Does getting an epidural hurt?
Every woman has a different pain tolerance, so you won’t really know until you do it.
Many women get an epidural as a way to deal with labor pain. The truth is that some women will say getting the epidural was the easiest and best part of their labor, while others may not have had such a positive experience.
It all depends on your pain tolerance and how much pain you are in when you ask for it — which can change your perspective. It also depends on whether or not it was a difficult placement. Some things that can make placing an epidural more difficult for an anesthesiologist include maternal obesity, a history of spinal surgery or scoliosis, or mom being so uncomfortable that she can’t sit still while it is being done. Rest assured that many women can vouch for their epidural placements being quick and easy.
Reviewed by Dr. Jen Lincoln, December 2018
I opted for an epidural and luckily everything went very smoothly. I think that the pain of having one inserted is worth it in the long run if you want to have a painless labor and delivery!