I like the Mai Tai idea! LoL! I had 6 kids and had all but the 2nd with an epidural. She was el'natural. I had no problems with any of it.

I don't like the thought of someone sticking a long needle into my spine!!! although i dont' remember my son's birth. heaven knows what they gave me. but it wasn't a spinal. I hadn't slept for a week due to labor pains. perhaps i fell asleep? Hmmm.

It is understandable that you are nervous, but it is your daughter's decision, not yours, so do be careful what you say. (This goes double on issues about breastfeeding!)

As for your own worries, there are upsides and downsides for everything but, in the vast majority of cases, epidural is very safe, and the knowledge that it is available is enormously reassuring to moms-to-be who have been frightened by Hollywood depictions of childbirth or other horror stories which people just cannot zip their lip about..

There is no real reason to worry because, if your daugher is contra-indicated for one, she won't get one, no matter how loudly she screams for one (I was that soldier). I have delivered with and without and I think it is a great thing that there is a choice for women. Some people suffer greatly in giving birth, some don't- she may not have one on the day, but it sounds like it is important to her to feel that one will be available, so I would advise you not to undermine that- she has very likely weighed up the pros and cons herself with her care providers before making her decision.

Enjoy your grandbaby.

totally against them too! had one.....22 years ago but it was terrible. In later years another doctor told me that from what i described they went further in than they should have and basically I had a spinal.....and was not kept laying down. I suffered for weeks afterwards with almost unbearable neck and back pain and a new baby. I had 4 more completely natural and they were a piece of cake. Complications with #6 required emergency c section and being knocked out.

they didnt do them, that i remember, when i hsd mine. when my girls had theirs i thought it was the whimpy way to go. a nurse set me strait, all 8 grndkds came with epi. why be in pain if it is not necessary. these days the delivery can b a very pleasant experience. so why not? it is completely up to mom. i just heard about birthing in water, sounds interesting.

Everyone has different levels of pain they can tolerate. My first I did with no drugs at all, my second I did with minimal drugs, and my third I had an epidural with. My experience wasn't that great. I had back labor and it doesn't help with that. So I want through the pain of getting the epidural and it didn't work like it could have.
A friend of mine had it(our babies were 6 weeks apart) and she just loved it. This was her 5th child...a little surprise baby, her youngest before that was 15.
Lol, and you'll have to inform her that she won't get one as soon as she walks into the hospital, that she has to be so far into labor before they will give it to her.
I wish her the best for a quick and painless labor. Hope you post baby pics. :)

There are so many variables - you just never know what might happen! We did the Lamaze classes; with our first, spent 18 hrs in labour then an epidural then a few hours later an c-section - under epidural - DH got to stay in the OR, first to hold our new baby boy. Next two were also long labours, epidurals and 'VBAC' (vaginal birth after cesearian) - with both of my girls, we were almost at the decision point to have to go cesearian again, they finally turned at the last minute and out they came!

Both the births for the girls - only one side 'took' - really bizarre having relief only on one side!

The best advice I'd offer - do your research, know what the options are, be prepared for anything!

Agreed. I had one two years ago when my daughter was born. They wouldn't give me one right away. They gave me injectable drugs first (against my better judgement.) When they did give me the epidural, it was great...except one little spot on my left side which was unaffected...so I still felt contractions there. This was good for when I started pushing..helped me know it was time to push. However, I too ended up have a C-section when the Doc decided my pelvis wasn't shaped right either. My daughter is almost two and the most beautiful little person on the planet! She'll be ok. It hurts, but she can take it! The Doc's won't let her go through unnecessary pain.
Congrats on impending Gramma-hood! Best wishes for Momma and Baby!

I think the best thing to do is leave the decision up to the mother and doctor and refrain from any negative statements like, "when I had mine I didn't need it" etc. New mom's have enough worries and things they will feel guilty about. They don't need to feel looked down on by others or to feel pressured into doing it the "right" way. There is no right way as everyone is different. I had 2 epidurals and I napped during labor and enjoyed my deliveries.

Whatever she wants to do is the right decision for her.
I was supposed to go in to be induced, and found out my DS was full breach. The decision was out of my hands at that point because the standard of care was C-section for breach deliveries. I'm just glad they found out before I spent a day in labour!
I firmly believe that no woman has the right to tell another how to give birth.(even if you're her mother and have strong opinions one way or another) OK, I'm off the soapbox now.