Yep, epi = bed. They're not going to want to place it and then have the risk of it falling or not working properly. Even with a low dose, I'd imagine it would be very difficult to hold yourself up on a stool.

This might seem an odd question, but do you have big boobs? I laboured/birthed on my hands and knees, leaning over a fit ball for support. I knelt on a foam mat so my knees weren't too sore, the only thing that was uncomfy about it was after the birth, my chest was a bit sore from leaning on the fit ball for so long and smooshing my boobs into my chest.
I'm a D cup, so not huge.

Damn, I'm finding it really hard to weigh up the pros and cons of an epi (with the "bed bound" consequences) with pethadine. Peth would enable me to be upright and not immobile but it has more impact on bubs.

Last labour I though I needed to half the pain, not totally remove it. So an epi is overkill, and the idea of peth sounds good (except the consequences on bub ) but the natural methods (I did try tens for the first day or so!) weren't enough.