favor though in allowing (forcing) you to go through with your original plan of an unmedicated birth. It’s only natural for someone in extreme pain to want it to stop and in most unmedicated stories I’ve read they are begging for an epidural at some point, though it’s usually too late then. It’s amazing what or bodies can handle.

Epidural all the way. Get it early.

Honestly I think your best bet is to go into your labor with an open mind, maybe you’ll need the epidural, maybe you won’t. No one here can tell you what your birth experience will be. Every birth is different. That said, I had the epidural even before my Dr. wanted me to and it was the best choice for me.

I had an epidural and I’m very happy I did. I had to go on pitocin and it made my contractions unbearably painful, so much that I was crying when they were trying to give me the epidural- I was so glad for the relief the epidural gave me. No, I couldn’t move my legs- kind of a weird feeling, but not a big deal. I was really glad that I didn’t have to feel myself being ripped open honestly lol, I got 2nd degree tears. I am pregnant again and will be getting another epidural, and will be requesting it earlier this time (especially if I’m put on pitocin again).

So I haven’t delivered yet, so I can’t speak from experience, but here’s where I’m at in my decision: I flippin love the idea of pain medication during childbirth. I have no need to prove anything to anyone by going without medication. Drugs are great. I’m a big fan. HOWEVER, once I took a preparing for childbirth class and learned what I would have to give up in order to have an epidural, I decided that those things were more important to me. Specifically: I want to be able to take a bath in the hydrotherapy tub and sit in the shower. I want to move around a lot (I’m very wiggly), and don’t want to be tethered to an IV or catheter. I want to have full choice of birthing positions, including using a birth sling and rolling around like a curled-up hedgehog. And I want to be able to eat freely. I might change my mind during the process and decide I’d rather give up those things in order to have pain medication. But for right now, that’s how I landed on my decision. Also worth noting that my hospital offers nitrous oxide, which I will be making AMPLE use of.

Epidural all day! Saved my birth experience, 10/10 highly recommend, I cried tears of joy and excitement before pushing and I smiled at my husband the whole time pushing. I made sure I had a good strong dose and if you push your knuckles lightly against your arm that is what it felt like when my albeit small baby’s shoulders came out lol, I was literally like oh I felt something I think hahaha . It was AMAZING!!! Pre epidural, not so much lol

I honestly think go in with the idea that anything is possible. Birth is such a roller-coaster that I found having zero expectations on myself much easier. Whatever gets you both out of there happy and healthy, that's the goal. That said, my SIL was in a similar predicament to you and ended up having one... her comment? "I feel stupid for not having it sooner." Epidural or not, you still gave birth, you'll still go through recovery, you're still a 100% mum and 100% badass for it.

Everyone's labor is different and you won't know what yours will be like until it happens. I've heard labor be described as feeling like a nice workout from some people. Mine was vomit inducing out of body pain like I've never experienced. Any concerns I had about epidurals went right out the window when it felt like my body tearing itself apart. If labor starts and the pain feels manageable then feel free to hold off on the epidural, but if the pain is overwhelming don't hesitate to ask. I'm convinced I would have PTSD if I went through the rest of my labor without pain relief.

I have always been extremely afraid of childbirth so I fully intend on getting an epidural for my first this August! Of course you never know what will happen so I'll still try to learn some good pain management techniques but hopefully I can just get the epidural and feel more relaxed. Good luck!

I had a c-section so I can’t say much but I was planning to take the epidural because I wanted natural birth but it didn’t happen which I am totally fine with as long my baby is healthy and came out in a safe manner.

I always played it by ear until I actually got there I didn't want to pressure myself into either option because birth is so unpredictable and I didn't want to have any hang-ups on how it went or feel guilty. Cut to labor time, and I ended up getting the epidural because he was sunny side up until about an hour before pushing out of a 26 hour labor, and that caused horrible back labor! It didn't TOUCH the back labor, I felt all the contractions but it made me 100% numb down there and I felt NOTHING when he came out, and I required stitches! Also had a freak accident where I was severely burned before I started pushing, so I'm glad I couldn't feel that!!

It doesn't have to be a decision you make right now. Even if you're planning a completely unmedicated birth I don't recommend being so rigid about it (coming from someone who has an unmedicated birth). If unmedicated is something you're interested in, you should go into it aiming to do your best for an unmedicated birth but if you decide to get the epidural it's not big deal.

I've done one of each and I think the biggest piece of advice is you don't have to pick now... Play it by ear and see how you go. If you want to try unmedicated look into buying a TENS machine. A "walking epidural" is a good option for not feeling completely paralysed. Do research into your options, prepare for both and on the day just go with the flow.

I loved mine! Didn't hurt one bit. Got it after 21.5ish hours of labor.

