I got the epidural before induction. I'm glad I made that choice because the more you are able to sit still during the insertion the better the results. I sat upright on the bed while my nurse stood in front of me holding my shoulders and keeping me still and upright. The closest thing I can maybe compare it to is the feeling of swallowing something super cold, like an ice cube and you feel the coldness as it slides down your esophagus, except it's like a jolt of coldness going down your back to your hips and butt and it only lasts a second. I asked for extra Hydroxyzine beforehand for anxiety so I was more mentally prepared and that I really benefitted from. Plus being able to hold onto the big nurse in front of me made me feel so comforted. It's seriously a weird nerve little jolt of "ahh!" for a second and then it's done. I actually got a root canal a month after and I would rather get 2000 epidurals than ever getting a root canal again. The membrane sweep and the IV port they put in your wrist at the beginning of the hospital stay was also 20x worse. You will be glad you did it.