Epidural vs natural birth

Wouldn't put all your eggs in one basket regarding epidural being painless, they did my epidural and I could still feel one of my legs and it stopped working totally by the time I was 9cm and no staff believed me. I've also had ongoing back pain since! Keep your options open and maybe see how you feel when the time comes as you could find natural labour better for you, or might need a cesarean, or perhaps you might get to hospital too late for an epidural. Its all guesses until the time comes imo 😆 everyone has a different expirence, you will know whats right for you and baby in the moment, wishing you the best lovely! X

I was adamant on having the epidural with my first as I’m not great with pain, ended up with just gas and air as birth was too fast for the epidural. I wouldn’t stress yourself out too much, you don’t have to decide till your in the moment. Don’t get me wrong it’s painful but no where near as bad as I worked myself up to believe x

I couldn't do an epidural, I have back issues anyway, so I wouldn't wanna risk making it worse! I had my LO last July on gas and air, the only pain I remember is the stitches, can't be that bad for me though as I'm due again this year 😂😂😂 everyone's pain endurance is different! X

I recommend reading Practical ways to make your birth better by Siobhan Miller
I personally will try to avoid epidural as I would like to have a water birth, and would hate to be having to lie in a bed but it's my first pregnancy so will see what happens 🙂 you can always try and opt for an epidural if you feel like it, you don't have to decide beforehand! I am actually looking forward to giving birth and have been watching positive birth stories on YouTube. If someone comes to me with a scary story I shut them down straight away lol

I had an epidural last time but I think I panicked and could probably have done with just gas and air. I am going to do a hypnosis thing course, get my husband to learn how to guide me through the pain and train him to advocate for me 😃

same thing happened to my friend

I had 3 natural births using just gas and air and doing it this time around too. I love and enjoy giving birth and feeling how pain is getting me closer to welcoming my baby, after baby is here all the pain goes away, its totally worth at least a try. Also standing up and moving around helps baby to come quicker than laying on the bed 🥰

I read a lot about hypnobirthing during my first pregnancy with my son, it helps you not fear the pain and work with it. I did end up having an assisted labour, but I feel this was due to them wanting to intervene too much, and not assisting me to get into a better position while I was 10cm, but that’s a whole other story lol. During our stay in hospital, a special therapist came to offer help after I’d technically had a “traumatic birth”, but I hadn’t even considered it to be that way, because feel like I rolled with it, didn’t focus on the negative aspects that were out of my hands, and was just so happy to finally be a mother 🥰
I read Siobhan Miller’s book the first time round, and this time I’m reading Positive Birth by Millie Hill.

With my first, I wanted a water birth although it didn’t happen and specified that I didn’t want an epidural unless it was absolutely necessary. You can state these wishes in your birth plan and they will try to stick to depending on what happens during labour. I only had gas and air in the end it was that fast 😆

It’s in no where near comparable. But I had a miscarriage at 11 weeks at home with no drugs and I was in a what my mother in law called “a form of labour” for just over 6 hours with contractions It was the most unimaginable pain I’ve ever experienced. But it’s definitely affected my thoughts about labour in general.

I really don’t want a ‘plan’ because literally anything could happen. Because of the pain I experienced i want to try on just gas and air because it’s either going to be the same or worse and I’ve already done it once, but this time i should hopefully have a baby at the end and also not throw up this time (fingers crossed).
I also would rather have a a planned c-section, rather than be induced because that just sounds like more faff and uncertainty. But my plan is to have no plan and just role with it, but I’m not keen on the idea of an epidural general because I want to feel the pain in a way? Think it’s one of those where you won’t truly know until you’re there.

Everyone’s pain threshold is different lovely as I’m sure you already know so opinions will largely differ and come down to personal choice. I actually think having my stitches was the worst part for me 🤣 I opted for unmedicated birth and definitely worked myself up to be worse than it actually was. Remember our bodies are bloody magical as women! X

I had an epidural with my first when was around 5 cm, it worked perfectly and I could top it up with a button when I was feeling the pain coming back, I slept all the time while getting to 10 cm and then in about 30 mins the baby was out, I had to have an episiotomy because baby was suffering (she had 2 rounds of umbilical cord around her neck) so they had to pull her out fast but pretty sure this would have happened even without epidural. I didn’t feel anything when they cut me nor when they put me the stitches, and a couple of hours after birth I was walking and feeling fine. Most complicated part was the moment they did the injection (very sharp pain) and then the recovery from the episiotomy (not able to sit comfortably for about 10 days and going to the toilet was a bit complicated) but all in all a great experience so I’ll go for an epidural again this time around.

I had perfidine and gas and air for my 1st hoping to do the same this time round but it depends on my PGP what going to be happening

I had gas and air from about 7cm (for about 4 hours) that’s when I felt most pressure and pain. Epidural scared me more than the pain of natural labour surprisingly. The process wasn’t so bad and the midwives are amazing at keeping me motivated. I pushed for an hour but he was an 11lb baby and my first child. After birth I had to have spinal as the size of the baby gave me a bad tear which needed stitches but all my friends having natural birth and average sized baby had no issues and said it wasn’t as bad as they feared pain wise.

If you want natural birth I’d look at birth positions and practice them before hand and tell the midwives of your thought on it while in early labour at the hospital so they can support you as you progress. Don’t feel shy to ask them for help too! I was and my partner although he’s amazing father was useless at birth so by the end of it they took my partner and told him what to do the help ease the pain or be more supportive.

Looks like you have a lot of responses but I have a STRONG recommendation for an epidural and am happy to give you my opinion over message. I’ve seen loads of deliveries and had two already myself and don’t understand the idea of electively wanting a terribly painful birth experience which is can be pain free and is low risk…. We don’t go for appendectomies with no anesthesia anymore… why this? Seems like toxic feminism to me. But I know my view differs from the UK mentality but happy to give you my opinions and some medical stats about the safety of epidurals (and the risks of not getting one, if, for example, you need an emergency c section or something)