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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I woke up around 2:30am to use the bathroom and had some cramping in my stomach and groin area. I put it off as more Braxton Hicks or false labor since just 4 days prior my cervix was closed. Around 2:50am it happened two more times so I started timing them and knew I was in labor for sure about an hour later.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
To me the only time I questioned myself about going natural was when I was riding in the car to the hospital. I was in transition and had a bulging bag of water so sitting and laying down was a no no. When I got to the hospital I couldn't stand to lay in the bed for them to check my cervix in order to admit me. Even then when they put my IV in I was on all fours on the hospital bed because my contractions were piling on top of another and the nurse didn't have time to get the needle ready before another one hit me. Then once they got my IV in I had to wait for the doctor because I was ready to push but she wasn't there yet and my water still had not broke. I was in the hospital a total of an hour before the doctor got there and broke my water for me so I could begin pushing since I was ready to go and been holding off of the pushing for a good 30 minutes. So that was the second most challenging thing is not being able to push when I everything in me told me, wanted me, and needed me to.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
To me reading everything I possibly could about labor, birth, pregnancy, and postpartum was what prepared me the most. I'm the kind of person that likes to know any and every possible outcome and that's what I tried to do. Also, I read about what labor pains would feel like and watched many different birth videos to see what kind of thing I was getting myself into. Also, I looked up breathing techniques and relaxation techniques and used those throughout my whole labor. My favorite and most helpful thing was my mantra that I had for when I would reach my peak of my contractions. I would say "open yourself like a rose so you can meet your baby soon" and would envision my cervix and body opening like a rose would and would try to imagine what my baby girl would look like.
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What surprised you about your birth?
What surprised me about my birth was that i was in labor 11 hours from the start of my labor to when I heard her first cry. I was expecting a long labor, like closer to 24 hours since this is my first baby, but hoping and praying for a short labor which thank God is what I got. Also, I was expecting excruciating pain like I was gonna die when I went into labor but honestly until I got to the hospital I could handle the pain just fine. Once I got to the hospital I had to stay in the bed laying down because they didn't want my waters to break before the doctor arrived because I was fully dilated and that was when the pain was almost unbearable for me but she was ready to come into this world. I just couldn't believe that I labored all at home and the time seemed to have passed so quickly because I was expecting a much longer labor from what I read about when you have your first child.
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Take it one step at a time and one contraction at a time. Go with what your body tells you and don't be afraid because you are made to do this and you can and will do this.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Being in constant movement was the most helpful followed by breathing and envisioning. Also I had a mantra that I would repeat that would go along with my vision in my mind. I would incision a rose blooming while repeating the phrase "open my body like a rose so I can meet my baby soon". This would give me something to focus on and thinking about my baby coming was so relaxing for me.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up laying down on my back to deliver because they had to break my water for me and I didn't have time to try any other position. The position I was hoping to push in was a squat in position but I'm glad with what I ended up doing.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I felt like I had the whole world wrapped up in my arms. I never knew my heart could feel so big and full.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Take it one step at a time and one contraction at a time. Go with what your body tells you and don't be afraid because you are made to do this and you can and will do this. Think about what helps you relax in everyday life and use that when a contraction starts. Don't focus on the pain just focus on the thought of your baby, have your partner distract you with senseless talk and jokes, anything other than focusing on the pain. And most of all keep moving because that helps baby to get into position and helps you to dilate better but also don't forget to rest when you need to either.
