It's different for everyone, you won't get an answer that makes you happy. For me it was like the worst period cramps ever. i didn't want an epidural, the thought of the side effects scared me, not to mention the pain of the huge needle in my spine. I was given a shot of demerol. The contractions were the worst part, I didn't feel any pain when my daughter actually came out. But my l&d was 4pm hours start to finish so it wasn't completely traumatic.
I had the best labor ever! With my daughter 2 years ago. I was induced and all and I had literally 0 pain. I promise. All I felt was pressure. And if the epidural is what you want, just imagine dropping an IceCube down the back of your shirt. That's it. It'll be fine if you seriously stay calm and smile through the whole thing.