I hafta say however that I find it odd when people consider it a source of pride when they give birth without an epidural.
Would you consider having a root canal without medication?
LOL -- I was thinking along the same line.
10 days ago, my daughter and her husband had their second child. Dd couldn't talk through contractions, but they weren't consistent, and she wanted to wash her hair first. In the middle of that, she realized washing her hair had been a BAD idea, and we all made a mad 20 mile dash to the hospital.
Epidural was administered, and the baby was born about two hours later.