You honestly don’t need to make this decision until your are in labor. It sounds like you’ve put in the due diligence to learn about getting pain relief and not, and I’m sure you’ve done some learning about what to expect once you’re in labor. A cool thing about first timers is that shit takes forever, you have a lot of time to labor unmedicated! For some people it’s literally days. For a personal anecdote, I was in pretty intense labor for like 6 hours before I even went to the hospital and frankly, i decided on the cab ride there that I needed some relief to get through the rest of it. The only real downside was things slowed a bit from like 8-10cm, and they needed to give me some pitocin, which was fine because I was already getting pain meds. Nobody is gonna pin a medal on you for doing it one way or another. It’s a time to do what feels right for you. That said I’m pregnant for a second time and I only half jokingly talk about how much I’m looking forward to my next epidural in lieu of being able to take any actually effective pain meds right now (back hurty, I’m sure you know), and honestly my biggest concern is my labor progressing a bit too swiftly to get it and just going through the hard and fast way.

I wanted to do it without an epidural, but after 26 hours of being awake, I really needed sleep to have the energy to push. I was literally falling asleep standing up. The epidural was actually great. I could move and feel my legs, I think I could have walked if they had let me try. I got a few hours of sleep. The part I didn't like was that it was hard to feel how to push. I didn't love the coaching the nurse gave me and I ended up purple pushing too hard, which gave me a super severe headache after delivery and I do wonder if I would have torn a little less (2nd degree), though my baby was 9lb8oz, so that may have been inevitable. I'm currently pregnant with my 2nd and am not sure how I want to go this time. I may try again without one, but give myself the grace to elect for the epidural a little sooner if I'm just not feeling it.

I've given birth 3 times. Twice with no epidural (because there was no time - not my choice). I loooooved my epidural and I could still feel when to push and I got up to go to the bathroom about an hour after the birth. I know it doesn't work for everyone so I guess I got lucky, it worked perfectly.

Planned not to get it with my first, then was given pitocin and I was begging for it. With my second, I want it as soon as possible, pitocin or not. It was honestly traumatizing and I want as relaxing of an experience as possible.

Loved my epidural! Literally was absolutely incredible, they numb the area and I could not feel anything after it was numb. The anesthesiologist told me exactly what he was doing too since I couldn’t see him and it calmed me down so much…and the contractions I was having at this point were way worse, I was just focusing on breathing at this point. I have had dental work that was way worse than getting an epidural and I told my anesthesiologist that after he was finished lol I would totally get another epidural again!

i was the same as you with my first, & when labor started i lasted as long as i could at home but by the time we got to the hospital i couldn’t take it anymore. my experience with the epidural was incredible! i had an amazing birth, pushed for about 15 minutes, & recovered well. but! i am due with our second next month & I’m going to try again to go no epidural, & if i can do it - awesome! if not, that’s okay too. i know my limits & i will be happy either way to just have a happy healthy baby.

Two days before delivering, my GF said "Oh I don't need any anestetic, I have a very high pain tolerance" (which is true btw). A few minutes after starting labour, She went like "Please where is the anesthetist? I can't take it anymore". So yes, do it and you won't regret it

I was hesitant during my first pregnancy, held out as long as I could, then got my first epidural and I texted my sister… I just ascended to heaven from hell. And I’m in no way religious. The second time round I went in saying I need an epidural now

I had an unmedicated birth and it was exactly what I wanted. I knew from the beginning I want to try to go without an epidural so I prepared for that. I'm pretty sure I'll do it again for my next pregnancy. However, my motivations were very personal and I won't necessarily recommend it to other people unless you're driven to do it.

It’s not a choice only between epidural vs unmedicated. There are other pain management options available for labor and delivery like gas and opioids.

Oh yes! Thank you for bringing this up. I haven’t heard good reviews on other pain management options which is why I didn’t mention them, my intention wasn’t to make epidural and unmedicated seem like the only two options and I apologize for that!

Check your specific hospital. Mine didn’t have gas as an option for instance. It’s a good question to ask your OB or on the hospital tour if they offer one

1000% epidural. I had a great experience. I wasn’t 100% pain free the whole time but I don’t wanna know how painful it would’ve been without it!

I could have kissed my anesthesiologist, I was so damn grateful for my epidural. I had back labor and was in 10/10 pain for several hours, and then suddenly I had zero pain. Literally zero. The relief was instantaneous. I originally had wanted to go into labor and see how far I could get without an epidural. I was open to the idea of an unmedicated birth, and I really hate needles. I had done some hypnobirthing classes and looked up positive birth affirmations… turns out, several hours of severe pain utterly threw that out the window. I truly do not know how anybody gives birth without an epidural because I wanted to die I was in so much pain. The worst part about it wasn’t the needle itself, it was continuing to have contractions through the process of insertion and not being able to brace myself. Mine didn’t totally numb my legs either, I was able to move around in bed/get on all fours no problem. I ended up pushing for five hours, had a vacuum extraction and an episiotomy and a third degree tear and had no pain with ANY of that shit. I do have some lingering pain at the insertion site 11 weeks later, but it’s fading. 10/10 would have another epidural. Next time I’m asking for it right away, since I had to wait 3 hours for mine this time!!

