As all the previous posters have said, you definitely don't need to decide on your pain relief now, but it is good to have an understanding of what is available before you go into labour. For next time I'm going to have a birthplan of what I'd ideally like to happen.
If you do decide to have an epidural make sure the midwife checks to see how far dilated you arebefore you have one! I went in to be induced at 41 weeks and the midwives thought I'd be there for hours so were telling me that the contractions I was feeling was just the begining (they hadn't checked me at all till after I'd had the epidural) so I decided to have the epidural, and when they checked the cervix moments after the epidural I was fully dilated already, so they turned the epidural right back so I could feel the contractions and when to push, but there was no pain and I didn't need any further intervention and only had a couple of stitches - I was a bit disappointed about having it considering I'd come so far without it, but the end result is worth it!
Think about what you want to use and dont be pressured by OB into anything!!
options are water (shower and or bath), heat packs, massage,counter pressure, aromatherpay, music, hypnotherapy/hypnobirthing, position changes (especially standing, all 4rs, sittinng on toilet, sitting on bath. and more
ot nitrous oxide gas
tens machines are great!! physios hire them out
sterile water injections (if hospital offers them)
Pethidine
and then epidural!!
You are better to discuss with partner what you do and dont want and remmeber to be active in your labour move around as much as you can and be as upright as you can!!
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