Susan Z. Miller, Contributing writer

In Janet Schwegel's "Adventures in Natural Childbirth," Robin Johnson says, "I think I began to fear childbirth almost as soon as I could understand what it was. I would hear women's stories that almost seemed to have a fish tale quality to them, and I would question whether or not this was a club I wanted to join one day."

After hearing those tales of terror all their lives, it is no wonder that many women regard the experience of childbirth with trepidation.

Fortunately, women's bodies have a near perfect knowledge of childbirth. With nine months to plan and excitedly prepare, it is possible for any expectant mother to find a pain management method that will work well for her. Options such as the epidural, which blocks feeling from the waist down, are frequently used to virtually eliminate pain. According to Gynob.com, 50 percent of women in U.S. hospitals receive this procedure, which involves repeated doses of a local anesthetic in the spine. Once a woman receives an epidural, she becomes more of a patient than a participant because of the extreme numbing effects.

Because of this, despite the pain, many women are opting to participate in childbirth without pain relieving drugs.

Omitting drugs from a childbirth does not mean that one is doomed to pain and agony. Natural pain relieving methods give the mother the power to be an active participant, which many women find to be a beautiful and empowering experience.

Breathing Techniques

The Bradley Technique involves taking long, deep breaths during the intervals between contractions. Lamaze breathing, which is recognized by the hee-hee-hoo pattern, involves taking a short, fast inhalation, then one longer inhalation, before the "hoo" exhalation.

Regardless of the method, the process of deep breathing carries many benefits, some say. Loretta Zedella, a professional yoga instructor who specializes in pre-natal yoga, says, "This same mindful breathing has been documented to ease pain, including chronic pain."

Breathing does not just provide mental relaxation; It also delivers a pain-relieving dose of extra oxygen to the bloodstream. Deep breathing may just be the safest, cheapest, and most readily available pain reliever there is.

Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis involves using positive images and relaxation exercises to ease pain. According to a May 2009 report on ABC News, it is an effective technique for managing pain during childbirth.

This technique also means accepting of a new vocabulary. Babies are born through a "birthing process," not a labor. Moms do not push babies out, but rather "breathe down the baby."

During childbirth, a hypno-birthing instructor guides the mother through a series of relaxation techniques, such as imagining herself in a soothing location. Advocates of the process say that the results are overwhelmingly positive and completely safe.

Acupuncture

The physical and mental benefits of acupuncture during labor were documented in an article by Linda Knittle in the October 2001 edition of Delicious Living.

Not only do acupuncture patients require less pain relieving drugs such as oxytocin during the labor process, they also make it through the first stages of labor in less time. A study at the University of Vienna found that for women who did not receive acupuncture, the first stages of labor lasted as average of 321 minutes, whereas for the women who received acupuncture, this lasted an average of only 196 minutes.

Water Birth

The practice of having a baby in water is one of the world's most ancient techniques.

Women in native cultures gave birth in warm tidal pools and hot springs for centuries before waterbirthing became a "civilized" practice.

During a waterbirth, the expectant mother is immersed in a tub filled with clean water that is 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The tub is large enough to fit the mother, a midwife or doula, and the father. The calming process is much the same as a hot bath after a long day.

An article on Parenthood.com also states that a waterbirth is beneficial for the baby, since he or she exits the amniotic fluid into warm water rather than cold air, providing a less jarring and more natural transition.