Epidural vs morphine

[NinaMimi]

I noticed most posts talk about epidurals but I haven’t heard much about morphine. I see on pain management info for pregnancy that’s an option. I was once in hospital and morphine helped my pain a lot.
So why do people go for epidurals more? Morphine would seem an easier option than getting a spinal needle. Is it longer lasting? Is it because morphine can be passed onto the baby? Anyone know if that increases any risks with baby or know of any stats on that?

Not given birth yet but i work in childrens surgery where we give epidurals quite often and most of the ones we do are mixed with morphine. So the numbing agent is levobupivacaine which alone would be classed as a plain epirdural. levobupivacaine plus Morphine is a mixed epidural. Not sure if they use plain or mixed for births x

I had an epidural during labour and then morphine after my emergency c-section. I loved both. I think morphine is more likely to space you out where as an epidural does not. I have quite a high threshold for pain relief drugs and it takes an awful lot for me to feel the spaced out feeling with medication, which incidentally, I didn't get with morphine.

The many side effects of morphine will be the issue. It tends to make people drowsy which is no good for active labor, increases risk of needing intervention.

Epidural is actually pretty nifty (if it works), I was off my head on G&A with our 1st and talked in to an epidural. Things went much quicker after having it done as I was more relaxed but still alert. I had a failed epidural with my 2nd, they just didn't get it in the right place (kept complaining I wasn't bending enough, bump was huge) so it did nothing for me. Didn't bother with 3rd, just a bit of G&A. 4&5 (twins) I had a cesarean so a spinal block.