I don't think the times have changed all that much. In my mother's day they did it without drugs. My mum is obviously a little older than yours!!!! My mum thought my gas thing was fantastic when she saw it in the labour ward. Women a little younger than her had the drugs & a lot of young women now want the drugs.

Pretty much everyone I knew before I gave birth told me to go for the drugs regardless of their age.... young & old. I think when they tell you this they are trying to prepare you for the reality of birth. Some people do get birth with pain that is manageable without drugs but most don't. Most women resort to at least using gas.

IRL over the past 20 or so years I have only met one woman that actually acheived a drug free birth and hers was a water birth. I've only met one other that said it didn't really hurt but she still used gas. All the rest used a combination of gas, peth & epi.

I do hope you get your drug free birth if that's what you wish for, but please don't be disappointed if it doesn't work out that way. Only one woman from my mothers group had the birth she truly wished for. All the other women in the group apart from myself are under 30 & there has been talk of planned c sections in order to avoid labour again. Every young woman I know IRL plans to use drugs in labour. That's why I say not a lot has changed.

Anyway, best of luck for the birth experience you want. By the way not all babies cry all night. I hope you get a calm one like we did. Not one sleepless night so far (touch wood).