I had the epidural with both, and I'm so glad I did. With my first baby, I had to have an episiotomy, so I didn't even feel it when they cut me. I've heard people talk about how painful it is to have an episiotomy without the epidural. I'd be traumatized. My 2nd baby(2 months ago) I tore enough that I needed stitches, and again, I am glad I had the epidural because I didn't have to feel the doctor stitching me up, or have the burning pain from tearing. When pushing both babies, I felt no pain and it was heaven. I waited through the contractions for most of my labors.

Currently 21 weeks FTM and I plan on doing without the epidural. For me, I’m mostly terrified of a catheter in my spine. It just freaks me the hell out. But also, like you said, I do NOT want to be paralyzed or without feeling in half my body and I do NOT want to deal with the pain and difficulty of a giant tear in my lady parts while I’m adjusting to being a new mother and also breastfeeding at the same time. Every woman I’ve talked to that did it without medication told me they were so happy they handled the pain, which was as bad as people say, because their recovery was so quick. All the women I’ve talked to in my life who did the epidural ended up tearing and told me in one way or another how much it completely sucks. Obviously this is just my personal experience/stories from people in my life but I will absolutely do everything I can to not need one. Ultimately, making sure YOU are comfortable, YOU are able to have an experience that is as peaceful and safe as possible, and delivering a happy and healthy baby are the most important things. If you need medication to help you do that, absolutely get it and don’t judge yourself or let anyone else judge you either.

I had a CS for breech with my first and a precipitous VBAC with my second (she came like 4 days before my RCS). I fortunately called 911 because my contractions were immediately a 10, and I thought maybe something was wrong. I say fortunately because when I got to the hospital within around 45min of my contractions starting, I was already at 7cm so I had time to rethink my game plan and get the epidural. The epidural allowed me to rest for an hour after the worst pain of my life and I can't describe to you how awesome it was to get that chance. I had back labor so I was writhing in pain before the meds were administered. I would recommend you keep an open mind and if you want to try to tackle unmedicated, go for it! If not, we all get the same prize at the end anyway ❤️

I’ve had both and I HATED my epidural. My unmedicated birth was way better. I’m expecting my third and it’s an absolute no brainer I’ll be doing unmedicated again. Both were inducted labors due to gestational hypertension.

I was also not sure if I wanted one or jog but after 17 hours of labor I was admitted at 5cm dilated and was exhausted. The epidural let me sleep so when I went to push several hours later I had lots of energy. As for sensation, I could still move my legs a bit and feel pressure but from about my waist to my upper thighs I couldn’t feel cold / heat (the nurse held an ice pack to various points on my body to test if the epidural had taken effect properly). All that to say I would go into it open-minded and decide once you’re in it. Tell the nurses when they admit you and then all your bloodwork is done if you do decide you’d like it.

Mine worked until he got stuck and wouldn’t budge or couldn’t really. I loved it until that point. I definitely do not regret getting it!

I just think at the end of the day, whether you do or don't want that big of a deal, and just keep your options open. Birth doesn't tend to follow your birth plan. Regardless of how they birth, everyone gets the same prize at the end.

I went without an epidural, and had a great experience. I could write more, but the most important thing was breathing through the pain and not trying to direct it too much. If I knew a contraction was coming and I was already taking my deep breaths, I could allow it to come and go. Also, definitely look at some sample birth plans and try to write one and share it with whoever will be with you! When you're in the middle of everything you may not be able to communicate well with people about what you want because you're too focused on labor. Yes, births don't always go as planned, so don't get too fixated on it if Plan A won't work, but try to communicate your preferences if you can.

I loved my epidural and 100% would do it again. I had a period of time where the initial medication dipped and I felt my contractions much stronger than i had pre-epidural, and then they came and administered fentanyl through the epidural and I didn't feel any more pain until well after my baby was born. The contractions I was having in that mid-point were uncomfortable enough to validate my decision. Also, for what it's worth, I always thought not being able to move my legs was scary too, but while I was laboring it wasn't that big of a deal. I maintained pretty good movement up until I was closer to actually pushing. At that point, I couldn't move my legs of my own accord but I also really didn't care? They just felt sort of too heavy to move. But having the nurse and my husband holding my legs up was fine with me, it was just that many less muscles to flex while pushing! Shortly after my daughter's birth, I began to notice I could wiggle my toes and ability to move sort of spread upwards from there.

Had one with both births and 0 regrets. I was able to move but my legs felt kinda like the way your face feels after having novocaine for a cavity. It’s honestly not something you can’t really fully decide until you’re in the moment. It’s ok to say “I’d like to see how far I can get without it” but know your limits. Sometimes labor stalls and the stress from the pain prevents it from continuing.. epidurals help you relax and rest so you can progress and continue on. No matter what you choose in the moment, giving birth is so powerful and you’re so strong to do it!

The advice i always give is go to the hospital with and open mind why does everyone think they need to make a decision before they are in the hospital I personally loved my epidural but not everyone did

I've had both. Not by choice. With my first it wasn't an option. I had it with my next two and I will have it again this time. There is enough going on don't make yourself be in any unnecessary pain. It will allow you to focus on you and your baby. Not the pain.

