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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was induced due to high blood pressure at 40 weeks and 5 days along. The contractions started slowly but consistently after taking cytotec and having the foley balloon inserted to ripen my cervix.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging was the intense contractions I experienced after the midwife broke my water. I was slowly induced with pitocin after 4 cms and the contractions were bearable but after they broke my water, they immediately became very close together and intense. Also, they were constantly monitoring my blood pressure so I was not able to be active during labor as I had hoped to be.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Taking the child birth classes was the most helpful for sure. I had intended on going into labor naturally and not using any interventions but the class helped me to be open to the possibility of having to use these interventions and know the different options I had.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Definitely was surprised that even though the intensity of my labor was more then I had expected with all of the interventions, I was able to endure through it with no pain medication.
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Your body can endure more pain than you can imagine. If you want to have a natural birth don't let anyone discourage you from that, however, keep an open mind that your labor may not go as planned and you may have to make choices that are going to be better for the safety of you and your baby and that's all that matters.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
My husband rubbed my lower back with the same motion of my breathing. He did that while my doula couched me through breathing out each contraction.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back holding my legs up.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was a whirlwind of emotions. I was so relieved to hear his cry and that he was healthy. I was overwhelmed with what my body had just endured. It was honestly a hard moment for me because I had really bad shakes from the hormone changes and it was hard to hold him. My husband did some skin on skin which was really sweet to see.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Your body can endure more pain than you can imagine. If you want to have a natural birth don't let anyone discourage you from that, however, keep an open mind that your labor may not go as planned and you may have to make choices that are going to be better for the safety of you and your baby and that's all that matters. And after you have endured what you thought was impossible, you will experience a deep love for your little one that will make every second of pain worth it. Oh and get a doula!!!! She literally is the reason I kept going without any medication.
