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Labor can be a very scary prospect for first timers. I am pregnant with our second child and I can tell you that it will be nothing like what you have imagined. When you are in the throws of it you don't really think to be scared or even care what the doctors or nurses are doing to you 'down there'. I can tell you that if you have a doctor that you trust and you let the nurses help you and you follow their suggestions then you should be fine. Make sure to make a list of all of your questions and take it to your prenatal vist_ts, especially toward the end. Also make a list of potential question for labor and delivery, take it with you when you are admitted. Although the nurses will be in and out of your room numerous times it is good to get as many of your questions answered as soon as possible. Also, it is good to have a person in the delivery room with you that is designated to specifically ask you about how you are handling the pain, this person should ask you specific questions like, do you want an epidural now? Is the epidural working? Do you want the epidural re done? I know this sounds redundant, however, when you are in the middle of it you won't think to ask for these things. For some reason, I don't know why, but, it just escapes you. With my first my epidural only numbed the right side and I could feel everything on the left. I knew that I could request the epidural be re done, but I didn't think to ask. I just suffered with the pain even though I could have had another one if I would have just thought to ask. This time around I will designate someone. Overall, if you have good pain management then labor isn't horrid. It hurts, but not like you would think. When I got in to the transition phase I felt more pressure in my rectum then I ever thought possible. It wasn't pain necessarily, but almost... does that make sense? The second the baby is out it is gone. The worst part was the shaking and the teeth chattering, those were side effects of the epidural and pretty normal for everyone that gets one. Do yourself a favor and if you are that anxious and scared, don't watch any births that show you crotch shots, it will only make you more nervous. Birth is a natural process, and drugs or not, your body knows what to do and the baby will come out. Does this help?

Yeah I'm definitely with you on that one! I'm freaked out about it all and I found out my doctor wants to induce me and I've heard all this scary stuff about it all. I honestly think I wouldn't be scared if nobody thought it was necessary to tell me all their horror stories. But good luck to you, we will both be fine! :)

thank you so much mjvdec01 and expectingbaby1 - that helps more then you know! I am just going to get as many facts as I can and try to keep in my head, its a natural process and women have been givng birth for years and years!! :) And mjvdec01 thanks for all your advise!!!

Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth! Even if you're not planning to go natural, it's a very rea__suring read. If something goes wrong, that's why you're in a hospital... they're ready to handle emergencies. The thing that really surprised me about childbirth was that no matter how intense the contractions are, between them you feel totally normal. I'd tell my husband "I'm back!" It's like a break your body gives you to recover. When they start coming one on top of another, that's a good sign that you're almost done. That's what I kept telling myself. I didn't have an epidural and had back labor, and while it was not fun, it was just one afternoon of my life, and now I think back fondly of it... the last hours before I met the new love of my life!

Thanks gaudior - that really helps - I like the way you think about contractions - :) I will definately have a look at Ina Mays guide - I am not sure if i will go natural or not as I have no idea of my pain tolerance - being my first one - I will try as long as I can but I am not opossed to drugs either! hee hee. Anything to get my bub out healthy and happy!!! :)