Childbirth hurts. It always has. But the amount of pain you experience depends on many factors, such as the position of the baby, whether you have or haven't ruptured the amniotic membrane, your pain threshold, your anxiety level, your position in labor, and a host of other factors, many of which you have no control over. Can a first time mother do it without pain meds? Absolutely.
Most physicians (and here I can only speak to the US) don't have enough training in natural deliveries to really help the mother that way (there is a reliance on drugs for pain relief), so I agree wholeheartedly with @HelenM and @Hilmar (That answer was not posted when I started to answer this, or I would simply have commented on my complete agreement with @Hilmar) to get yourself a good, experienced midwife or birth coach who could help you through it and find a breathing and relaxation method you and your partner agree on and practice ahead of time, if you have decided on that route. Even if you have not, I would still recommend you look into it.
This topic draws strong opinions not necessarily based in fact. There are a great many people who are absolutely convinced that you should do it without pain medications, just because they have, or their bias towards all things natural.
The best advice I can give you is to plan for the best and prepare for the worst. Definitely practice breathing and relaxation, because it will help you regardless of whether you choose pain meds or not. Have a back-up plan in case things aren't progressing the way you and your midwife would like. The baby has to come out, and it is very highly likely that you will not be scarred for life by the experience. If it wasn't worth the final result, people in a position to choose would only have one child.