Why?

After having several people ask me why I have chosen to not get an epidural with both of my children's births...and each time coming up with seemingly lame answers...I decided I'd give it a little thought and put it into words.

• I've always had a GREAT fear of pain (like I was the high schooler at the Health Clinic having to lay down and get a juice box after getting a shot), and I want to lessen that fear. Have more self control...mind over matter.
• There is something sweet about the camaraderie and team work that comes when working with such dear friends and family to work through each contraction.
• I hate shots...and boy is that a BIG shot. Sounds like a silly reason, but I'd be lying if I didn't include it :0)
• For whatever reason growing up this is the type of birth I envisioned for my children.
• It has helped me to deal better with pain. Like the fact that I am VERY much a clutz and am forever stubbing my toe, hitting my head, running into this and that. Instead of getting all hyped up about it I tell myself that this little pain is preparing me for much bigger pain (during birth)...and somehow that helps me to calmly breathe it away.
  
• It's cheaper. OK, with insurance and everything I don't know how much cheaper, but it's at least a small motivation for me.
  
• There's a great sense of personal accomplishment when the baby is crowning. NOT a "I'm cooler and better than you for having done it this way!"...but a sense of inner victory for having set out and accomplished something so big.
• Being able to look back on those intense moments, knowing that I made it through, I draw strength to get through other trying and hard moments in life.

When it comes down to it, birth is such a personal and intimate experience...it's great that we each get to choose the type of birth story that we want, ya know? In fact, shortly after giving birth to Alexander I was joking with a nurse that after two unmedicated births, maybe I'd get an epidural with baby #3! You never know ;0)