hypno-birthing courses and went around for months banging on about how it would be a breeze with strictly no drugs. Needless to say the reality was somewhat different, and some felt they had 'failed' for not sticking to their rigid 'natural birth or bust' plans. I nearly ended up arguing with my brother in law, who had the nerve to tell me, a woman who had actually given birth, that the pain was all in the mind and animals in the wild didn't experience it. Utter rot that flies in the face of biological fact. Humans have very narrow pelvises and very large headed babies, it's the sacrifice we make for our upright walking position and big brains. Maybe I should have just punched him and told him that if it hurt it was all in his mind. My best advice to anyone would be- keep all your options open, and remember its not some martyrdom competition. Anyone who makes you feel bad for choosing to have painkilling drugs is a dick of the highest order. How about feeling in control, feeling that you are respected and cared for by someone who knows what they are doing and has confidence in your ability to give birth? Someone who actually helps you. For me this is the single most important factor. Birth position - yet again a photo is shown of a woman on her back on a bed? This is a horrible position in which to give birth, it restricts