Dear Smoochie597 - ref painkiller free births - my 2nd delivery was essentially painkiller free - I don't count 'gas and air' as it doesn't give me any relief, just spaces me out - and the birth honestly wasn't that bad - the after pains were worse and the pain I had post operatively from my C section with my first child was way beyond anything I have ever experienced before. The point being that everyone is different and perceptions of pain differ enormously. I'm just a bit wary of the 'all women who call an ambulance to get to hospital in labour could have made their own way' train of thought because it's not true.