Next time round, I'm going to be encouraging my wife to get an epidural (if she wants one). I'm amazed by how much safer it is than people realise!
Phoebe Arslanagić-Little (@PMArslanagic)
When I gave birth, I napped, drank tea, and felt no pain. Pain fibres are blocked more easily than those that carry the sensation of touch and movement, so even with my epidural I still felt my legs, my husband's hand and my daughter's head. The lack of discomfort was surreal.
Modern epidurals are extremely effective and safe. They carry basically no risk to the mother or the baby and may, in fact, decrease her risk of postnatal depression and PTSD. Yet uptake varies enormously between countries. About 82% of French women receive an epidural whereas, in England, I am part of a 31% minority. If you've received care from the NHS, it is clear why: an ingrained cultural emphasis on natural births means women are barely informed that epidurals exist and how effective they are.
Read about the miracle technology of epidurals from me in Works in Progress.
worksinprogress.co/issue/the…
— https://nitter.net/PMArslanagic/status/2067963261236990037#m