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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for several weeks, but at 3:30 am on the day after my due date I woke up to contractions that felt a bit stronger. There was more pressure during each one, but they still weren't painful or settling into any sort of pattern. By 5:00 am I was asleep again. After getting up for the day at 7:00 am I noticed the contractions continuing throughout the morning. At about 11:30 am my husband started helping me time them. By this time they were about six minutes apart, and I had to breathe and focus through each one. But I wasn't certain I was in labor until a particularly intense contraction at 12:40 pm during which my water broke.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing for me was navigating conversations about my desire for a natural, unmedicated birth with my doctor and loved ones.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I hired a doula that had a lot of experience with natural births, read the Mama Natural pregnancy book and took the Mama Natural online childbirth course. My husband took the course with me, and it was great to have his partnership and support.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was extremely surprised by how quickly everything went. I wasn't sure I was in labor until I had a very strong contraction at about 12:40 pm and my water broke. My daughter was born at 1:06 pm in the back of our minivan on the way to the hospital. My husband pulled over, called 911, and got in the back of the van in time to deliver her himself. It was incredible!
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It gave me confidence in my decision to strive for natural childbirth. It gave me evidence-based information to back up my decisions. And when the time came that my husband and I had to work together to unexpectedly birth the baby in the back of our minivan, we were calm and confident. Everything turned out beautifully in the birth of our sweet, strong baby girl.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I found relief by focusing on my breathing, moaning, and letting my body naturally get into the position that was most comfortable. When I entered the transition phase of labor I kept repeating in my head (and sometimes out loud), "My body knows what to do."
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Holding my baby felt peaceful, joyful, and exhilarating all at once. I was so proud of what we had done together in accomplishing this natural, unmedicated birth.
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What did you name your baby, and why?
We named our baby Posey. My husband and I found a few names that we liked, but I never felt like any of them were the right name for the baby growing inside of me. I eventually found the name Posey on a list of flower-inspired names, and I immediately knew that was our baby's name. Luckily my husband agreed!
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
It gave me confidence in my decision to strive for natural childbirth. It gave me evidence-based information to back up my decisions. And when the time came that my husband and I had to work together to unexpectedly birth the baby in the back of our minivan, we were calm and confident. Everything turned out beautifully in the birth of our sweet, strong baby girl.
