Writing Birth Affirmations Helped Lauren Achieve Her Home Birth

When did you realize you were really in labor?

I had prodromal labor here and there for a few weeks so I wasn't convinced I was in labor when I started having contractions at 40.3 weeks. I realized I was really in labor about 3 hours in when I was having a contraction that I couldn't talk through and had to catch my breath.

What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

Not knowing how long labor would last or what to expect. I have fast births, in all, I was in labor for five hours but only realized it in the last two hours. So an hour into me realizing I was in labor was pretty intense. I suspected it would be another fast labor and would tell myself I could do anything for an hour but there was that thought in my head that there could be twelve more hours of this.

What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?

I wrote birth affirmations and hung them in my birthing space. I would read them in the days leading up to birth. In labor when I would have a negative thought like, "I can't do this." I would replace it with one of my birth affirmations. Processing emotions from my previous traumatic birth experience helped me to feel ready for this birth. I did myofascial release, tapping (EFT), and prayed.

What surprised you about your birth?

I was surprised at how fast it was. My first birth was fast but I had been dilated to 4cm for two months after going into preterm labor at 33 weeks and attributed my fast labor to that. But I was not dilated at all four days before I went into labor this time. I went from not being sure if I was in labor to 8cm dilated in about an hour, she was born 45 minutes after that. I was also surprised by how much vernix she had at 40.3 weeks.

Only allow people to tell you their positive birth stories, surround yourself with what you DO want your birth to be like. Don't get into your head when you're in labor. You can do anything for a minute or two, get through each contraction. You can do anything for an hour, just take it one hour at a time.

What pain relief strategies worked best?

When my husband was setting up our bed he stacked all of the pillows in the rocking chair. I leaned over them and rocked during each contraction. This was working so well I almost didn't want to stop to get into the birthing pool. I did hypnobabies with my first birth and while I hadn't listened to the tracks at all this time, I still visualized my orange glowing hypno-anesthesia traveling through my body and was surprised that it actually helped. Once I was in the pool, the warm water helped me to relax as much as I could during transition.

How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?

So surreal. She was so warm and vernixy, it was amazing. I kept saying, "I did it." I felt amazing and really feel like her birth was a healing process that helped me fully process my past birth experience that didn't go as well.

What did you name your baby, and why?

We named her Mary Adeline Rose. My grandmother's name is Mary Ella and I have always wanted to name a daughter with that. My husband and I fell in love with the name Adeline several years ago. Originally she was just going to be Mary Adeline and we would call her Adeline but when she was born, she immediately seemed like a "Rose" to me. So now her first name is Mary Adeline and her middle name is Rose.

What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?

Watch peaceful birth videos, only allow people to tell you their positive birth stories, surround yourself with what you DO want your birth to be like. Don't get into your head when you're in labor. You can do anything for a minute or two, get through each contraction. You can do anything for an hour, just take it one hour at a time.