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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had misoprostol inserted at 40+2 weeks. Due to previous labor complications, my midwife didn't want me to go past my due date. I had already made good progress on my own, so it didn't take long for contractions to start.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Remaining calm during contractions and letting my body relax as much as I could, instead of tensing up. My doulas helped me by giving me counter pressure in my back and reminding me to keep my moans low.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
HIRE A DOULA (or two)!!!! I didn't have one for my first birth and I knew right away I wanted one this time around. My husband was deployed during my whole pregnancy and birth, so having my doulas' support was key.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How quick it was! I went from walking around in the hallways, being perfectly normal in between contractions, to hard labor within half an hour it seemed. My whole labor was less than 5 hours and I only pushed for 3 minutes!
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Being able to feel everything and move around helped me know exactly what I needed to do to get my baby out.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Counter pressure and sitting on a birthing ball. I also got a spinal shot, which only lasted about an hour and had worn off by the time I pushed, which I was happy about. Being able to feel everything and move around helped me know exactly what I needed to do to get my baby out.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Complete bliss! I didn't get to hold my first child for quite some time after birth due to complications, so getting immediate skin to skin with my daughter was amazing! We delayed cord clamping and she wasn't taken off my chest for 3 hours.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Hire a doula! I don't know if I'll be able to have another baby without one. The support and empowerment they gave me was amazing.
