[chrismorgan]

My wife works at a leading private maternity hospital in India. I can’t yet report from personal experience, but my wife says that epidurals are normal procedure, and per the hospital’s published statistics, about 90% choosing to give birth propped up or squatting (this figure excludes C-sections, water births, and complicated cases), which implies not being in a bed for at least the last part.

[exolymph]

No, you can squat in the hospital bed. (Source: have given birth.) I'm not sure whether this is the same in India, but in the USA most hospitals don't want you to get out of bed post-epidural because you're a fall risk which incurs legal liability.

[chrismorgan]

I confirmed with my wife, a squatting delivery after epidural is not in the bed.