Yes, of course there are cases of epidurals causing paralysis and/or death. I never said that there weren’t. I was just wondering how the statistics measure up against deaths and serious injury in home births. I think that many hospitals do offer the walking epidural, you just have to ask for it. Even if you don’t get a walking one, you’re not confined to lying on your back – that’s not true anymore. You can sit up and change positions.
Anyway, the argument here isn’t only concerning epidural complications. I know a few people whose “routine” births would have ended tragically if not for the presence of a doctor. I’d much rather not take the risk. If you can stand up for yourself, like smartcookie said, and not just go along with what the doctor says, I’d stick with hospital births. Just in case.