With my first labour i was quite fearful and really had no idea how the body worked at all during labour. I ended up having gas for most of it just to knock myself out of it so i wouldn't really feel much and i also had pethadine. For my second though i went in there knowing so much more and i was scared about the birth itself(for other reasons due to having such a bad experience last time) but i wasnt scared of the contractions at all. Yeah it hurt but i went almost 30 hours without pain relief and that was with a posterior labour. I did end up having an epidural in the last 7hrs but only because i was so tired(and labout kept stopping and starting) not because of the pain. For my next one i am planning a homebirth which will hopfully help with the stopping and starting business(labour would start up again soon as i got home after been sent away from hossie)

Having this knowledge you've given us too i think will help me a lot aswell. Thanks again!