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I agree with @looch about the tub. I was completely uninterested in it when the time came. I was also not interested inthe yoga ball, and that was something I used a ton during pregnancy and in our birth classes. I would say do whatever makes you comfortable. For me, it was standing up and leaning over the bed while DH rubbed my lower back as hard as he could. He also told me when the contractions were almost over which helped me get through them.

I did have music but I don't honestly remember what it was or that it was all that helpful. I just remember doing whatever I could to get comfortable and using different kinds of breathing techniques.

I followed the bradley method. I wanted to use the tub but the maternity ward was closed when I went into labor so I used the shower. I stayed in there for ages. I also circled my hips while leaning on the hospital bed. My mantra was "I can do anything for 1 minute." I found that helped me the most. When it came time to push the nurses did turn the radio on but it wasn't something I focused on. I also found it helpful to keep my eyes closed. Good luck!

I had to be induced so the tub was not an option for me, but that was something I really wanted to try. I also had a playlist prepared but never bothered with the music.

I took a generic natural childbirth class but didn't specifically practice anything in detail like hypnobirthing or bradley.

Mostly I needed to stand through contractions even early on, and then for the most intense couple of hours I leaned on FI and he would sometimes talk me through them (watching on the monitor to see when they peaked). I actually hated counterpressure on my back even though I hear that works great for some people. Using a low voice for any vocalizing helped too.

Overall I lost a lot of sense of space and time so I really could only concentrate on getting through the next contraction. I felt like I needed to focus and move around as best I could to get comfortable. I'm not sure if I would have been able to rely on a prepared method, but because I didn't practice one I can't say for sure.

Good luck, you can totally do it. The best advice I got was not to think of labor as linear - i.e. don't expect progress to be steady. It took me forever to get to a five and then it was just a few hours from then until I was ready to push.

We took Bradley classes and found that they were very helpful to both DH and I

Before I went to the hospital I spent hours walking down the street with one foot on the curb and one foot in the street. My doula thought my baby wasn't lined up just right and that it would help get her into position. I don't know if it did but it made me feel better.

I had lots of types of music on my playlist but I only found Enya to be helpful.

I originally requested the tub room but my doula advised against it. She said the hospital makes you get out before transition and that really upsets most women and ends up stalling their labor (maybe just in her limited experience?). You might want to check your hospital's policy on when you can use the tub.

At home, I did a lot of walkin through contractions, bouncing on a yoga ball or kneeling and leaning over it, and later, the shower and tub were awesome. For about half an hour I laid in the tub with the shower running on my belly. In the hospital I was in the tub a lot, plus kneeled on the bed leaning over the top of it, and the nurse, midwife, and Dh took turns massaging my lower back hard. They reminded me to moan really low instead of higher pitching yelping.

I didn't practice before but I believe having a great nurse and midwife made it possible. Without then I think I would have wanted the epidural earlier. I ended up asking for it but they checked and I was in transition and that was all the encouragement I needed to push through.

we did all the Bradley stuff, and our doula also helped with trying positions and pressure and things. I tried the birth ball but didn't have much interest at the time. I spent a lot of time in the shower with the jet on my lower back (I had back labor) and that was basically HEAVEN. my doula really came in handy for holding the sprayer!!
by the time I got to transition I was so tired and it was so intense that I found I wanted to lay down. I just listened to my body. at that point I was so focused I hardly noticed anything else - I just wanted to hold someone's hand and moan through the contractions (I was having multiple in a row every time and it was the longest hour of my life).
once transition was over and I was ready to push I felt pretty great. no pain management needed then, pushing was a relief!

in the end, I think it's helpful to just have several options and see what you are feeling like at the moment - you may totally change your mind of what sounds good!

I used the tub which got me from 3 cm (when I was ready to give up!) to 10 cm in 2 hours. We also had a doula who helped with massage and counter pressure on hips. The biggest thing that helped me was allowing myself to let go of the idea of staying calm and focussed through labor...I had to give into my animalistic urge to grunt and scream and moan. I think the breathing assistance coached by my doula and DH during transition was super important because at that point I was starting to lose my mind. We did not subscribe to any one birthing philosophy to assist with a med-free birth, just being prepared for the unexpected.

