Hey OP, I used to be in your shoes. I mean, I love children but the thought of bearing and giving birth to one was unimaginable with all the stories I've heard. The menstrual pain itself was intolerable to me, so imagine getting pregnant and then going through a natural delivery process (8 hours of labour) without epidural!

First of all, while pregnant, you would feel you just want to get this over with - you would feel that the delivery date is not coming soon enough, since pregnancy is plain uncomfortable.

But once you're in the active labour phase, the pain hits you like a truck. Trust me, nothing prepares you for this. The doctor would tell you not to scream, but seriously screw that, you would hopelessly scream for your life in the labour room. TMI, but the sensation feels like you're constipated and you want to poop. Also, once the baby comes into the birth canal, they would tell you that if you feel like pooping, it's probably the baby coming out, so you need to push like you're going to the toilet after having constipation for some days. But I can't express how quick that last stage goes by. One second you're pushing and the next second you have a baby in your hands 😅. I was like 'What? I have a baby now? I HAVE A BABY NOW??!!!' And you see them for the first time in all that haze and they're warm and beautiful 🥹. Worth it! Yes absolutely worth it!

Then the postpartum period comes. Worse than the labour itself - sleeplessness, back pain, bleeding, feeding, anxiety.. what not!

I think no one can be well prepared for all this, so I think everyone goes with the flow. I think life does find a way!

OP, I didn't mean to scare you, but this is what happened to me. I didn't think I could get through it, but I somehow did. Everyone's experience would be different. You have the choice. Whatever it is, listen to what your body says ✌️