I have done both and I think hatching eggs is more painful then giving birth..lol Well, I had an epidural with the last. The reason I say that is becouse depending on where you have your bator you are either running up and down stairs or if it is on the main floor you will have a kink in your neck the size of Texas watching for pips.. Also you will have eye strain for looking to hard to see if any are rocking or have tiny pip cracks. Then there is your hearing, did I hear a peep???? Your SO is ready to put you in the loony bin when he finds you talking to your bator, not just words but peeping to it too. Labor is definately better. Jenn