I have decided that I would like to give birth in the midwife-led-birthing-unit which is attached to my hospital, as it is a much more relaxed environment, but emergency intervention will be close by if needed.
I think that I would like to try a birthing pool, but maybe just for part of the labour. For pain relief I would like to have entonox and probably pethadine, but I know that i definitely do not want an epidural. This is because I would like to remain as active as possible during the labour, and find that I can manage pain better if I am free to move around. Also I am needle-phobic, and feel that even the thought of having the edidural placed into my back would distress me too much, and take my focus away from the birth. Thirdly, two of my aunts had epidurals, and both now have ongoing back problems.
However I agree that every woman has different opinions, and the right to labour how and where she wishes. After all we are all individual and no-one should feel that they are in any way better than, or alternatively, less of a woman than any body else, just because of how they choose to give birth. The main thing is that their baby is born safe and healthy.
xx