Just want to second the comments about spinals. I have never had an epi. I was given a choice of what to have but I had been in labour without much pain relief (only gas for an hour or so) prior to going to theatre. The spinal was explained to me in more positive terms than the epi but I'd only read up on epi's and knew I didn't like the sound of them! The spinal started wearing off after about an hour and I had full feeling back after about 2 hours even though I was still flat on my back. I started breastfeeding in recovery, within an hour of DS birth.