The Why

Disclaimers:
*You may think I'm even more crazy than you already do after reading this
*A natural birth isn't the best or even possible in all situations and I am very thankful that I was able to have an uncomplicated delivery with very few interventions and most importantly for a healthy baby.

I've been asked by my doctor, my family, my friends, why would I want to have a baby without an epidural? I don't have a cut and dry reason but as I asked myself the question here are a few of the reasons I have come up with:

Reasons why I wanted to do it-
*It is natural and the way it is supposed to be
*There are side effects to every medication including epidurals (some minor that I experienced with Kelsie) if you can do it without a drug, my opinion is that you should. No need to introduce something foreign and unnecessary.
*I wanted to know I was capable and strong enough - kind of like running a marathon, sometimes you do it just to know you can.
*I wanted to be prepared to do it without rather than prepared to do it with and for a painless labor and something to happen where it didn't work or I couldn't get it in time. (This was also so I could play into my fantasy that my labor would be super quick rather than 3 days) I have had several friends who weren't able to get in until they were dilated to a 10 and also several friends who the epidural didn't work for.
*God made it painful as a result of sin - Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (I realize I may be a little off the wall here and I do not by any means judge anyone who disagrees with me I'm just being honest with some of my motivating factors. My labor with Kelsie was practically non existent and I honestly felt guilty about it when thinking about this verse.)
*Cheaper
*I wanted to experience labor (again see reasons above)

Reasons why I will do it again (Aka added benefits I found out after the labor):
*It was an incredible way for Josh to be a part of the labor. I didn't foresee him being so great at helping me through it but he was.
*I was on top of the world and felt like if I could do that I could do anything.
*I could probably write another couple pages on this because it really is hard to put into words what an awesome experience it was for me. Having had my previous labor that was completely medicated, myself or Josh not knowing Kelsie was coming until literally a couple of minutes before she arrived compared to this marathon of a labor the emotions were quite different. The whole pregnancy is obviously work and a marathon in and of itself but a natural labor, for me, was even more so. I honestly struggle to put it into words. The process wasn't necessarily enjoyable but the end result was so worth it. The endorphins that kick in, the sense of accomplishment, the way you work through increasingly difficult and painful contractions to have the greatest reward at the end. To be quite honest I was somewhat disappointed with my first labor experience and this was everything I ever wanted it to be.

(A lot of this is owed to having a spectacular nurse who has made me consider labor and delivery as a future endeavor. How much control the medical community has over your experience and how unpredictable it is also makes me realize why so many people choose midwives, birthing centers, and homebirths)

I was told so many horror stories throughout my pregnancy of terrible labors and I wanted to tell my story to anyone who wanted to listen and know that you can have an awesome experience even without medication.