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When did you realize you were really in labor?
A really strong contraction woke me up at 5am. I woke my husband up and told him I thought I was in labor. He told me to start timing the contractions and for that next hour they kept coming every 3-4 minutes.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The pushing! My contractions never got to the point where they were unbearable, however pushing for over an hour was EXHAUSTING to say the least. It literally felt like I was running a 10 mile marathon through every push.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Educate myself and drink red raspberry leaf tea like it was going out of style!! When I turned 34 weeks, I started drinking a glass or two a day. Then when I turned 38 weeks, I started drinking a quart a day and my daughter was born at 39 weeks (6 days before her due date!) And to think I was already panicking I was going to have to get induced and I wasn't going to be able to have her naturally!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast everything progressed. I was seriously preparing myself for a minimum of 20 hour labor, but it lasted barely 10 hours! I feel like for a first time mom, that was fast!
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You literally have to make up your mind about going natural. If you walk into labor saying "if it gets too hard, then I'll get an epidural - TRUST ME - you will end up with that epidural. Labor is intense and it will get too hard - but God has designed our bodies in such an amazing way, that we can do it without any kind of intervention!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I used some essential oils, but I have to say, my husband breathed with me through each contraction. He reminded me to relax every time I would tense up and I kept my focus on him and ONLY on the current contraction.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back. Which was not the position I wanted to deliver in but it was the one that worked the best during that time. I was pushing for over an hour so I did try different positions throughout that time.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazing! I was so thankful it was over and that I didn't have any complications!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
1. You literally have to make up your mind about going natural. If you walk into labor saying "if it gets too hard, then I'll get an epidural - TRUST ME - you will end up with that epidural. Labor is intense and it will get too hard - but God has designed our bodies in such an amazing way, that we can do it without any kind of intervention! I walked into labor with a set mind that I was going to do this natural. NO EPIDURAL. NO PITOCIN. NO IV. If for some reason there would be a complication, then I would re-evaluate.. thankfully there were none.