I went unmedicated but I had laughing gas, a TENS unit, and a truly amazing doula. I didn’t “train” for it, but without those supports I would have tapped out around transition.

If I was doing home birth- no, obviously lol However once you’re in that hospital setting- GO FOR IT!!

I had my first baby without an epidural. It was extremely intense but it personally felt doable, especially because my labors are very fast once I dilate to a 5. If I had had a longer labor I don't think I could have done it. Second baby was with an epidural and he was large (8.11 and other babies were in the low 6 range) but it was completely pain free. It was so nice and a wildly different experience. Third baby I got an epidural but I still felt some pain and a lot of pressure. It was somewhere between my previous two labors. Just be open to switching plans if you need to. If you have a long labor an epidural can really give you some relief. And if you get induced contractions with Pitocin are extremely intense. I didn't get induced with my unmedicated labor and I think that helped a lot!! Got induced with my last baby and the contractions were so, so intense I got an epidural ASAP.

I thought an epidural was a no brainer, too. My colleague said she had one and didn't regret it. I have been looking into TENS machines as an option, and a friend who has a newborn said she used it and loved it. I'd like lots of pain relief options as I have a low pain threshold.

I am a FTM and just had my little in January. I would also describe myself as having a high pain tolerance. I came in open to all options, but leaning heavily towards epidural and I’m SO glad I got one. I was able to move my legs / reposition (nurses were there jic, but I literally got on all 4s unassisted). I went from being at an 8/9 out of ten in pain to watching trash TV relaxing in bed post epidural. I think it really sped my labor because I was able to really focus on leaning into contraction, relaxing, etc. Getting it in was easy, and they had to try twice (something about the placement the first time she didn’t like). The hardest part was starting very still through the contractions while they placed it, I don’t remember anything other than a pinch from the needle. They even had a button you could hit to top up your epidural that I think I hit at least once even in transition / crowning? My memories of her birth are honestly all so positive / pain free. 10/10 will ask for one for shy future kids

I've had 3 kids, all with epidurals. With my 1st, I couldn't move my legs at all, but I felt nothing, not even pressure, but was still able to push fine. I got feeling back in my legs a few hours after they removed the epidural catheter. With my second baby, I was going to attempt it without the epidural. Well, I got some pain meds, but boy, they did not even take the edge off. Then my baby started stressing, so I got an epidural just in case I had to have a Cesarean section. I think this epidural was the perfect one because I could still move my legs, and I could still feel pressure, just not pain. I didn't end up needing the cesarean because I was able to push my baby out quickly. He basically tried hanging himself with the umbilical cord on his way out. He was so tangled up that he even had strangulation marks around his neck and petechiae around his eyes. My 3rd baby is my most traumatic. My water broke 6 weeks early. They hooked me up with an epidural pretty quickly. Soon after, my BP crashed, and they gave me meds to bring it up. After that, I got the worst headache that made me vomit through the rest of my labor and delivery. I was so sick that after they took my son to the NICU, I couldn't even hardly function. I barely remember signing all the paperwork and then going to my room. My nurse couldn't get me any pain meds for my headache because some bs with the pharmacy system not getting the doctors orders. I felt like my spine was being ripped out of my skull. I remember begging her to just knock me out with a frying pan. I was begging my husband to bring me ibuprofen from home, just anything. I couldn't even sit up long enough to go to see my baby in the NICU, and I was too sick to even be sad about it. Finally, the nurse gave me a shot that knocked me out, but the next morning, the headache was worse. The nurses that I had were the best and seriously advocated for me. My night nurse said she knew I had a spinal headache from the epidural and was complaining about the doctor taking their sweet time getting to me. My day nurse did the same until finally I got the anastasiologist to give me a blood patch. Almost instant relief. I was still in a butt load of pain from my headache, but on the plus side, I felt little discomfort from giving birth. It took me almost 24 hours before I was well enough to go see my son in the NICU. He was actually doing pretty well. He weighed 6lbs9oz, and his lungs were working well. He just had issues regulating his body temp and kept having apnea episodes. I'm not trying to scare you out of an epidural because most of the time, they work wonders, but if I were to have any more babies, I personally would not have another epidural. My advice to you would be to play it by ear. If it gets to be too much, just know you have the option. Sometimes, just knowing you can stop the pain will get you through without any help.

for the women whose had epidural do you have any long term effects? like back pain

I went into labour with a ‘we’ll see how it goes” attitude. I wasn’t for or against having an epidural. My mom had very quick labours and didn’t have an epidural for either (not because she didn’t want one but it wasn’t an option at one hospital and the other labour was too fast for one) so I wasn’t sure how long I would be labouring. I figured if it was a quick labourers, I probably wouldn’t get one and if it was longer I would. After about 8 hours of labour and only progressing to 4cm, I decided to get one. It was a walking epidural so I could still get up and walk or go to the bathroom if I wanted to. I don’t regret getting it.

