FM-Do you have any stats for women who 'are being denied' an epidural? I was given one as soon as I asked.
No, and they aren't even collected! Isn't that terrible? And denied or grossly delayed would be the accurate measure with grossly delayed being more common anecdotally. I've actually talked with many more mums than the 10 personal friends I mentioned, but that's a fair anecdotal sample (across 2 cities) of women who got less than they asked for in the epidural dept.

I got huge pushback from the nurses and I'm not even counting me because it wasn't an Australian hospital. They look at you like you're a leper. Then they say "ooooh not yet dear you can hold on" then they patronise you, then they say "soon" and finally when I (and several women from my moms group later told me too) say we'll go outside the LDR and make a fuss they "give in".

Sadly this is not uncommon. It may or may not be x% of epidurals given, but frankly ANY experiences like that are totally unacceptable and I know personally of many many more than several.