With my first I got the epi at 5 cm. I didn't find the contractions to be too bad up to that point until the last couple right before the epi.
With my second, my contractions were as painful as the 5 cm contractions mentioned above almost from the start, but, they were only 15-30 mins apart so they were manageable. Did that for 12 hours and finally decided to go to the hospital just to see where I was at (hadn't had my cervix checked). Good thing b/c just after walking through the doors of the hospital, I hit transition. It felt like it came out of no where. It was the most intense pain/pressure I've ever felt. I felt very close to passing out. Fortunately, I screamed and hospital staff came running. Baby was born about 3 minutes later. I agree with what others have said- it depends on how long your transition and pushing go. I could do it for those few short minutes, but would never want to do it for longer.

I had meningitis once a couple of years ago. That was worse -- morphine didn't touch that. Some of my migraine headaches are worse.

I still found it very painful and I got an epidural right before transition because my baby was in distress and they thought I was going to be a C. I spent a lot of time vomiting from the pain which I hate more than pain itself. Definitely getting an epi earlier for this second baby. Since no one gave me a medal for my troubles, I've decided it wasn't worth it to wait.

I find transition very painful, but quick. The active labor after 5 cm and leading up to transition is intense and all-consuming but not incredibly painful. First labor with pitocin. Second labor shorter and more painful without pitocin.

Pushing for me both times has been involuntary and satisfying, not painful. I haven't had the ring of fire or at least I didn't notice it.

Whatever natural "drugs" the body releases in response to an unmedicated birth are strong. I wouldn't say they remove the pain but they just take you into another universe.

I had two with working epidurals and one without. That one was worse than other pains I have experienced. Nothing to compare it with.

I had an epidural and it STILL felt like a bolt of lighting directed at my vagina.

I don't know if everyone gets these kind of cramps... During my periods, I have the gnawing kneading constant cramps AND I have a second kind, which sort of ramps up and then tapers off over 20-40 seconds (always less than a minute), and feels like it's happening in my bowels. During these cramps, I sort of rise up on the balls of my feet and hunch over in a desperate attempt to ease whatever is going on; I can't speak or do anything else til it passes. As I recall, unmedicated labor was like one of THOSE cramps, except instead of 20-40 seconds, and twice a day at most, it was 90 seconds-2 minutes, and happened over and over and over.

I can't speak to the actual childbirth part. After 18 hours of unproductive labor, they stuck an epidural in me and did a c-section. If I were ever to have another baby, I would not go through labor unmedicated. I don't know why I tried the first time.

I found both my labors to be extremely painful. I had epidurals with both, but it didnt work with the first and I still felt everything. The contractions were bad but the pushing was the worst, I felt like I was being torn in half.

I have had surgery and broken bones and found childbirth to be the most painful. I was VERY happy with the epidural working the 2nd time around.

My second labour was also much shorter than first, about 3 hours and much more painful than the first. There was no down time in between contractions to relax, just intense followed by more intense, I could not even think. First birth also hurt (!), but not so rushed, I stayed calm and I could use a few thought experiments to distance myself. I had also just recovered from an terrible ear infection, and upon reflection the ear infection pain and feelings of hopeless agony ranks higher in the pain/misery stakes than my first labour. Drug free both times, mainly because I am scared of needles and doctors I think.

All 3 of my labors had varying degrees of pain. Pitocin contractions were so much more intense than I had anticipated. With the second, transition was tough. For my third and largest, pushing was most unpleasant.

They're all different.

My labor with my 2nd was extremely fast (30 minutes start to baby) and terrifying. It was very painful. I couldn't feel my hands and I started hyperventilating. I can't remember much about it which I think is the brain's way of coping. But, the good news is, 20 minutes later I was up and walking, and I was out of the hospital very quickly. It was also very empowering. I felt like I could do anything.

My labor lasted 26 hours and was pretty extreme. But I don't believe childbirth is "pain". Extreme discomfort at times and really hard work, but not pain.

I've had 3 surgeries in life; appendix, tonsils and c section. ALL of them were much more painful during the recovery than childbirth. Childbirth was more like an insanely tough hike at extreme altitudes. It was a mental test as well as a physical one.

Hypnobabies really helped my birth. I didn't use the method during labor but the prep cd had positive affirmations about labor that really helped. It sounds cheesy but I think a lot of labor is what you believe. I also strongly recommend Ina May Gaskins birth books. So many positive stories in them.

You have to trust your body. Believe it's work not pain. Get out of the damn hospital bed (oh torture!). Move. Walk. Distract yourself with some serious work. When you get desperate, get in water. And find a comfy, natural position for pushing (not laying down, go with gravity instead!).

Good luck!

The pain wasnt bad at all. What I didn't enjoy was the feeling of needing to push. Just a very odd sensation. Not painful, just weird.

You'll probably get a ton of replies telling you everything from excruciating to no-so-bad-at-all. And they're all right.

There's no way you can compare childbirth pain to pain from an accident or disease. I think in large part because the mental part of childbirth pain is so different. You know that when you're in labor your body is working the way it's supposed to (most of the time) to get your baby out. Nothing is broken or technically wrong. Sometimes, it's helpful to have someone remind you of that.

Of course, there are times, like with the birth of your first child, when the pain is exacerbated by the position of the baby. In cases like that, being mobile and giving the baby the best chance to get in a better position is the best thing you can do. In cases when that doesn't help, or work, then I think epidurals can be just the right thing to make it through labor.

Good luck and I hope you find some comfort in the responses that will follow. Just remember-- everyone has a different perspective on pain and the only one that really matters is yours.

I am a lifetime athlete and like to say I have had harder workouts. I have had 3 children and short labor so it's hard to compare to women have contractions for days and then push for hrs. Contractions aren't bad for me and I only push once or twice to get baby out. So short you can suffer through it

For those who've delivered without any drugs, can you compare the pain of childbirth to some other pain you've experienced? For example, I once fell down stairs and sprained my ankle. How does that compare? Any other similar comparisons? I know it varies for each individual, but just looking for some idea of how bad it gets.

I've given birth twice, the first I had horrendous back labor and got the epi at 2 cm. With the second, I managed to get to 6cm and was still fairly comfortable when I got the epi. Would like to go drug-free for #3.