The thing that I found, was that I didn't have the right information going into the birth. I seriously didn't even know that lying on my back would be the worst possible position in terms of both pain and speedy labour. I mean after all, they're always on their backs in movies and on TV!

So when I was told to lie on my back for an internal and then got a contraction (the first one that hurt, I wonder if that's a coincidence), then they said "it will be at least 8 hours more of this pain and the anaethisist is about to leave - have an epidural now or you won't have a choice", and then badgered me when I was uncertain - well I believed them and had it. And later regretted it.

I think what would be really useful for women is to have birthing positions and active labour explained to them, and the pros and cons of pain relief better explained. Sure I was told there were risks with an epidural, but no-one told me how much more likely intervention was going to be, no-one told me that I would have pain for weeks afterwards because I would need an episotomy due to forceps use, no-one told me that having an epidural makes you feel like an invalid after the birth, rather than fantastic and invincible like you do after a drug free birth. I was also told of the "1/100" risk of severe headache. After the epidural was in, the anaethesist told me that I would have been that 1/100 with a less experienced doctor, as I had a very small space and he nearly missed it. Very reassuring!