I don't know a lot when it comes to the topic of pregnancy and i definitely don't know what it's like to experience the pain of labour. I don't think anything compares!! I have been told that there is nothing that can compare (although they say kidney stones are about as close to the pain that a man will feel!). I can't comment on prenatal education given that i'm not quite up to that stage yet but how can you describe the worst pain without scaring everyone to death???!!! Is there a way to describe this pain so that it can be made accurate and so that informed choices can be made regarding pain relief? I personally think from what i've seen and heard that you can have every woman under the sun explain to you what the pain felt like and even though you think you understand...you are still taken by suprise when the time actually comes for you. Having said this I don't believe in concrete birth plans...i think they need to be a fluid document because we don't know what the pain will be like so who knows what assistance we may need. I think a lot of the struggle comes by dealing with it psychologically first....you need to mentally prepare yourself and tell yourself that you can do it but that you're not a failure if you need help. As i said, i don't really know because i haven't done it yet...I've booked into a hospital that doesn't offer epidural as primary pain management which suits me to a tee because i don't want an epidural (unless there is a medical/emergency reason why i need it and then this hospital will do it). They do offer all other forms of pain relief and my thinking is...i don't know what it is going to be like...i think i can tolerate pain but have i ever had pain like this? I am hoping with my DH there helping me along i can do it...but if i need help...the options are there.

Sorry, i probably just rambled and went completely off track which i do often but i think what Kelly has said is a very valid point. An interesting topic.