You've triumphantly made it through nine months of pregnancy, and now it's time for baby to come on out. You have a lot of questions and concerns, and one of them very likely will be, "should I get an epidural?" — whether you planned to or not. Everyone has varying opinions, and there is no right or wrong answer. Bumpies share both sides, so you know what to expect...and hopefully your choice is made a little easier!

"I planned to have the epi and I got it. Best decision for me ever! I labored 2.5 hours naturally and it was so painful. You won't care about the epidural needle... it's nothing at all compared to the labor pain. After the epidural...the next 6 hours of labor were delightful. I could talk, rest, and somewhat nap. It was wonderful." — kmdandy
"My first two births were medication free, natural, and lucky for me, pretty fast. I just looked at the labor and birth as very positive and exciting experiences. I was really looking forward to using my mind to control my body, and everything worked out." — ivyreb
"When I received my epidural I had initial pinching at the site of my back where they numb the skin first (they use lidocaine - same stuff for when you get numbed for dental work/cavities) and about a half-second of tingling sensation down my left. After that it was all over and I was pain free and HAPPY! It's the same exact procedure any medical professional would perform if they had to do a spinal tap (or lumbar puncture) to sample the spinal fluid." — Peanutz22
"Go with what feels right. If you're unsure, just remember that you can go without the epi for the majority of your labor. They'll let you know your last chance to get the epi. You don't have to make a set decision right now if you don't want to." — ALE151
"I did it without the epidural both times, but used other pain management options. It was hard but I managed. My labor was so fast, it was really just a riding out the clock moment." — NoodleJ
"The contractions were so overwhelmingly painful that I was not the least bit concerned about the epidural procedure. It was nothing. I just wanted relief." — railroadNR
"I didn't have an epidural. I did not find labor painful until transition. Pushing didn't hurt at all." — jenn34
"No epidural here either time. I loved the birth process, and it's painful but not as bad as people make it seem. I think you have the right attitude. It's the same one I had: I want to do this naturally, but I don't get bonus mommy points for it. There's no shame in admitting I need drugs if I need drugs. In my case, both times I was fine." — MommyAyyt
"I had the epidural. I am glad I did and I ended up getting a second dose of it later since I ended up pushing for so long. I will say though that the epidural made it to where I didn't feel contractions, but I definitely still felt all the pushing and everything. Also, getting the epidural didn't hurt me at all. I just felt a temperature change as it went down my back." — sparklingruby

Did you have an epidural during labor?

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