Going au naturel?

Hubby and I just finished an intensive three day child-birth seminar intended for first-time parents who pretty much have no (expletive) clue what to really expect during labor.  That was us.  Honestly, despite the gazillion stories my friends have told me about and despite my more mature age, I guess it never really sank in, because it just wasn't relevant to my life yet.  Well, as soon as I started cooking this bun in the oven, I really began freaking out on how I was going to get it out....  Boy did I listen in class. In fact, I was that annoying girl asking a million questions prolonging each session past its allotted time.  Although every other expectant mother in there was probably thankful, I am sure the partners were not.

Anyway, what I've come to understand is (for those of you like me who had no clue), that its actually the labor contractions that are the really painful part of pregnancy,  and the last stage of them is the absolute worst (for some reason, I always thought it was the delivery part, when the baby actually gets pushed out).  Also, I never really knew that what a contraction really meant or is -- it is your uterus pumping/expanding your cervix to make it bigger (dilated) to crank open the passageway.  Although the contractions get worse and more frequent until the baby is out, they are temporary, and immediately stop as soon as the baby is out. 

Most of my friends have recommended I get an epidural as soon as contractions begin to make the delivery pleasant and, however, I've learned that with an epidural you don't really feel contractions at all, just pressure.  And as a result you may not even be able to feel the push, or push at all, increasing changes of some sort of intervention (forceps, induction, vacuum).  The class left me conflicted. 

One the one hand, not having any pain in the labor sounds IDEAL.   But on the other hand, I'm wondering if maybe I am able to deal with the pain without medication.... I mean, billions of women do it right?  And those that I"ve talked with said they forget how painful it is right afterward. 

I feel very conflicted.  However, am still absolutely terrified of the pain of tearing....and the dreaded ring of fire.  I am pretty sure I'll opt for the epidural, but I'll see how long I can handle it first...