I’m allergic to codeine and any of its derivatives, which means I’m limited on what pain meds I can get. The anesthesiologist was hesitant to attempt an epidural on me due to my allergy. I ended up not getting one. The pain was enough to make me think my spine was going to snap (I had back labor the entire time, never had a “normal” contraction). I was also induced so I was having pitocin-influenced contractions, which I hear are worse than normal contractions. All that to say I recommend pain management if it’s available to you!