Since becoming pregnant I frequent about two forums regularly that are about pregnancy and babies. I like to soak in a lot of information when doing something and obviously childbirth and pregnancy are a pretty huge part of what I am and have been about this past nine months.

Something that really irritates me on some of these threads is the discussion between medicated and non-medicated births. The comment that really really irritates me about women that get the epidural is along the lines of this: “I’m not trying to prove anything, there’s no medals for giving birth without drugs, so I won’t be doing it without them.”

Alright, that’s fine you don’t want to do it without an epidural. I personally couldn’t care less how someone has their child as long as they’re healthy and both of them come out alright. That’s all that matters in the end, right? Well, the main thing that irritates me is that most women (I don’t want to say all) that I’ve seen which want to try it without drugs is not for gloating rights, not to say that they are tougher than any other woman, and not for any medals. They want to do it because they feel it is better for them and the child.

My reasons for trying without an epidural? I already have a pretty messed up back from about 11 years ago in an accident. I don’t really feel like having a needle go into my spine to further any back problems. I would really like to be mobile as soon as possible after the birth as well, and not with assistance even though I’ll be sore and possibly tore!

Am I pushing the thoughts of medicine out if it’s way too painful for me? Of course not. It’s just not going to be something high on my list while I go into labor.

It’s just so irritating that women who do get epidurals as those that aren’t as they are trying to prove something. Don’t worry about how other people birth their babies and just worry about yourself.

Then again, that’s not what this world about, is it?