Hi Mummato2 my first labour was natural it was 9 hours start to finish and posterior, the pain built slowly, I was tired towards the end and contractions were coming quickly and had 2 peaks until bub turned to anterior, I was offered an epidural but the thought of the huge needle going in to my spine scared me to death so I declined. I did use the gas and had some pethidine.

My second labour I was induced with a synto drip, it was cruel like the some of the others have said 0 to 100 instantly!! No control whatsoever and no chance to get used to it from a natural build up, I would be terrified if I was to have another induction this time! Although it was very quick, I think if I was left to labour in my own time it would still have been fairly fast once active labour was established, but not so traumatic. ( It was 15yrs ago a public holiday and in the middle of a doctor and nurses strike, they wanted it over with and I interrupted the docs golf game well excuse me!) My waters had broken in the morning just leaking in trickles but back then as soon as your waters broke you had to go in to the hospital and stay there. Even though my waters broke there were no real contractions to speak of that's why they hooked up the drip to get it moving. From start of drip it was 1hr45mins till DS was born, but OMG so painful and out of control, and once he was born it wasn't over the contractions kept coming hard and fast the placenta wouldn't budge so ended in a manual removal which I woke up half way through and was not pleasant at all.

I would definitely go for the natural start to labour any day!
Good luck whichever way you go