The epidural is amazing!!
My birth plan was to go with no epidural but i was induced and after 7 hours of extreme contractions and after trying the fentanyl i was having a STRONG urge to push however i was only 6 cms and was worried i would irritate my cervix which would cause issues if i kept trying to push and I was also starting to get exhausted and couldnt take the pain anymore.. So i was starting to stress myself out, I eventually had it and it was so amazing!! By resting my cervix could fully dilate and i could get some rest to push really well when the time came! I probably spent about 20 minutes pushing and he was out!

But I also believe that going as long as i could without the epidural helped things move and progress along really well rather then just getting it asap, so i will be getting it next time but probably after waiting to see how far i can go without it. Its seriously the best thing ever though!!!

I had an epidural with my 1st who had to be induced. I found those contractions alot more painful than goi g into natural labour with my 2nd. Also being my first pushing took a bit longer and the epidural started to wear off so then I was a more able to feel what I was doing. My 2nd was no pain relief and I was rather proud of myself for that and for that experience. It was painful but not unbearable, all pregnancies are different so maybe keep your options open. I am hopjng for another natural birth but keeping the epidural option there if it gets too much

I would get the epidural. I got it and literally was in no pain at all til it was time to push. When it was time to push it wore off. It sucked. 2 and 1/2 hours of pushing and the still had to yank him out of me. He had a prolapsed cord.

I went completely unmedicated. I would suggest just keeping your options open because you won't know until you're in the situation.
I do feel like being unmedicated helped my birth go more quickly. My pushing only took about 5 minutes. It hurt but I'd go unmedicated again (with the option of an epidural if I so desired.)
Also something I did differently the second time around to get my VBAC: for the last month or so of the pregnancy I saw the chiropractor regularly to make sure my pelvis was aligned and I took red raspberry leaf capsules.

Get the epidural!you cant rest up until its time to push when you will definitely need all of your strength! I got it and it was the best decision of my LIFE!will be doing it with this one as well!

I'm in my 4th and I've had one spinal ( my 1st got stuck ) and 2 unmediated.
My youngest I pushed his head out in the car I literally had nothing lol.
It's not that bad well it is but it's totally manageable but with saying that.
U don't get a medal for going unmediated it is either u feel the pain or u don't.
I was going to opt for the epidural this time but a friend said that if I have the epi then the baby won't get the natural pain relief my body would provide as my body doesn't know to release it as I can't feel pain so I ended up feeling guilty an decided I'll go natural pain free again.
Tbh tho u could try to go pain free then ask if u need it.

I really enjoyed both my births because of the epidural. I pretty much got to sleep until it was time to push. there’s some back pain during the healing process but honestly everything is in pain during the healing process.