Epidural or Natural?

So apparently this is a very popular question - and one that I have thought very long and hard about. As mums-to-be, we have to make this decision, and of course - it's a very, very personal choice.

I am constantly asked whether I am going to give birth naturally with no pain relief, or if I'm going to have an epidural or gas. -cue every single birth story on the planet ..''In our day, we had no pain relief! We gave birth naturally and felt EVERYTHING''.. ''Women these days have it so easy..", "I never complained when I was pregnant", um.....

I believe women are very strong. We are capable of many, many things, and growing a baby & giving birth is one of the biggest tests of strength we will probably ever encounter in our lives.

What frustrates me is when people judge women for their choice. If you decide to have an epidural, or a natural birth, or an elective caesarian (not for medical reasons - just because you want to) and say they are ''taking the easy way out''.. what a load of poo! Why do we constantly put pressure on each other about these things?

For me - It's pretty simple, if I can avoid feeling the pain of pushing a watermelon out of my body - I'm going to do it.

GIVE ME ALL THE DRUGS!

I applaud the women who are able to give birth without any sort of help, but I also think for me, there's no way my body will be able to handle it. Nor do I want to handle it?

From what I've read, the pain doesn't end when you give birth. From tearing, to stitches, to not being able to bend down, drive, exercise... be able to go to the toilet for days... why would I want to make it worse for myself?

I do understand there are ways to help with a drug-free birth (eg. hypnobirth), but even still.. I've given my obstetrician plenty of notice (and by that I mean within the first appointment of meeting her) that I do not wish to feel any sort of pain what-so-ever. I am just not interested.

At the end of the day, no one really knows how their labour will end up - I just hope women support each others decisions without being judgemental. We are all in the same boat, but we are not all the same!