I think a lot of people are babies these days- everything must be painless and antiseptic and not infringe upon their lifestyle at all. Most notably in the area of baby care- give them a bottle and send them off to daycare so you don't have to feel like you even have a baby for at least 40 hours a week.
I have given birth naturally and without drugs three times and lived to tell the tale. I didn't even scream or swear at anybody, which made my husband happy. Maybe I just have a high tolerance for pain or something, but I really didn't think it was that bad. Having a gall bladder attack was much more excruciating. I nursed all three for 8 months each. That's an experience I think every woman should at least try. The benefits are too great to ignore.
Just ignore all the pushy wimps trying to tell you what to do. If your wife needs something for pain, then she can have it, but don't go into it assuming she HAS to get the epidural. I think mindset has a lot to do with if you get one or not. I assumed I could do it without- and I did!
Aha! SOmeone else who did not scream or swear at their husband during childbirth. I have always made a conscious decision not to yell at my husband. Actually he's the one who talks me through everything. I screamed in general with my fourth baby, but he was a 10 pounder and pushing just burned. I felt like such a wimp. When my children talk about my last delivery (I was sure I made such a fuss) they like to talk about me saying, "Owie! Owie! Owie!" over and over.