That said, I agree with the general consensus. As a father of 2, soon to be 3 children, it has never been a consideration--despite the evangelism of home-birthers we know. There is little upside except for the money saving and there is a lot of downside. Then again, I'm of the opinion that an epidural will actually make your childbearing experience more special because you can focus on the experience, not the pain; so I'm probably not the one to ask.