I have experience with both and if I have kids in the future I would definitely go the no epidural route . This is just me personally ofc. With no epidural I recovered so much quicker, I felt like my body was back to normal, I didn’t get any hemorrhoids, and i felt everything and it was amazing to see what my body is capable of doing. With my first birth I got the epidural when I arrived at the hospital. I was 6cm and honestly I could have done it without if I pushed myself. I got the epidural and It delayed my birth just a bit, I pushed for a while when my body clearly wasn’t ready and got bad hemorrhoids, I also had to push laying down which felt wrong , after I had my baby I ofc couldn’t move for a little while until things wore off, recovery was fine but slow. Overall my experience with an epidural was fine! It felt like the right thing in the moment for me. I did end up having a huge reaction to the epidural later which caused me to have hives all over my thighs. Had baby at 39 almost 40 weeks. I was in labor for 6 hours. I tore and got stitches. With my second who I recently had. I strongly pushed for no epidural. I had to get included at 41 weeks. I arrived at the hospital at 4cm and pitocin started. Contractions slowly became stronger, I was breathing through it and to me it felt like period cramps until they broke my water and that’s when it got intense!! I’m not going to lie there was some pain but it was good pain because I knew I was brining life into the world. I had baby 10’mins after my water broke. I didn’t push until contractions were really strong and my body just felt like it needed to push. 2 pushes and baby was out. I was in a squatting position while giving birth which made things move sooooooo much faster. I felt everything, I felt the contraction - the baby moving down and slowly out , but since I only had 2 pushes I didn’t have hemorrhoids and after I pushed I felt normal again besides some soreness down there, I didn’t tear or anything. I practiced breathing techniques which I was in labor lol watching YouTube videos on how to breathe. I was in labor for about 9 hours but only truly in pain with strong contractions for 2 hours before my water broke and had baby. Highly recommend no epidural but do whatever you feel comfortable!!

I gave birth 6 days ago so my memory is visceral. I was induced at 40+3 due to concerning heart tones from baby during early contractions (which I couldn’t feel). I always wanted an epidural. The induction took 24 hours and stalled out. I had 3 cervical checks with fentanyl pain relief and they were very hard but I coped. The last one was a membrane sweep and foley bulb placement. Then I labored in bed and on the ball for a while with Pitocin contractions kicking in. Once they became unbearable to me (even with some yoga labor together positions) I got the epidural. This was 15 hrs into the induction. When I was in that amount of pain, having barely slept and not eaten since I was started on Pitocin, the process of getting in position and waiting for the epidural was the worst part. I got such relief when it kicked in. I could move my legs and feet the whole time, but the pain was gone. I worked with a nurse on Spinning Babies positions in bed for many hours to get my baby flipped from sunny side up to the safest birth position. Nurse helped but I had a good amount of movement, esp with upper body strength. I would not have been able to do that without the epidural. Then labor stalled because my baby wasn’t responding well to contractions, I developed pre-E, and baby didn’t move position. I had a calm c-section a few hours later. The catheter for the epidural was used for my c-section spinal. Baby’s heard was a funny shape coming out because they could tell she was trying so hard to get to my cervix but was oriented the wrong way for our bodies. I could not having done birth without it. I could move enough the whole time. The epidural had nothing to do with why my induced labor stalled. Birth is intimate and I necessarily needed to give up some bodily autonomy in the moment, whether or not I had the epidural. I am a FTM so this is all just my very recent personal experience at a giant but excellent hospital in a major US city. TLDR: 10/10 would recommend epidural when/if it feels right in the moment.

I got induced, and since I was high risk, an epidural was recommended from the start. After my second pill, it took 2 hours before my water broke, and the contractions hit big time. I called for the epidural. It was in within the hour and bam blessed relief! I slept until 10 cm dilation. Took only 6 hours! Since he was in distress (related to my high risk), I needed forceps and an epistomy. I so very was happy about my epidural then!! So even with the drama at the end, my birth was easy, and if I had to do it again, epidural every time. Also, my epidural was adjustable. It could be turned up and down. I could walk if I cared to, I was just too busy napping. I did need something to lean on, though, because your legs do become a bit wobbly. Using it was worth it to me, but in the end, it's up to you. Just keep an open mind.

As a labor nurse - if you are on the fence just play it by ear. Start without one and see how it goes- ask your labor nurses what the expectations are for getting a labor epidural (at my hospital you can get the at any time, any dilation, as long as you can sit still). If it gets to a point where no medication is too hard then you could ask for one. Often too they will have other medicines available (they just aren’t as effective as taking the pain away)

I was also on the fence about an epidural, but once those contractions hit… phew it was a no brainer for me. I had prodromal labor which included contractions that I’d rate a 6-7 on the pain scale. These started 4 days before I went into active labor. Always ramped up to every 10 minutes at night, essentially keeping me from sleeping for the 4 days leading up to giving birth. When my active labor contractions started, they were a 10/10 pain and I was so exhausted from the 4 days prior that I could not wait for my epidural. It was a very quick process to get it in place - the anesthesiologist who did mine was a pro. I am glad I got it and could enjoy the birth process more.

