I used to think I had a high pain tolerance

Mandie, the anthropology goddess, and my sister-in-law, Tory, both had their babies at home. It's funny how with my first it was really important to me to do it without any drugs*, but by the time #3 Daisy came along I was all, "can I start the epidural if I'm only dilated 3 centimeters?" Each birth was way easier than the last, but I became increasingly a wuss about it. The natural-childbirth God is now punishing me for that by smiting me with a nipple blister, which is unbelievably painful. A nipple blister! Who could even have imagined that such an awful thing even existed? I'll be writhing in pain on the kitchen floor and Jeff will panic and I'll gasp "the ... blister's ... almost ... too ... small ... to ... see ... where's ... that ... %#*&% .. epidural ... doctor?"
(*This attempt was an unqualified failure)

24 weeks: Childbirth methods

The Bradley Method

Basic idea: Drug-free childbirth is satisfying for mothers, healthy for babies.
Key points:
- Your obstetrician is a puppet controlled by pharmaceutical companies and malpractice insurance
- Women have easier deliveries when their husbands help while naked
Likely result: Healthy mother and baby

Lamaze

Basic idea: Simple pain coping strategies can ease labor. Also, drugs are awesome.
Key points:
- The doctor and hospital staff are benevolent and trustworthy. Don't worry about all those tubes stuffed into your vagina or the IV wedged into your spinal column.
- Panting is a good way to increase oxygen to the brain despite overwhelming scientific and commonsense evidence to the contrary
Likely result: Healthy mother and baby

The Travis & Robyn Method

Basic idea: Travis grabs birth book on the way to the hospital and reads the content pages at stoplights.
Result: Healthy mother and baby