Is the TV scenario of birth—that of a mother drenched in sweat and howling for an epidural—the reality? Researchers from Britains Newcastle University announced today that most mothers do, in fact, underestimate the pain theyll experience during childbirth. And by and large, women who planned on having a drug-free labor didnt end up getting one. This expectation-experience gap, say the researchers, can leave mothers disappointed when its not the labor of their dreams.