I fell into the obese category but am at the lower end of it - size 14 bottom half size 18 top half. My BMI was not high enough to be considered a risk.

I actually wanted an epidural but I was never offered one. At the second midwife appointment I was told that the hospital doesn't do them routinely and it would only be given if it was necessary. I birthed at a public hospital.

I had a long labour - 15 hours 1st stage & almost 2 hours 2nd stage plus a day of prelabour. I told them when I arrived at hossy that I wanted an epi but the subject just never came up in the labour room & I completely forgot about it. I was 6cms dilated when I got to hossy & needed gas straight away.

I think I had 2 or maybe 3 shots of peth & something for nausea. In the end I had to have some Syntocyn to get the labour going a bit faster as after all those hours it started to recede & then it was stirrups, snip snip & out he got vacced. The intervention was by no means a bad experience. I was just so glad to get my little man out safely after all that time.

If I was to go through birth again I think I'd be pushing for an epi because by the time I got to pushing I was completely exhausted and I'm sure that was partially due to my weight (as well as the long labour).