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Epidurals aren't really encouraged here. We have gas and air and I used that liberally (man that stuff is fun, I let the dad give it a go too and we were both giggling away ) and the midwives were keen for me to try other forms of pain relief first (water blisters - which hurt more) and taking a warm shower and bouncing on the gym ball thing. They did offer an epidural in the end but I was a bit too scared of possible problems like the epidural headache or it slowing progress leading to more interventions like forceps etc.
That said, the whole thing bloody hurt and I'm not sure I'd go without an epidural next time (if there is a next time)
Through researching my my family history, I found there were a few cases of the women dying giving birth, or shortly after giving birth. I know of someone who went the natural route and it nearly did them both in after a few days of labor. Had to have an emergency C section.
I really don't understand the women who want to give birth without medicine. What in the world would make them want to do it "naturally"? What's so great about having to bear the pain that nature gives you instead of trying to escape it? It's like saying: nature just blew my lights in the house, I will happily bear it and will try to live without the lights, because it's the "natural" way. Or if the tsunami comes, you say: I will die happily because it's the natural way, it's what nature wants me to do.
And here is another weird thing. People go around and spread flu and give it to their loved ones. Why don't they care? Why do they easily just forward a week or two of misery to their friend or relative? I think they should have cared enough not to do that. But it's like their brain doesn't know that it's a bad thing.
when you say medicine are you talking about pain meds or antibiotics? One isn't needed and the other one sometimes is.
It's a personal choice. I chose to have my children sans pain meds. I didn't want nor did I need an epidural.
Some people just handle pain better than others. There's no right way or wrong way...it's a personal choice.
Im not the type who talked about being pregnant or enjoyed it at all, I hated my shape and how I felt.. and would have taken any pain killer they would give me...Epidurals though were very new so not many hospitals offered them..only when I had my last son in the early 80s was I offered one but the labour was so fast I never got to have it.... but yes Id have taken them the four times I went into labour no bother.. Id have also loved to have been knocked out as I found it unpleasant and very painful. apart from my modesty going out the window.... on the other hand my cousin now in her forties has suffered every day of her life since her daughter was born 20 years ago and the epidural caused her so many walking problems , she now walks with two walking sticks and it all went wrong the minute she left hospital... Doctors couldnt find the cause or didnt want to find one... and she has paid the price for pain relief ever since.
We had 3 kids and my wife demanded a mid-wife and no epidural. Her feeling was she wanted to give the babies the best chance at a healthy life just in case there are any unexpected effects with using the epidural. I wanted to go the traditional way but the advantage I saw was that the natural birth was cheaper from insurance perspective. Also it seemed that there were alot of C-sections from the regular doctors.
I've heard that sometimes mothers experience pain from the site of the epidural that last years.
She also felt that the body was designed to handle the pain so why not just be natural about it. The human brain does compensate for the pain and the mothers get a mental fog during labor and don't remember the pain of childbirth.
I think the pain is greater for the father to hear than for the mother to remember.
My sister in law did not use epidural because she couldn't remember the name of it so kept saying demoral.
Why should it matter what way women choose to give birth? Not every woman reacts the same way to every single thing.
The drugs used for pain management have been shown to cross the placenta into the baby and cause problems. I chose to deliver my 3 babies without pain meds.
Now, nursing was much more painful than childbirth. But even that pain leveled off after two weeks and subsided.
I had my first naturally. I got my teeth drilled without Novocaine and was pretty stoic, and I figured I was under going a normal and natural rite of passage shared by women throughout the ages. Unfortunately I had a big baby (9 lbs 9 oz), nasty back labor, and a lot of tearing. I was also induced, which causes stronger contractions. No medals for being stoic. I screamed and cussed a blue streak.
For the next two, I demanded an epidural before allowing them to give me pitocin.
Male managed childbirth leaves much to be desired. I am 5'2", and delivered a 9 lb boy for the second birth.
A womans body is engineered to give birth in a squatting position...not laying flat on her back with her legs spread wide.
I would encourage a man to try to have a large BM that way...laying flat on his back with his legs spread wide. There is no way for the muscles to help that way.
Yes, pain happens during childbirth. But women also make hormones to help with that.
Part of the childbirth classes I attended taught us about how it all works, and works together.
Childbirth can be a rewarding experience, or a traumatic one. Every woman, and baby ...is different.
All I can say is that epidurals and c-sections have a lot of risks. I have an aunt who had epidurals for all 4 of her children. She has had multiple spinal infections and has needed surgery a couple times now for that. She also deals with chronic pain from the epidurals.
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) and the midwives were keen for me to try other forms of pain relief first (water blisters - which hurt more) and taking a warm shower and bouncing on the gym ball thing. They did offer an epidural in the end but I was a bit too scared of possible problems like the epidural headache or it slowing progress leading to more interventions like forceps etc. 
