why i choose natural child birth

I had heard a lot about childbirth over the years from my mom, sister and my friends. They all said it was so painful i had to do an epideral. so when i had my first daughter i didn't even bother with a childbirth class. I was getting the drugs so what did i need them for? They were gonna give me the magic shot and i wouldn't feel a thing... It didn't work out that way. I got the shot at 4 cm and it stopped my labor. I was stuck at 6 cm from 11pm to 5am when they gave me pitocin to speed it up... then my epideral wore off and by the time the dr got there to give me more i was pushing. It was the worst scray experience of my life. I hated the epideral i couldn't move or feel any urge to push. I felt helpless and out of control. I pannicked and wasn't able to breath. It was not the experience i wanted at all. So when I got pregnant with my other daughter i said no epideral!!! I couldn't afford the birth classes i wanted to take so i bought the bradley method (husband coaching) books online and read them over and over through out my pregnancy. I learned how to breath and meditate. It sounds so corny beleive me but when the time came i was fine. I breathed through my contractions and relaxed my body and it worked! i felt calm and in control. I didn't scream until the end when it was time to push. I was in labor for 6 hours and only screamed the last 5 minutes lol! I pushed her out in 3 pushes and held her in my arms and felt wonderful! No drugs to cloud my mind or stop me from moving. It was amazing. We were laughing seconds after her birth and celebrating! I walked 5 minutes after birthing the placenta. I was a little sore but i felt incredible. Everyone was amazed at how great i looked just an hour after giving birth. i had energy and was moving around. The other woman on the ward who had the magic shot were all laying in bed sleeping from the drugs and i got to enjoy my baby and family. It was so wonderful. To women out there who are going to have an epideral just read up about it and choose what is best for you. it is true that you can survive labor with out screaming (until the end anyway) and no drugs. Sometimes an epiderual is given to lower your blood pressure but you can also do that by staying calm and relaxing through the contractions instead of tensing up. I don't think it is wrong to take drugs through labor at all but if you want to feel great look great and be in control while you are birithing your baby try natural. The pain doesn't kill you and you start enjoying your baby instantly rather then the next day.