epidural or natural birth?

[whitegirl1488]

I am going to be having a baby here in a month or so.  I have been toying around with doing a natural birth and I was just wondering what other people's opinions are on the matter.  Do you think it is better to have an epidural or to tought it out and do it natural?

[kangagirl1321]

well, if u cant stand the pain ne longer u might wanna get that epidural. my neighbor is quick to have an epidural when she has her kids. she's not one for pain.

[billermarie]

I got a epidural with my first kid but my other 2 kids i had them natural natural is better bc epidural has alot of bad problem to it i cant spell that why its hard to write what am saying but it up 2 u

[Valerie1979]

be sure to talk this over with your dr, nurse mid-wife and/or husband who ever will will be in the room with you -- because you don't want them changing your mind for you at that last minute.

i wanted natural birth and I have a high tolerance for pain, but i ended up needing an emergency c-section at 29 weeks, so I didn't have much choices in the matter when it came to epidural

[bjohnson16]

You should talk to your doctor before you get to that point and make a plan to follow that day before hand  I know from experience that sometimes it is hard to make a choice when it comes to that minute.  I know that I was going with a natural, until I ran into problems during the birth and had to go with the epidural.  But it was taken out of my hands and it was harder to understand anddeal with at the time  So communiting with the doctor is the most important thing to do.  Also discuss it with your family so they know what you want to do when the time comes

[ODOMS6598]

I had an epidural with all my 4 kids.  they were all ok except my last child, the anethesioligist(?) gave me a softball sized hematoma(basically a blood clot) and now I have some serious back pack when I get up

[kqa]

My kids were born in a small town hospital and I had nothing but a pudendal block, which numbs only the very bottom. No epidural. The first one was breech and they didn't even do a C-section. They made big cuts to get him out. I was in labor for about 3 days, and 5 nurses literally pushed him out. That was in 1974. The second one was born 7 years later, and that took 12 hours. Still didn't get anything but a pudendal block. I WISH I could have had an epidural because I would love to have had more kids.

[whoamama90]

From my own experience I had 2 natural births. Everyone told me how horrible it would be and that I should opt for the drugs, but I was more afraid of the giant needle going into my back possibly paralyzing me than going natural (something our bodies know how to). My first son, they put something in my IV to "make me not care" about the pain, but it just made me high and hallucinate. The 2nd time, I did no drugs what so ever, and gave birth to a healthy 9 lb baby boy! yes, 9 lbs!!!
Everyone tolerates pain differently, so its more something you need to decide on for yourself.

Good luck and congrats!!

[sgluckadoo]

Not easy to answer. I think it really depends on the woman and her particular situation and pain threshold.

[mrisha]

I think it all depends on your tolerance for pain.  I have a low tolerance for pain and was in labor for 13 hours which was not fun.

[whitegirl1488]

Wow it was awesome to hear everyone's different opinions.  Those of you that had complications, my heart goes out to you.  Those of you that followed through with the natural delivery, I respect and admire.  Those that decided to do the epidural, all I gotta say is that you are brave women for going up against the needle.  :- Just so everyone knows I have talked to the family that is going to be there with me and they say that they will support me one hundred percent.  I just barely moved here and I will be setting up a doctor's appointment on monday. 

[dodgers16]

 First let me say that I am a man, but I would imagine a little something for the pain should probably used

[csr_2011]

I don't knock either one. I have two children. With my first after reaching 7cm, I was I couldn't go any longer without an epidural. So with my second there was no question that I was going to get another.

[Sherrie73]

I had both my children naturally and endured the pain.  Today there really isn't a reason to have a lot of pain with medicines and doctors/nurses surrounding you all the time.  This really is a personl choice and one you should make with your doctor.  Don't kid yourself, natural is very painful.

[tammypete]

I had planned to have the epidural with all 3 of my kids but my labor progressed to fast to have one.  So I had all 3 of them natural.  The pain was unreal but I made it!