Vaginal Birth via Epidural or Ala Naturale

I'm definitely going to try for vaginal birth if everything goes smoothly and if doc give me the green light. However, I still have the option to choose whether do I want painkillers to assist me during labour and delivery.

Well, of course if I can bear it throughout, I would definitely want to bear the pain and go all natural. The question is the big IF. IF I can bear it.

If I reject the epidural initially and when the pain gets unbearable, it will be too late to take the epidural jab by then because it needs time for the epidural to take effect. And if worse comes worse, I somehow have too much pain and have no more energy to push, caesarian would then by the next process...which is something I want to avoid!

On another note, although I read in all pregnancy books that epidural are relatively safe (of coz with some risks), but I heard friends who tell me that they have some side effects. I wonder if it is true.

My mum of course is all pro for me to go ala-naturale all the way. She even discourage me to take any form of painkillers. She says so with a point. She went through 3 successful deliveries via ala naturale.

But I do not want her to make me do something I am not comfortable with. I want to be able to have the options to choose what makes me feel the most comfortable.