Natural birth vs epidural - why not go for no pain (first timer question....)

[Newb]

So next week I have to go to the hospital to talk to them about what kind of birth I want. Apparently here (Switzerland)you can have an epidural right from the start if you want.

Why doesn't everyone go for this?

Presumably it's no pain vs likely hours of lots of pain. I sort of feel at a primitive level that I should try for it as naturally as possible, but why do I think this?

Yours curiously.....(and slightly nervously)

I had an epidural with an induction for the first and no pain relief for the second ( not my choice - he just arrived too quickly to get the gas and air)

On balance I prefered the non epidural, but wouldn't rule it out for a third.

For both of mine I just played it by ear as it went along.