Epidural: Pros And Cons

Well, as you already know I am due on 1st October and I believe I already have to think about labor. I want to have a completely natural birth, no pain killers, no c-section, no epidural... I have read in my book "Essential Guide to Pregnancy and Birth", some pros and cons of the most popular pain killer for birth; Epidural. I have heard many different stories that some women enjoyed it, but mostly women had problems with it, or they have problems now- with their backs. As well, it seems that this problem will never go away.

First of all it freaks me out that this medication is delivered into the epidural space just outside the membrane that surrounds spine. No way someone sticking any needle, no matter how thin it is into my spine. So let's see pros and cons of this medication!

Pros:

• An epidural is a very effective pain relief.
• Since the effect of epidural is localized, it means a woman will be awake and alert during labor and birth and can even rest and sleep. Therefore, she will be able to have more energy when time will come to push.
• Unlike systematic narcotics, only some of the medication reaches the baby. (Hey, but some still does, right?! I am not sure WHY it is pro!)

Cons

• A woman has to stay in an awkward position for about 15 minutes when epidural is put in, and then about 20 minutes until it starts working.
• A woman might loose a sensation in her feet, and she won't be able to stand. (Hmmm, it just gets better, huh?)
• A woman and a fetus have to be always electronically monitored.
  
• Epidural might slow down labor. A woman might require Pitocin in order to get it back on track. ( Yeah, let me not take any pain killers during my whole 9 months, but then let's just put bunch of them, just because I am afraid of the pain!!!!)
• Since your lower body will loose sensation, it will lessen the bearing down reflex and may take it harder to push baby out.
  
• Having epidural increases a chance of having a vacuum extraction (by the way I saw some babies having this, and believe me they were never just normal kids) or forceps delivery.
  
• The drugs that are typically used in epidural may temporarily lower blood pressure and decrease a blood flow to the baby, which will actually slows his heart rate.
• An Epidural increases fever during labor.
• Drugs delivered through epidural can bring nausea, itchiness. Some women might have severe headaches.
• In rare cases (rare, not rare, it happens, right?), an epidural can affect breathing, as well as nerve injury and infection.
  

Hmmmm, not very many pros huh? Do I really have to go through this, when I just can go through the pain for maybe maximum a day? I believe many women just started to feel sorry for themselves, without realizing how many problems it can cause. I remember my mom telling me that she was with me into labor for 2 days. Think, 2 days without any pain killers... But hey, she is alive (Thank God), I am alive and healthy. How women were delivering before, when no any epidural or systematic medications weren't even discovered? Birth is natural. Woman's body is getting ready for it during all these 9 months. I think we just create this myth that it is so hurtful that without medications we can't do it. I believe a person can do anything, he/she just has to believe in this, and not allow fear take over...