I took a Lamaze based Empowered birth class, and we practiced a lot of relaxation techniques. Before labor, I thought I'd want to be in the tub the whole time, move, and bounce on my labor ball. Once it started, it became clear to me that I couldn't stand to be crunched up. I walked a lot, tried bouncing on the ball (agony for me during a contraction), and tried the tub at home, but I couldn't immerse my belly in the water. A shower helped with the pain, and vocalizing during my contractions helped as well. Once I got to the hospital, I was exhausted so ok laid on my back through most of transition and pushed on the squat bar before flipping over onto my hands and knees to push.

I found meditation and breathing got me through labor the best. I disappeared into my own head and really focused on the contractions during the roughest parts of labor. I also relaxed my whole body and just allowed myself to feel/embrace the pain.

I softly moaned through contractions, and the vocalization really aided in my ability to make it through. It was hard in the end because I had pitocin and my contractions were pretty much constant.

Also, pushing was the easiest part for me! I didn't feel pain as long as I pushed, and I grunted like an animal through it haha.

@Ash: With my first birth, I kinda went the Bradley route and focused on breathing and relaxing and vocalized through contractions. That's what got me through.
With my second, I breathed and relaxed and concentrated, but went a lot more by the seat of my pants. The hard part of that labor was spent in the shower and standing up and rocking my hips. I couldn't sit, I couldn't lay down at all, I HAD to be up and moving.
I'm not good enough to stick with a method and practice it, so this time, and somewhat last time, I just knew what I had to do, that there was no point freaking out, and did it. It's hard work and it's so not easy, but I have no doubt that I'll get through it one more time (duh, I'm planning a home birth, not much of an option, lol) and it'll be great! Although, this time I have a real birthing tub, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that helps me.

No tub or anything fancy. I used the shower for a time, but that was mostly because (after my water broke) I felt like I was too "messy" in the room & the shower would be a good place for all the fluids.

For me, I got through by having no hang-ups about how I was supposed to do it or how I was perceived by others. I moved however I felt like moving, made whatever noises that helped me focus, and asked for whatever I thought would help. It was all mental for me. I felt in control & I wasn't scared or nervous.

Practically, I took a prenatal yoga class that gave me a really good toolbox to pull from: positions for my body, ideas about about counter-pressure, meditation music to listen to, and the ability to be present in the contraction & talk myself to the end of it. I was also open to accepting interventions or medication recommended by my midwife because I trusted her.

I did the same as @cmomma17: read a lot of empowering books and stories so I went into it thinking it was totally doable. For pain management:
-doula massaged my hands and feet during early active labor.
-lots of position changes
-lots of moaning, kinda like a cow, lol.
-coconut water as hydrator/energizer

@lizzywiz: can I ask what books you read?

@lizzywiz: I had a doula too and I also stayed super hydrated (drank water after every contraction!).

I agree with @ash: Ina May's book was my favorite! Definitely check it out @MrsCastro

@MrsCastro: I loved The Birth Partner by Patty Simkin (don't know if I spelled that right)

1st birth: laboring in the tub, hypnobabies, and lots of ideas from Ina may.
2nd birth: had him so fast I was only at the hospital 25 minutes and didn't have time for any of it...lots of yelling

@Ash: we took a 4 hour holistic Lamaze class that was really helpful. During the labor I did a lot of swaying and rocking my hips back and forth (primarily on all fours). The shower and a bath were also super helpful as was counter pressure on my back.

There have been so many things mentioned above that were so helpful to me (pitocin induction, pain med free) and the only thing I will add is squeezing a fine tooth comb in my hand. Sounds seriously random but my doula brought it for me and stabbing it into my hand and squeezing during contractions was an excellent distraction from the other pain going on down below. I gripped that thing for dear life. That plus sitting on the ball, hunched over the bed, and moaning really low.