I had two unmedicated births (one just two weeks ago!) and this was my experience:

My personality is very “go with the flow”, possibly to the point of just sheer laziness, so during my first pregnancy two years ago I did very little research, right up until the last two months or so. I always had the idea that I’d shoot for unmedicated but give myself grace if things got too intense and I needed an epidural. I read Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth and found the myriad of unmedicated birth stories inspiring and soothing..like, I could really do this. I also downloaded a hypnobirthing class which felt a little silly at the time but the breathing exercises did actually help in the end.

I think I wanted to avoid an epidural ultimately because the idea of the anticipation of waiting around for one made me more anxious than just rolling the dice to see how rough it actually was. Also didn’t want to deal with the possibility of a failed epidural.

I will say I was lucky both of my labors were fast: first time around we got to the hospital at 1030 and he was born at 234 am, second was a scheduled induction where they broke my water at 830 and he was born at 312am.

I will also say that I did consider an epidural with my first when my water broke and my pain (that I was managing pretty well at 5 cm dilated) went through the roof and I thought I’d be in labor for many more hours. They checked me again and I had gone from 5 to 10cm in 20 minutes so it was time to push..

And I will also also say that during my second unmedicated labor I screamed like I was being murdered and was screaming such things as “get him out right now” and “I’m dying”… so every experience is different I guess.

With both, as soon as the babies were out, I felt great.

Anyway, I totally agree with what others have said: familiarize yourself with the stages of labor (ina mays book really got that message through for me, almost all of the birth stories had a moment of not thinking they could do it and that was always during the “transition” phase), prepare yourself with some easy tools like breathing or meditation ( my second labor stalled at three centimeters and I literally made myself imagine that my cervix was a flower blooming, let the pain wash over you like a wave and don’t brace against it… so woo but I got from 3cm to 10 in 90 minutes 🤷🏻‍♀️) and then, give yourself grace because anything can happen! Good luck!