Amber, there is alot of pressure for women to give birth without pain relief, particularly on some websites...... Although it may be 'ideal' to have an in intervention free birth, it is no always possible. There may be some downsides to the pain relief and small effects on the baby, but everyone is so totally different and they do have their place.
Who know's if the contractions you were feeling were more painful to you than someone elses contractions. And you were in labour for a long time. You should not feel at all dissapointed or weak or anything else, you did the best you could at the time, and maybe next time it will be different, but you should be so proud of yourself for making a beautiful little bub and bringing him into the world safely.
Don't be so tough on yourself, and don't worry about what other people think.

A quick story- my gf had first bub 8 hr labour no drugs, no dramas. 2nd bub was posterior she had longer labour, gas, pethadine and an epidural. She said the pain was SOOOOO much worse for her 2nd. So it goes to show, pain is not always the same for everyones birth.

You should have seen me! I bawled when the OB told me i had to be induced and have an epidural due to my BP, and i wasn't even in labour! I too wanted as intervention free birth as possible, i read all the books, paid a fortune to do a course, but it didn't work out for me either.
In the end Ob had to use forceps and i have a couple of stitches too!

Although my birth was nothing like i had intended, i did the best i could. And so did you. And what a gorgeous little man you have! I think woman feel bad b/c of the unspoken and spoken pressures surrounding them leading up to the birth. There is a 'gold star' associated with birthing naturally, which is fine as long as it doesn't make people feel like they failed if they had to have drugs.
Having a natural physiological birth can be a goal, but the health and well being of mother and baby has to be the most important thing.
I know i am ranting on but every woman who gives birth by whatever means should be as proud as the next. After all you have just grown a whole little person, that is pretty impressive if you ask me!

Pep talk over, Lu needs some boob, damn it, up to the cracked nipple side! OUCH! She slept from 11 until i woke her to feed at 3am then slept until i woke her at 7am. What a champ!