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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I started to suspect I was in labor at dinner when I was having what felt like period cramps at about 6pm. I decide to go to bed early at 9 pm just incase this was it. When I went to bed, I could not get comfortable and during my tossing and turning I felt wet. I went to the bathroom and saw the bloody show. That's when I knew this was the real deal!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
It was exhausting and I went pretty fast so I didn't get a break after every contraction. I would go through 3-4 contractions before they would stop completely and allow me to rest for a min or two.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I read labor stories and advice on the web. I also did the perineal stretching starting at 36 weeks. I was going to take a class but when I went to sign up for one all the ones before my due date were full! I was only 7 months pregnant!
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What surprised you about your birth?
That it was straightforward and pretty quick. Also how much blood there can be.
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Your body won't give you more than you can handle. It may be a lot, it maybe hard, but it won't be more than you are capable of.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
MOVING! When I went to triage and had to be monitored sitting on that bed, not being able to move was miserable. Concentrating on breathing helped distract me a little. Crying and telling myself the word open. Once I hit transition the tub was amazing. I went from a screaming crying mess to a day at the spa! Until pushing contractions anyway.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back the traditional hospital way. For me it wasn't uncomfortable.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Weird, unreal, relieving.
I was mostly happy he was out, but I was surprised that it wasn't love at first sight. I didn't not love him but it wasn't the magical meeting I thought it would be. He also had to be taken away rather quickly because there was meconium and he needed to be suctioned.
When they brought him back I remember just looking at him and trying to make sense that he was here. That it wasn't a dream. I really was a mom and he really was my baby.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Your body won't give you more than you can handle. It may be a lot, it maybe hard, but it won't be more than you are capable of.
Also try to keep up with your exercising as long as possible. It really helped me when the time came. And towards the end all I was doing was walking and water aerobics, so really any moving you can do before hand is awesome!
I went into labor sept 16 and Ace was born on the 17, five days before his due date of sept 22.
I lost part my mucus plug the morning of the 15 and then lost the majority of it on the 16 right before contractions started. Mucus plugs are gross and very sticky. They didn't feel like contractions at first just cramping and I could not get comfortable to go to sleep. The mid wife told us to wait as long as possible before coming in so I just knelt next to the bed because that was most comfortable. While doing that I felt wet and went to check what was going on. It was the bloody show. It's was like when you first start your period. Maybe a little more, at least for me.
I wasn't worried at first because they tell you to expect the bloody show, but every few minutes I would get I guess another bloody show and I was worried it was too much blood to be loosing. I called the midwife and she said give it a little while and if it looked like period blood to come in. Well we waited like half an hour an it was still the same so we called back the midwife and she agreed we should come in to get checked out.
We get to the hospital at 1:30 am on the 17. It's justin, his mom and I that walk into the ER entrance (after hours you have to go through the ER to get to L&D) and the lady looks at us when we say why we are there and asks who is pregnant. ? I didn't show very much apparently.
