K.M.'s advice is perfect. It's fine to be aware that things can go wrong, but statistics are on your side that things will go fine. Find a doctor you trust. Trust in the process; you will be amazed at how your body sort of goes on autopilot and you're along with the ride. Also: There's nothing wrong with painkillers if you want them. I think epidurals and whatnot have gotten a bad rap and it sort of baffles me why. I had one birth with; one birth without. They were different experiences, but I chalk that up to one quick labor vs. one longer one. Both were wonderful, and the end result was the same!

I didn't read through all the responses but I'm going to agree with those in the beginning who said to ignore it. Seriously. I just gave birth to my second DD so I feel like I know what i'm talking about at this point. I think the most important thing is that you trust your OB team and the hospital where you are giving birth. I read a lot of the book leading up to the birth of my first DD and it seemed like many of them made the doctors and hospitals the enemy. This was not my experience AT ALL. I thought they did an excellent job and I felt way more at ease in that area the second time around. I had a very difficult birth the first time around. To the point that I said I wouldn't have another for awhile. While I was pregnant the second time around I just chose to ignore thinking about it at all. Any you know what? The second time was a total breeze. So you just never know. But in the same way you would try not to obsess and think about a root canal, don't think about birth. It will be intense and then it will be over. But I would suggest drugs.

Now I've read all the other posts so I just wanted to make another quick comment about epidurals. Because of everything I had read I was more scared of epidurals than I was of child birth. With my first I attempted to go natural. I had a very complicated, long labor so I finally gave in and got an epidural and I'm telling you, the heavens opened and angels sang. I did not have any of the negative experiences that the books talk about. I was still able to push through contraction etc. The second time around I asked for an epidural from the beginning and that entire birthing experience was so great. I say that just because I felt like I had to prove something with going natural. Talk to your dr about any epidural fears and do not feel pressured to go without if that's the way you want to go.