I'll just chip in on the pethadine topic (yep I also wanted a lovely drug free birth and ended up having the works! Pethadine, epi and emergency c-section). I didn't want the peth because I'd heard bad stories about it, but I was so desperate for something when I got to hospital I had it and found it great. It was 4am and I was so exhausted, the midwife turned off the lights and left us alone for a few hours to rest, it took the edge of the pain and I did get some rest for a couple of hours, plus no side affects that I knew of.