Why not?

I've wanted to post about this for some time now - probably about a year, but have been somewhat wary because of the sensitive nature of the subject. I'm a reasonably opinionated person and once wrote about a topic that I feel very strongly about but somehow it all came out wrong so I withdrew the post. So, I post now with a small degree of trepidation, only because I know that the decision to experience an unmedicated birth is, for some, a deeply personal subject.
Not so much for me. I often have people ask me why I prefer to forego an epidural during childbirth (which is largely why I post about it now, because I've been asked SO many times, I thought I'd get it down on paper). My response to them: "Because I was curious." Although an epidural seems to go hand-in-hand with labor nowadays, with most medical professionals assuming that is the route each and every woman is going to take, I couldn't resist the draw to experience labor in all its glory. Just because. It's not as if I was opposed to medication - or that I would feel a failure for giving into the pleasure of a pain-free birth experience. I simply wanted to try it.
What I didn't know was that a unmedicated labor isn't something one just tries. One needs adequate preparation. So, after giving birth to my oldest and realizing that the oh-so-wonderful epidural I received came just 15 minutes before I was fully dilated, I decided to give it another go the second time around. I read numerous books on "natural childbirth" and talked to several moms about how they manage the pain, which empowered me to labor mostly at home with my second daughter, make it to the hospital only 45 minutes before giving birth to her and satisfy my curiosity about this whole childbirth thingy.
So, my curiosity abated, is it masochistic to keep doing it this way? Not at all. I really like it. To some, that may seem like lunacy. Much like it sounds insane to me to run over 26 miles in several hours. But tell that to one who has competed in a number of marathons and she'll probably tell you that, though tiring (and possibly painful at times), to accomplish a seemingly insurmountable goal is exhilarating. It's not like I enjoy contractions. Or that I feel completely composed while my insides feel like they're being crushed. But, in this case, for me, the outcome fully justifies the agony. Both times, my babies have been fully alert, ready to eat and placed gently in my arms without the complications that the IV's, catheters and numb legs resulting from epidurals present.
I could go on and on about the risks associated with epidurals, but you can research it for yourselves. Besides, it was only after I had committed myself to trying labor without medication that I discovered that information. Sure, the risks are small. But in my simple cost-benefit analysis and personal experience, I've found foregoing the epidural to be well worth it. And not just because it saved me $70 in coinsurance.
One final thought: no one can analyze another's labor. I've had a few well-meaning people somewhat minimize my pain by saying things like "well, your babies come fast" or "you were born to give birth". Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't. It's too subjective an experience to presume something like that. Which is why I perfectly understand why someone would opt for an epidural. Even the best of labors is, unless you are some lucky soul, excruciating.
So there you have it. I'm crazy and I love it. So, if you think you might be crazy enough to try birthing without an epidural, email me. I'm just full of ideas. You may find it to be horrific. You might discover it to be wondrous. More than likely, it'll be both.