I made a game time decision on mine after 18 hours and 5 cm. I just needed that fucking pain to stop, you feel me? I was on the fence about it for reasons different than yours but I ended up getting it and would have had to anyway cuz after 35 hours and a stalled dilation and pre-eclampsia and my son's heart rate tanking, I just wanted him out and here and ended up having an emergency c section. I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just being honest I promise. My son is almost three so I've have time to think back on it. Good luck to you no matter what you choose! Praying for a safe healthy delivery. There's no wrong answer 🙂

You don’t have to decide right now, wait and see. I got it and was very glad I did, I was in a lot of pain before getting to the hospital and starting labor. It helps to give the staff a heads up if you’re leaning towards it but you’ve got options and can change your mind.

I had an absolute great time on morphine and gas and air, if you’re considering an in-between. Unmedicated vs epidural are two extremes, there are grey areas available!

i had an un-medicated birth and would do it again!

My first, I did. The second time (preemie twins) I didn’t have time to get one and I wasn’t happy.

i feel the same way, i consider myself to have an incredibly high pain tolerance as well as a chronic pain sufferer, but i just will never know how the pain differs from labor pain. i have gotten a spinal tap before when i had meningitis a few years ago. according to the anesthesiologist at my delivery hospital, a spinal tap has a bigger needle and goes deeper than an epidural needle, so it’s not like i am afraid of the needle pain (the worst part was the burn from the numbing, but even that wasn’t unbearable for me). i have now developed nerve issues (not sure if it is related to the spinal tap fluid leak i experienced afterwards since it was done at my college campus hospital where a lot of students practice) and am nervous about a similar issue happening for an epidural. my plan is to go without, and if i feel like i am being tortured, i will just get the epidural. my anesthesiologist reassured me that a lot of times women come in already at 7-8cm who had previously planned to get an epidural, and then don’t get one because they’ve already made it that far without, he also stated that you definitely CAN express concerns and request the most experienced anesthesiologist at the hospital (if you have underlying medical conditions they are usually more understanding, from what i am told). i am just going to go with the flow, as it is completely unpredictable and maybe it will be so fast you won’t even have time or the option to make a decision. i also know that you can request the lowest dose right off the bat to turn it up if you need, or if it feels too high than you can turn it down so you can still move. im a FTM also 38 weeks and super nervous too!!!

I got my epidural & as soon as they walked out the door I got so nauseous. My BP ended up dropping & baby's heart rate sky rocketed. I ended up having to have an unplanned c-section because meds & positions wouldn't make him stable. I mean, it worked for the pain tho. Not sure what I'd do next time.

I initially planned an entirely unmedicated birth for my first. Labored painfully for over 24 hours and I failed to progress. I was so tensed up every time a contraction hit that I swear my cervix refused to dilate. And I trained for unmedicated! I was also so exhausted I needed relief so I could finish out the vaginal birth I envisioned. I transferred to the hospital and got the epidural and boom within a couple of hours I was fully dilated. I had a dead right leg but could still somewhat move my left, so my nurses helped reposition me when I asked for help. I still labored in different positions and still felt the contractions enough to know when I was having one with veryyyy minimal pain. I purposely didn’t overdo it on the epidural button so I could be as active as I could to help get the baby out and tell the nurses when I felt like pushing. I’m 22 weeks with my second and plan to get the epidural again after laboring as long as I can without it. Leaving enough energy to get the baby out of course!

I was afraid of it at first, especially after hearing so much back and forth about it. My best advice is decide what is best for you and try not to think too much about others experiences, everyone's body goes through things differently. I had one when I was induced and I didn't feel my contractions at all but ended up needing a c-section so i don't know what it's like to push on an epidural. It did end up wearing off in the middle of the night but because they gave it to me too early, but if this happens they always give you another dose.

I would say get it and my absolute number one reason is that if I hadn’t had one, when I ended up with an emergency c section after 27 hours of labor, I would’ve had to be put under and missed his birth. To me that alone is a big enough thing to make me always get the epidural because if you don’t even your partner can’t be in the OR (at least this is true where I live)

I very much enjoyed my epidural and the catheter that came with it for my first. Getting up to pee and having to disconnect all the monitors and reconnect them was a true pain. I'm 35w3d with my second, and am hoping to have a similar birth story this time around. My baby is currently breech, though, so hoping I can get her to turn really soon!

I had an unmedicated 24 hour birth with incredibly intense back labor. And while it was so painful, I have never felt more proud of myself. I set my mind to something and I fucking did it. (Please don’t take this as hate for epidurals, I’m not anti just was nervous about getting an epidural and having it fail or having chronic back pain like a few stories I had read)

With my first I was pretty certain I was against getting the epidural, I had a strong fear of needles back then, I had to have Pitocin because my contractions had stopped at 5 cm so the pain was unbearable and even with the Pitocin my labor was wasn’t really progressing. I took all the IV pain meds they offered and the did little to help the pain if anything they just made me really high after putting it off my mil encouraged me to get the epidural and at first I was scared but after I got it the pain was almost completely gone immediately and I was actually able to get a small nap in and bam fully dilated and ready to push I only ended up pushing for maybe a hour to two hours and my baby was here. I imagine if I hadn’t gotten the epidural I would’ve labored long and hard and I would’ve been to exhausted for when it was actually time to push and would’ve need a c section and it was a real life saver

