I just heard the saddest story today. An older couple that use to live on our street and went to our church , their daughter just died last week.
She had just given birth about 3 weeks ago to their 3rd baby. She got spinal meningitis from the epidural. She ended up having a couple strokes and died. She was probably in her early 30's.
It is a very rare thing to have happen, but it still scares me. I didn't have much luck with my epidurals as it is and was thinking about something different. And the fact that this lady had her 3rd baby and I am having my 3rd baby. And she had 3 girls and I am having my 3rd girl. I am delivering at a different hospital than her.
It's so sad. I have been thinking about it all day and it just breaks my heart for the little girls and her husband not having a mom anymore.

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Austin
Mom to 3 beautiful girls

That breaks my heart, too. Do what is right for you. You will know when it is time. I would be scared, too.

That is so sad.Plenty of women give birth without an epidural, and you can to if that's what you want.

That is very sad.

I had an epidural with my first, and nothing with my second. My labor and recovery was much quicker the second time.

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"It's time to move from what we can do, to what we must do, to what we will do." ~Hillary Clinton

Skip the epidural. I have never had one with my 7.

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~Happiness is a large family~

That is so sad! I have had 2 babys with no epideral if it scares you then don't do it. Its not that bad really! Good luck to you.

I didn't have one with my first 2, I was young and not really given the option. I wanted one with the 3rd one, but my husband didn't want anyone sticking a needle in my spine. I ended up having to have one anyway because I had a c-section. My 4th one was a vbac, and I did op for the epidural, but it didn't really help anyway.
I say, skip the epidural. I have heard that having your labor in a bath tub is wonderful. Wasn't an option at my hospital, but I am now thinking, if I would have asked, they probably would have let me use the shower until the last stages.

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I have nothing to declare except my genius."
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) upon arriving at U.S. customs 1882

I didn't have an epidural with either of mine. I had no pain meds with my first and I had some through an IV w/ my second but they didn't have really enough time to kick in b/c she was born only 5 mins after they broke my water ( they gave them to me when they broke my water). You can do it w/out. I've heard that labor goes faster w/out epi. any way.

I didn't have one with my first but I did with Logan -- and that 15 minutes or so, before they rushed me for an emergency c-section, was prue heaven! I wish I would have had one with Liliana.

But I suppose with any medical treatment there are always risks.

I'd talk to your doctor about IV pain meds. I had them with both of my boys. They took the edge off enough to let me sleep between contractions but didn't numb me to where I couldn't listen to my body the way an epidural will.

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