I am the opposite freak, i was chatting calmly during crowning. I did get to feeling screamy, for one contraction when i was in the bath, but the pain was so much worse when i screamed (actually i was mooing, but it went high and turned into a strangled moaaaaiiieeee), i went back to deep slow breathing and low tones right away.

Did you practice pain-coping techniques beforehand? I definitely think preparation helped me, because on the few occasions when i began to lose it and fight the pain it hurt much more and i remembered that the stuff had read had told me that - that if i wasn't relaxed it would all hurt a lot more. Also i had read SO much, like all the various things that could happen - i got the shivers too and i knew it was because the blood diverting to my uterus meant my major organs were getting a bit neglected and my body thought i was cold and was making me shiver - it happens when i run long distances too. I knew i might throw up and that if i did it would really help open my cervix (as Ina May puts it "as above, so below!" lol), i knew that when i began to lose it and think i couldn't go on (which i did) it was just the adrenalin rush of transition (it was) and i would be holding the baby soon (soonish - an hour or 2!). There were things that shocked me about labour, but nothing that shocked me too much, if that makes sense.

I was at home. I would have been RIGID with fear and no doubt screaming the place down in hospital.

Bx