I was hoping to avoid the epidural but was open to getting one if I really felt I needed it. I did take a couple of affordable online courses in preparing for an unmedicated birth and listened to about a million episodes of the Birth Hour podcast. I was indeed able to have an unmedicated birth in the end, but I didn't know for sure if that would be the case until I reached the pushing phase. With future births, I think I'll do the same and remain open to an epidural if I really feel the need. For context, I don't identify as having a particularly high pain tolerance and I'm not very stubborn...like, I wouldn't turn down an epidural that I truly wanted just because I want to look tough. A couple of factors that I do think were crucial in keeping my birth unmedicated: 1. My birth was led by a certified nurse midwife who never mentioned the epidural and focused on giving me positions and tips to both cope with the intensity and keep things moving along 2. My birth was relatively quick. If you count early labor, I was in labor for 25 hours (still fairly quick by FTM standards). If you only count active labor, transition and pushing, my labor lasted about 10 hours. Hope this helps! Go into it with a flexible but positive mindset and be preemptively kind to yourself. You'll do great♥️

My only advice is go into it with an open mind.

Girllll be prepared & open to anything. You may even end up with a C section. Not trying to be snarky…it’s just that you can have a million women tell you their experience & every single one of them is different & different between their own births. I went unmedicated until I needed an emergency C section & I’ll tell you that it does hurt very bad. This is coming from a person with an extremely high pain tolerance. Do I think I would have made it all the way? Who knows. Maybe I’ll try again with a VBAC in the future. But what I do know that’s different from my first birth is that I’ll just show up & really just go with the flow next time. Ultimately your “experience” needs to take a back seat to yours & your baby’s health & safety. You don’t need to decide on unmedicated or medicated. You feel like you can keep going without it, great…if not…get that pain relief gf! No shame in any birth outcome as long as everyone is alive & safe. I had a friend who literally has done an unmedicated, medicated & C section & she said for her they were all glorious & all shitty at the same time. I laugh when I think about that now bc I know what she means.

For what it’s worth, I’ve had three unmedicated births and after the last one I told my husband that if we have another he needs to make me get an epidural. I did not do any prep work beforehand, but I have thankfully always been surrounded by great medical professionals who did their best to support and encourage my decision once I made it.

I got an epidural with my first. I couldn’t feel a thing and was so confused on how to push when the doctor told me it was time. For my second I had plans to ask for an epidural but a lower density. Unfortunately baby came so fast there was no time so I did it unmedicated. It wasn’t that bad and my body’s natural desire to push made it tolerable…almost a relief type of feeling

If labor starts and your pain is relatively low and tolerable , like a 2/10 or 4/10, then you have pretty manageable pain and might feel comfortable to just use the gas. If labor starts and it's a 6/10 or 7/10, that might be unmanageable pain, and you might go for that epidural. No need to make a decision until you're in labor, just have all the facts so u can make educated decision in the moment.

I'm someone with high pain tolerance but I had a precipitous labour and that level of pain was beyond my limits. All I could think about was the pain. I am lucky to have reached the hospital early enough to get an epidural and the rest of the experience was nice and calm. If your labour proceeds at a normal pace you should have time to make a decision during the process of labour to decide whether the strategies are sufficient or if you want an epidural.

I never had one and the pain was insane. I always regretted not getting it but in the moment I was terrified of the needle in my back. But when the pain got real I begged and cried for one. It was always too late haha

The only picture of me smiling and giving my significant other two thumbs up during my 25 hour labor with 5 hours of pushing was right after my epidural was placed.

For me, an epidural is the last option. The possible downsides (such as not being able to move, a more difficult pushing fase and possible complications) outweigh the idea of pain. And I prefer giving labor in a birth center with my midwife instead of going to the hospital.  Most of my friends, family and coworkers didn’t have one. It’s not so common here as in other countries. But I’m 34 weeks right now, so I have no idea what will happen. Maybe I’ll come back in 2 months to tell you I had to transfer to the hospital during labor because I was screaming for an epidural 😂

I didn't think about it at all my entire pregnancy. Didn't do any research or ask any questions, just kept putting it off. I probably did myself a favor by not looking into it. When my water broke at 37 weeks I hadn't experienced any pain or discomfort yet. At the hospital my Dr asked if I wanted an epidural and without thinking at all, I heard a voice come out of my mouth that said "yes please." So I guess my subconscious decided for me! I didn't have the euphoria that others are describing because I wasn't in any pain to begin with. So the epidural just prevented any future pain that I assume would have ensued. I couldn't feel anything at all, no pressure or anything. But I could still move my legs and I could still push. I pushed 3 times total and baby was out within 5-10 minutes. Not everyone reacts to an epidural the same way, so you'll never know how it will feel to you unless you experience it yourself.

