Delete if this is in the wrong group, not 100% sure where to put this...

My boyfriend and I have been talking extensively about when we're going to get married and have kids. Our plan is to have a short 2-6 month engagement, and be married within 13 months from now. (He said he's planning an elaborate proposal and he's working out the details so that I'm surprised when it happens, but it will be within the next year)

We both want kids as soon as possible, but we're trying to do our homework about parenting and pregnancy beforehand.

I'm so excited for my future, and he is too, but the one thing I can't get over is my fear of giving birth. I keep hearing horror stories about hours and hours of painful labour, my vagina and cervix basically being ripped apart, complications with the pregnancy/birth, etc...

I don't deal with pain very well at all. I know an epidural will help immensely, but I'm afraid of that too! The idea of a needle being stuck into my spine freaks me out and I've heard it's painful as well. And I just found out that when you get one, you have to have a CATHETER TOO!? That sounds horrifying, and I'm so nervous that I'm freaking out. I know it's years away, but it makes me almost afraid to have kids, as bad as that sounds...😭

Does anyone have advice, or stories you can share to ease my fear? Is there anything else that has to happen that no one really talks about? How bad or good was it when you gave birth?