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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was told "you will know when you're having contractions" and boy did I! I'd had Braxton Hicks occasionally from 26 weeks but they just felt like my abdomen tightening and weren't at all painful. My first contraction lasted 2 minutes and took my breath away. I struggled to breathe through it and remain relaxed through. It was followed by my second contraction less than 2 minutes later, then a third after a minute and they got faster and longer from there on in. Total labor time from first contraction to delivery was 2 hours.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I think the intense pain was the hardest thing. Since my labor was unusual given that it was so rapid, it went from "0 to 60 mph" in a no time. There were no rests between contractions; they just came all of a sudden in rapid waves. I was in shock at how quickly it all happened. I also couldn't help but scream through each contraction as I wasn't prepared for just how painful it would be.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I had planned to deliver with midwives at a birth center, 30 minutes from home. I had taken 15 hours of in depth prep classes and education with them and felt confident in having a relaxed, steady natural birth. As it happened, I went to my local hospital, only 3 minutes away and delivered with my OB as she was on call that evening. I still had a natural birth but was left in total shock and missing the birth center experience I'd planned. I think my best preparation was holding my plans loosely and keeping focused on God's strength to get me through. I prayed a lot before the birth and that really helped me to trust that God had designed my body to birth this baby even though I felt totally out of control.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Just how FAST it was. I'd never heard of precipitous labor before it happened to me. I'd mentally prepared for it to take 24 hours start to finish, not 2!!
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Believe in yourself and trust that your body can do it. It is so worth it and you have such a sense of accomplishment afterwards. It also speeds the recovery time I think and allows you to be more in tune with your body.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Everything I learned went out of the window in the panic and stress of the moment. Prayer is what pulled me through.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back, leg in stirrups. Not what I wanted. But since I ended up at hospital, they made me deliver in this position. I did ask to go on all fours but was told no.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Crazy. Amazing. Surreal. Relief. Love.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Believe in yourself and trust that your body can do it. It is so worth it and you have such a sense of accomplishment afterwards. It also speeds the recovery time I think and allows you to be more in tune with your body.
