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When did you realize you were really in labor?
On Monday, July 4th I awake at approximately 8:00am to a small gush of water. At first I thought I'd had an accident, but soon after realized my water broke. I immediately told my husband. We showered and tried to remain calm as we made our way to the hospital.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The labor pain was more intense than I could have imagined. When we got to the hospital my contractions were about 9-10 minutes apart and I was at 5cm already. We got to the hospital about 9:30am and and things progressed quickly! Sophia was born that afternoon at 3:26pm.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
My husband and I did tons of research online. We read the good stories, and horror stories. We prayed for the best, but also knew there was a chance things could turn out differently than we planned even though I had a very healthy and normal pregnancy. Ultimately, we knew things would work out however God wanted it to, and we had faith that everything would be okay.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Having a hospital birth, I was nervous the nurses would just pressure me to get an epidural and try to intervene. My Obgyn and nurse are amazing, and were so supportive of my wishes for a natural delivery. I labored in bed, in a rocking chair, birthing ball, and had the option for a hot shower if desired. I actually had a great experience! In addition to all of this, my labor was less than 8 hours! I was so surprised. My contractions quickly grew closer together and just after 3:00pm my contractions were 1.5-2 minutes apart and it was almost time to push. I pushed maybe 15 minutes and our little girl was here. Everything went as planned, we had an all natural hospital birth, and most importantly our daughter was here, and healthy.
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Try and stay calm, and just have faith in God that everything will be okay! Of course it will hurt, and be uncomfortable. But the moment your baby is here, all of that pain will go away and you'll forget all about it! Also, make sure you have an amazing support team. Good luck mamas!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I kept busy as much as possible, talking with my husband and watching fixer upper. I love that show! I didn't have any pain medicine, just tried to not think about the pain and breathe through the contractions.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
The traditional partly reclined position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Words cannot describe how amazing it felt. As soon as Sophia was born, she was screaming, crying and her bottom lip was quivering. It was the most exciting and beautiful moment ever. I remember looking at her and immediately I started crying tears of joy. I looked up at my husband and we shared a special moment of pure bliss and love.
The only people in the delivery room was myself (of course) my husband, Obgyn and one nurse. It was perfect!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Try and stay calm, and just have faith in God that everything will be okay! Of course it will hurt, and be uncomfortable. But the moment your baby is here, all of that pain will go away and you'll forget all about it! Also, make sure you have an amazing support team. Good luck mamas!
