Okay, here's the thing. I think it depends upon your pregnancy and your pain tolerance in general.

With my first child I was having those Braxton Hicks false contractions so bad for so long that I didn't realize when I was actually going into labor. By the time I went in it was because my water broke and I was suffering from an infection, but I'd been having contractions since the night before. I just took tylenol and went to bed.

And on top of that she was breech and I had a cesarian. FUN FUN. Anyhoo, I was so used to pain that when I walked in there and asked for maternity, they sent me to the visitors desk because I was so calm. With that child I had an epidural.

This Septmber, I had my second child, (12 years later). This time because of my medical history, I had a planned C-section. But about 10 days earlier than the scheduled date, I came up with pre-eclympsia and had to have an emergency c-section. This time I experienced NO labor pains at all because for my health they had to take him early. With this child, I had a spinal block which was so much more comfortable than that epidural.

The way my mother put it was this: Just think of it as really hard painful work for about a day that will be over. It will hurt. Supposedly, screaming makes it worse for some people. I don't know. But then, we have been a blessed family. I was born in 30 minutes and my brother was born 19 years later in 2 hours. My mom was almost 41. You are going to have to resign yourself to pain. If you have it without a cesarian, it's pain in labor. With a cesarian, it's horrible pain in recovery.

But you can do it!
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The audience will stand - nobody ever dares walk out... when that BIG BOLD mama starts to wail and shout.....