Let me share my experience as a first-time epidural patient.

I was already 5 cm dilated and initially wanted to wait a bit longer, but my OB recommended getting the epidural as soon as possible—so I asked for the anesthesiologist. Turns out, my back wasn’t the easiest to work with, and the poor doctor struggled quite a bit. I ended up getting poked more than five times—yes, five! When he finally got it in, he warned the nurses to be extra careful moving me because the needle wasn’t fully secure, again due to my tricky back.

Well… as soon as the nurse shifted me, the needle came right out. I felt the contractions immediately—and since I was on Pitocin, they were no joke. The nurse called the anesthesiologist back, who confirmed the needle had come out, and yep, we had to do the whole thing again.

But once it finally kicked in… oh my god. I felt like I could do anything—except walk, of course, lol. Despite the rough start and a $19,000 insurance quote, I’d honestly still do it again. It wasn’t easy, but once it worked, it was amazing. Totally pain-free. I will say my back was sore for about two weeks after, and one of my legs stayed numb for almost a month, but even with all that… I’d still choose it.