I would seriously consider homebirth, and using a birth pool is HUGE pain relief, and can be especially helpful as long as you wait until you are very well established in labor.
Also, PRACTICE RELAXING EVERY DAY!!! Lay down and breathe slowly and evenly, while you concentrate on relaxing every muscle in your body, letting your body sink down into where you're laying, and feel the heaviness of all your limbs. If you do this every day, by the time your due date arrives, your body will be able to go into this relaxation mode quickly with each contraction, and you can handle them SO much more easily.
Plus, like a pp said, labors after your 1st are usually shorter.
Also, PRACTICE RELAXING EVERY DAY!!! Lay down and breathe slowly and evenly, while you concentrate on relaxing every muscle in your body, letting your body sink down into where you're laying, and feel the heaviness of all your limbs. If you do this every day, by the time your due date arrives, your body will be able to go into this relaxation mode quickly with each contraction, and you can handle them SO much more easily.
Plus, like a pp said, labors after your 1st are usually shorter.
I 
Hypnobabies. AWESOME AWESOME birth. So happy I gave it a shot. 
