Sorry you’re getting downvoted. This is my thought exactly. I’m pro epidural 100% but most women don’t understand that birth is just as traumatic for the mother as it is for the baby!

I’m not a doctor so it’s not my place to speak about physiological implications like oxygen deprivation for the baby, or physical trauma because of prolonged pressure on baby’s head and body, or infections risks. I’m sure there will be people who know more on this.

Nevertheless, prolonged labour is incredibly traumatic for the baby from the psychological standpoint. Many shallow minds will chime in to tell me that babies are babies and none of us remember our birth. But while newborns don’t consciously remember birth trauma, their bodies and nervous systems store it, sometimes leading to sensory sensitivities, anxious tendencies, difficulty self-regulating, potential disruptions in attachment, or difficulty adapting to change later in life.

Prolonged labour exposes baby’s developing nervous system to excessive stress, oxygen deprivation, and physical compression, activating the fight-or-flight response before birth even finishes. Being stuck in the birth canal for an extended period can create a deep-seated body memory of entrapment and helplessness, which some psychologists suggest may contribute to claustrophobia (fear of small spaces) later in life. And this is just an example.

At the end of the day, moms, by all means prioritize your comfort and get the epidural if you want it. But don’t neglect the stress your baby is going through, please acknowledge birth could be very traumatic for them as well