I've seen it done twice and it ain't fun
There was a report recently collating data on different methods of pain management in childbirth which concluded that painkillers are "the shit". Entenox/TENS/hippy breathing methods/etc. are all pointless bollocks (I'm paraphrasing the scientists here)
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 21:54, 1 reply, 12 years ago)

To quote my wife about five minutes after my daughter was born:
"Thank fuck for the epidural"
( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 21:59, Reply)

See now, a needle in the spine actually sounds worse to me than the childbirth
it can go horribly, horribly wrong.
(berk, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 22:02, Reply)

We'd researched it and had a private consultation about the risks so knew the options.
Came down to the confidence she had in the person conducting the procedure and the level of risk that had been talked about at the consultation.
( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 22:04, Reply)

My wife had our first with just gas and air
Then was determined to have an epidural for the second.
In the event things happened too quickly for that to be possible, but she did manage to get a shot of Pethidine.
I can't comment on how that affected the pain because I don't know, but it calmed her the fuck down.
Opiates FTW!
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 22:05, Reply)

Tried pethidene first - made her puke like something you'd see watching the exorcist

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 22:09, Reply)

Lightweight!
Yeah, that can be a downside of opiates.
Novice heroin users often vomit the first few times, but it is wonderfully moreish...
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 22:11, Reply)

Morphine was absolutely wonderful
until I tried to move. Then it went badly, messily wrong.
(berk, Thu 22 Mar 2012, 22:13, Reply)