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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I woke up at 3 a.m. with contractions that were different than the Braxton Hicks i'd been having for months. At 7 a.m. I thought things might get moving soon and called my husband who was out of town on a work trip and said he may want to cut work a little short and come home early. By about 9 a.m. I was sure I was in actual labor.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Transition. The rest of the labor and pushing I can do, but the super intense, overheated, wild feeling of transition is the hardest for me. I felt very defeated and incapable and out of control during that time.
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Welcome Earthside, Serenity Reyne!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Probably yoga and chiropractic care helped me the most. During prenatal yoga, we did some breathing exercises that helped during early labor, and chiropractic care helped me be able to move around without pain.
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What surprised you about your birth?
She came fast!! Labor was pretty slow with spaced out manageable contractions until about 2 p.m. things picked up, water broke at 4:15 p.m., and she was earthside at 4:30. She had trouble breathing so we ended up transferring to an ambulance to the hospital. I was surprised at that. I never really considered a postpartum emergency transfer especially since midwives in my area can carry anti-hemorrhagic medications.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Actually relaxing between contractions helped the most, but I did not do a consistently good job at achieving this! Lol.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was a little scary, her cord was very short (less than 12 inches) so when she was born she couldn't come to my chest, so she was on the bed next to me. The midwife was doing CPR then she was passed to the firemen for oxygen and a little more help. I got to hold her after I got on the gurney to be transferred to the hospital and I was so glad to have her in my arms. She stayed on oxygen during the ride to the hospital but we were able to be skin to skin that whole ride.
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What did you name your baby, and why?
Serenity. I struggled with postpartum anxiety and depression after my first child. This time, my prayer was for God's peace to rule in our hearts. She was also a super chill baby and still is at 3 months old. I think it fits her well.
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
The most helpful thing was the affirmation cards. I kept them standing by my sink and changed them as I felt I needed to. I also hung a string of them on the birth wall by my bed right where she was born and had my husband read some to me during the transition.
