re: Question for mamas who did not get an epidural during labor

I've had both epidural and drug free labor...


with my drug free labor, it was very painful, the contractions were the worst, it felt like someone was grabbing me from the inside and pulling my insides toward my back....

the crowning and pushing was actually a relief, i felt amazing when my body started pushing him out...

recovery was really good also i wasn't hooked up to any iv or cath, i was able to shower and get into my own clothes...

i did tear inside a few times soooo i sat on ice packs to numb myself ffor like 2 weeks but i did enjoy the whole experience  

Quoting Kayyjoo:" I am currently 27+6 weeks pregnant with my first baby... I have done a lot of thinking throughout my ... [snip!] ... to hear some stories from people who did not receive an epidural and if it was as bad as people are making it out to seem...."

I've done both. Yes, IMO it was bad, lol. With my first I went without, with my 2nd I got an epidural. I'd probably get an epi again if I had another honestly.

I wanted to give in and get the epidural.

Think about thinking you scored one morning finding some chocolate in the fridge, so you ate the whole bar. Only now it's noon and you found out, no, that wasn't chocolate. It was a bar of laxatives.


That is what labour is like. It's not a "new" kind of pain. But if feel like your insides are going to explode if you don't push this thing out your V-hole.


I didn't feel a ring of fire, pushing just felt like being constipated. I wouldn't take an epidural if I did it again for medical reasons, but I don't blame woment that do.


I also had a short 6 hour labour.

O I should say my labor for the first ask natural was an hour. . My second most recent 3 hours total.. The excructiating painful part was when I hit 9..

I didn't get one with my son... and am not getting one with this one, either. (unless I HAVE to for medical reasons...) Up until they started giving me pitocin to speed up contractions, it wasn't too awful.

I didn't get an epidural for either of mine, but I had short labors. first was 5 hours second was about 2. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and I'm stubborn, so that helped as well. I didn't have any pain after either of them were born. Once they were out, it was like, ok that's over.

Quoting Kayyjoo:" I am currently 27+6 weeks pregnant with my first baby... I have done a lot of thinking throughout my ... [snip!] ... to hear some stories from people who did not receive an epidural and if it was as bad as people are making it out to seem...."

I was in labor for 84 hours with contractions 3-6 min apart last about a min each the entire time. I did not get an epidural. I had to get 3 stitches and can honestly say it really wasnt that bad! I mean obviously it wasnt a fantastic experience lol but how can it be when you think of all that has to happen to get that baby out lol. I pushed for only 15 min which was nice bc that was probably the worst just because I was so so so tired already. For me it wasn't like I was in constant excruciating pain the whole time, it was probably once I hit about 8 cm that it was a bit much. But your body is made to get through it and it will! you just have to breathe and do what works for you! Good Luck!!

I had both my girls naturally, it completely sucked lol. But I was very blessed with fast deliveries. My first baby my husband said ok that enough we are going to the hospital cause I was getting bad labour pains. We got to the hospital at 3:30am I was 2cm dialted and they told me they couldnt give me an epidural until I was at least 4cm so I waited it out, when they checked me again I wasnt quite 4 cm, but told me that my dr would be in in about an hour to check on me. By the time he arrived I was asking for the epidural but when they checked me it was push time... 3cm to push in an hour ya PAINFUL! I ended up having her at 8:15am that morning. My 2nd I arrived at the hospital at 7:00am and was 7cm dialted (mom felt awful she didnt realize how hard into labour I was apparently Im really good at not showing im in pain lol) and I had her at 8:36am that morning. <3