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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I ended up being induced at 36 weeks and 5 days due to preeclampsia. After 12 hours of cervix ripening there had been no change and I was not dilated at all. They started another round of the cervix ripening medication the following morning around 10am and told me if I didn't see any change they would likely send me home to avoid a c-section and try again in a few days. Around 5pm I started to feel a few stronger contractions and the began to come about 2 minutes apart. I thought this was just the medication and not actual labor (that thought made me feel defeated before anything had begun). The contractions were totally manageable. I was eating and watching TV in the hospital with my family through all of them. Around 10pm when the 12 hour medication was up and I was about to be checked I was mentally preparing to go home and for it to not have worked. While I was waiting for the doctor to be free to check me my water broke! I was shocked! That's when I knew I was in labor and wasn't going home.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Due to my preeclampsia my birthing story was already not beginning how I imagined and hoped! I was so surprised to be having high blood pressure and unsafe blood results because I thought I was in top health! I eat a vegan plant based diet and exercise every day. I never thought it would happen to me! But doing what was best for my baby and me we had to induce labor. I was thankfully not given pitocin but instead they inserted a cervix ripening medication vaginally. So I thankfully didn't feel the medical intervention because I was not hooked up to an iv. I did have to go through two 12 hour rounds of the cervix ripening with time in between and o had not slept for days! I was beyond exhausted so once my water broke and I knew I wasn't going home to my bed I was almost disappointed. I just wanted to sleep! I also thought (and this is my biggest advice to mamas to avoid!) that when my water broke my labor was just beginning. I was 3 cm when they checked me and being a first time mom I though I had anot her 20 hours of labor ahead. I didn't want the epidural when my water broke but after an hour of much more intense contractions wit no break in between them I ordered the epidural so I could hopefully get some sleep. They started the IV and told me it would be an hour before the epidural would be ready. As they were prepping me for the epidural my body started pushing! I told my nurse who said I was at 3cm an hour ago and would check me but I was not likely to be ready to push. I asked them to go ahead with the epidural to get relief ad quickly as possible and then to check. The doctor came in shortly after and I was fully dilated and ready to push! I will be honest I felt like such a failure in that moment. I had hoped and planned and prepared for a natural labor and delivery and I was SO close! I've replayed that moment when the nursed asked me if I wanted to be checked before the epidural many times. But most importantly I have a healthy happy baby and I know for next time that delivery may be much sooner than I expect!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I did listen to hypnobirthing cds. I feel like that made my pregnancy much calmer and helped me sleep through sleepless nights. Once I was in labor I did not want to use them like I had planned. I instead wanted things very quiet but they did help me prepare mentally before. Also youtube videos! I watched any and all I could find on natural childbirth. And I made sure to drink my red raspberry leaf tea one to two times a day and loaded up on dates!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How quickly it all happened! Real contractions started at 5pm, my water broke at 10pm, and after only a few pushes my baby girl was here at 1:56am!
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All of my insane exhaustion vanished and I just kept saying hi to her! She didn't look anything like I pictured (she's the spitting image of my husband!) and I just wanted to look at every inch of her to get to know her!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
During early labor I snacked! As crazy as it sounds I had a giant bag of coconut oil popcorn and I knew I had 2 minutes to stuff my face before the next contraction. Which I chewed threw! During the intense contractions I had PLANNED to have my sister (a massage therapist) massage and rub oils on me and my husband was prepared with our hypnobirthing tapes. I wanted none of it! I wanted quiet and I wanted not to be touched at all. I went into the zone and breathed forcefully in and out. Not a breathing technique I had seen or had been told but just what my body did naturally.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was on the bed legs up in the traditional hospital position due to my last minute epidural decision. But during labor I was never told to lay down. In fact my nurses kept trying to help me into different positions like standing, leaning on the bed, and the exercise ball. All things I expected I wanted while pregnant. I felt most comfortable sitting on the bed or chair during labor.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Incredible and unreal! All of my insane exhaustion vanished and I just kept saying hi to her! She didn't look anything like I pictured (she's the spitting image of my husband!) and I just wanted to look at every inch of her to get to know her!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Don't be discouraged by how many centimeters you are dilated and don't think about how long you MAY have to go! And making a birth plan and having a game plan was helpful for me to mentally prepare but nothing I planned to do or used worked. Both accepting whatever happens and not beating yourself up if you do choose pain medication!
