Hello! I have to agree with Tattoo_mama when she says not to go in with concrete expectations and plans. Child birth is a grey area that no-one can predict how it will progress and what you will feel. Going in with an exact plan, in my opinion, is a sure way to make things worse and increase anxiety.

With my first labour I went into my labour with an open mind but well educated. If I needed pain relief then I needed it...amazingly I didn't use pain relief...that's not to say it was easy or painless...it was painful...but I think your mental state has a huge impact on how you cope with the pain. I remember during transition feeling completely out of control, I was hysterical, I wanted to make it all stop and leave and I wanted everyone to leave me alone. I asked for Pethidine and was told that I couldn't as I was too far along..this was all I needed and I snapped out of it and focused on the fact that I wasn't that far off meeting my beautiful baby...it was purely psychological but my goodness I felt out of control and until I could gain control of my mind everything else was going crazy as well. Don't get me wrong..I am not saying that it is mind over matter for everything, but I just remember that particular part of my first labour so vividly and remember it was a huge thing to overcome that.

Researching non medication pain reliefs is definitely a good idea and as mentioned will help you during those hours when medication may not be available. Movement worked for me and then when I was becoming more tired as labour progressed the shower was my best friend.I spent 3 hours in the shower with the water running on my back and head..I was sitting on a fit ball..it was relaxing and quiet (the sound of the running water helped) and the water was wonderfully soothing.

Practicing breathing techniques is a good idea...I didn't with my first labour and initially I thought I was going to pass out from hyperventilation, then the nurse told me to moan whilst I breathed as you don't exhale so fast is you are using your vocal cords..and although initially i felt stupid moaning and making noises (like an animal lol) eventually I didn't even care because it worked and that's all that mattered.

Hopefully you have helpful midwives that can suggest things to help..my midwives were great and I am going to try to take their advice from last time into this labour...but I am still going to go in with an open mind...what ever I need to get me and the baby through it safely is how it will be. If I need the drugs this time..then so be it..doesn't mean anything other than this labour was different to last time.

As for me...I must admit I am a little more scared this time than last time. Sounds silly but now I know...and it's not that what I know was bad...in fact my labour with my daughter was wonderful (I would rather do labour than pregnancy!)... my fear is that things can only go down!! I'm scared I'll tear..which I didn't last time...that i'll freak out etc. I am working hard to put these thoughts out of my head as everyone keeps saying if you did it ok first time then chances are you'll do it ok second time. I hope so! My focus when in labour is that the pain is not a 'bad' pain...it's not like a broken leg or amputated limb etc..this pain is so that my baby can come out..and that is a good thing...its not an unknown pain, does that make sense? I know what i'm trying to say just not sure it is coming across well!

Education and an open mind is the best way to approach labour...what is going to happen will happen, and luckily at the end of it all..be it a few hours or a day etc...you will meet your gorgeous baby and a few months later you will forget how fearful you were because you will be so overwhelmed by your child. Good luck with everything, you will do well (afterall..if it was THAT bad..why do we go and do it again..and for some people again and again and again lol)!