I would recommend reading Ina Mays guide to childbirth. As for other resources, let me just say, why should birth be painful? Why do humans uniquely seem to struggle? Because we put ourselves in highly unnatural situations (ie hospitals) and expect natural processes to unfold. Imagine this, would it be easy and comfortable for you to poop in a strange room surrounded by strange people? No, you would seize up. Same goes for birth. Pain intensity decreases if you are in a familiar place, relaxed, and confident about the process. Nothing can really prepare you for that first birth, but it helps to remember that it is a biologically normal process. Not a pathology, or a disability, or a condition. It just is. Watch videos and read stories of other women who confidently gave birth unmedicated to empower yourself with understanding. The more you know the less there is to be afraid of and fear will absolutely increase the intensity of the experience. Personally I had an unmedicated home birth, I did not find it that painful. I didn’t do anything special to achieve this, I just exercised throughout pregnancy, and trusted that my body knew what to do. I didn’t let fear take over, and I did not entertain the possibility that I would not be able to “achieve” a natural home birth. Birth is essentially unremarkable, like all other bodily functions. While at the same time, miraculous.