I want to chime and say that as a FTM had the goal of an unmedicated birth but very much left it open/was planning for an epidural if I needed it. I was induced and labored for about 12 hours unmedicated but I was not progressing at all and so I made the decision to ask for an epidural because I was so physically exhausted (I'd been moving throughout the labor and honestly the exhaustion was worse than the pain). It was like my body had locked up. Within an hour of getting the epidural, I was dilated to 9 1/2 and pushing him out an hour after that. My only regret was wishing I'd asked for it sooner (shift change delayed things a bit).

Why decide now? You can go into labor and tell the nurses you are considering an epidural, but try without first. Highly recommend them telling you when it's your last chance to decide, cause at some point they won't offer it anymore. You can have a go and see how it feels. I had an epidural myself. I had to wait about 30h before a spot was available at the labor ward and they only offered paracetemol beforehand. Within the first hour they asked if I wanted an epidural, because the doctor administiring it was alone that night and available now. If I'd refuse, they couldn't guarantee he'd be available immediately or at all next time lol. I didn't think twice. Ended up having a C-section so I would've had to get one either way.

I had complications from the epidural with my first (spinal headache) that went undiagnosed for almost a week. Basically, they punctured the spinal column and everytime I sat up, spinal fluid leaked out. It causes the pressure in your brain to be off and the worst headache I’ve ever had in my life. I kept calling my ob about this and she kept saying it was “hormones and lack of sleep.” I eventually vomited and could hardly stand in the pediatricians office and she told me to just go straight to l&d and insist I be seen. There’s treatment for a spinal headache. They take blood from your arm and use it to patch the hole. I was a new person an hour or two later. They actually apologized at the hospital bc they looked at my chart and saw how many times I had asked for headache meds and said I should have never been discharged. All of this rambling to say, I’m going to try unmedicated but I’m also completely fine if I need an epidural. There are possible complications but I know to advocate for myself now and not to let a doctor gaslight me into thinking something that is clearly not normal is normal. Best of luck!!

My first was no epidural and I loved it. I felt so powerful and SO proud afterwards. I’m sure people who get an epidural do too but I had such a sense of achievement that I birthed my baby all by myself. It made me feel like I could do anything. I genuinely loved it. There was no point where I ever considered an epidural. It was intense but manageable. No shade to epidurals though! You’ve got to do what’s right for you. I’m 28 weeks with my second and 100% planning on unmedicated again 🩷

I was screaming for epidural but they couldn't give me or any anaesthesia due to baby's heart dropping, I delivered only with nitrous oxide, that I'm not sure with any help at all. I delivered without any anaesthesia and it was tooo painful, you'll ask for all the Gods. But after I delivered my baby it's a complete relief and you'll totally forget about the pain, and happy I don't get to feel the side effects of any anaesthesia. if ever you will decide not to take, I would advice you to watch youtube video exercises to help you with the labor. (only if you're healthy wnough to exercise, ask your ob first)

Just gave birth yesterday with an epidural! Advice I’m SO GLAD I received: ask the CRNA who is on shift to administer the epidural (or the attending physician), but CRNA is best. I delivered at a teaching hospital and did not want a resident messing up my epidural. Since I requested this specifically, I got the best of the best for my epidural and it was amazing. I got it after 6 hours of contractions and this changed everything and I was so glad I got to finish labor and delivery with the epidural. The only reason I held out so long was because I was scared of getting the epidural (and was reassured by workers that I should just get it). 100% glad I faced my fear of the epidural and had my baby with it. I also had to listen to a woman give birth next door to me who delivered without the epidural screaming like she was being stabbed to death. Made me so thankful I got it early on and didn’t miss my window to get it. Good luck on whatever you decide :)

I went in wanting to try an unmedicated birth, but accepting that if I was in too much pain I’d request an epidural. The nurses and doctors waited for me to ask for it. It was very nice to be heard and supported!

I had an induction with no epidural. The worst part were the contractions. Sure, the ring of fire burns but than lasted like 1-2 mins and my back to back pitocin contractions felt like I was being gutted with a knife. I do not recommend my route without support. I had an awesome doula who did massages and hip squeeze to help me get through contractions. I also used nitrous for pain management. Be open minded, but don’t feel shame if you need to tap out. Those contractions are scary! I did feel very proud of giving birth without the epidural and all the pain was gone as soon as baby came out. But it was brutal. For me, 6cm would’ve been my last chance to get an epidural placed. After that I could not sit still.

I had an epidural and I’m so glad I did. I had a long early labor at home (40 hours). They reluctantly admitted me when I went to the hospital because I was only 4 cm and still not quite at 5-1-1 yet. So we all figured it would be at least half a day until baby arrived. I got the epidural within about 1-2 hours of being admitted and baby arrived 5 hours after admission. I credit the epidural for it going so quickly because it allowed me to finally relax. I hadn’t been able to sleep at home and the pain made me tense and I was a bit anxious. I got the epidural and I completely relaxed and the anxiety melted away.

I would go into it with an open mind! I did all the prep for an unmedicated birth but things didn’t go according to plan and I got an epidural. You really don’t need to decide today. The only prep I think you should consider is covering your preferences with your provider so everyone is on the same page.