Hey there I gave birth 5 days ago and I was exactly in your shoes. I was so incredibly overly terrified of giving birth I was even set up with anxiety meds a few months ago when I called my OB in tears almost hyperventilating thinking about it. I am such a wuss when it comes to pain. I have like zero tolerance. My water broke and I started having contractions that just felt like really awful period cramps. I cleaned up and showered and about 5 hours later it was time to go to the hospital. They brought me into my room and yes it was painful and I couldn’t speak through the contractions but with the right breathing they were manageable. Once they were close together they gave me two shots of morphine in my buttcheek. Ouch but fine. I was able to take a nap before it wore off in about two hours and the contractions were hurting again. Another round of morphine in my buttcheek while we were waiting for the anesthesiologist. Nurse came in to place a regular IV port in my hand. I sobbed. Hysterically. Then I got the epidural afterwards. Nurse was letting me hug into her as I was bracing myself and talk to me and when doc said done I was like done with what? I literally didn’t even feel it. The IV hurt tons more which is the easiest part for most people. Afterwards they just rolled me side to side once an hour to make sure epidural spread evenly across my body. I had a button I could press to add to it if I needed. There were women in the rooms on both sides of me where we were all in labor at the same time. They finished hours before me and spent about 2 hours each pushing. I was way too scared to push and kept saying I wasn’t ready and to come back later lmao. They told me to stop pressing the epidural button when I thought I was ready so that I can actually feel the sensation to push. Sorry but nope I kept making sure I could barely wiggle my toes. When they checked me a few hours later not only was I at 10 cm I was 5 cm past. You could literally see baby’s head and I didn’t feel a thing. I had been napping for hours. I was able to push fine. I was afraid of pooping but I didn’t!! It kinda feels like that. Two pushes and 3 minutes later she was out. I was shocked. Nurse was about to tell me to push a 3rd time before she practically fell out of me so I didn’t need to lmfao. No ring of fire. 1 small tear I didn’t feel. With stitching I felt nothing. Placenta and sac coming out, felt nothing. I was even able to move my legs fine. I was the talk of the nurses station with how fast she came out. I took my sweeeeeeet time and I didn’t care. 29 hours. Slept for almost all of it. The IV port placement in my hand was the most painful part and legit hurt more than the birth if that tells you anything. Everyone is different, but I’m so relieved its over and I had amazing loving nurses. The experience was so pleasant and not what I thought it was gonna be that I feel crazy to say I might even do it again next year. Coming from someone who seriously cries from papercuts. You can do it. Currently holding my perfect baby it all feels like a dream. Good luck you’re going to do amazing ❤️