like helen I never got proper contractions, and if I had waitied for the contractions to come at the intervals specified by the midwife before calling her, I would have given birth at home. The passing of a huge blood clot meant that I went into hospital as an emergency but still no proper contractions, at 11pm was told not dilated at all and by 12.50 I had given birth, I'm not saying it was pain free but managed without medications of any sort, we only ever get to hear the horror stories and not all births are that bad. My top tip...when its time to push do it like you are going for a poo, this might actually happen but no-one, least of all you, will care xx