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When did you realize you were really in labor?
About 5 minutes after I woke up! I woke up at 1:20 in the morning with a contraction and I realized with the second one that THIS WAS IT! Contractions started off at 4-5 minutes apart. I went from 0-60 in no time at all!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Waiting for labor to begin on its own was definitely the hardest part, along with trying to stay mentally present and not enter that panic zone.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Hire my doula! She was with us for our last birth and was with us again for this one. She is, hands down, the reason my two VBACs were successful. I could not have done it without her!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast everything happened! I woke up at 1:20 am in hard labor and my daughter was born at 4:14 am. Just under 3 hours from start to finish-- and she was HUGE at 11 pounds 13 ounces. I remember trying to wrap my brain around what was happening and I could not believe I didn't have to spend hours in labor.
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YOU CAN DO IT! Hire a doula, get chiropractic care, and know that the pain is temporary. You are so close to holding your baby!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Keeping my hands relaxed. As I felt a contraction coming on, I laid my head on my husband and tapped each of my fingers against my thumbs to keep my hands relaxed. My doula talked me through each contraction reminding me to breathe through the bottom of the contraction and to keep my shoulders down.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I pushed on my side, and then had to roll to my back slightly because my daughter got stuck.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I didn't hold her immediately because she needed some extra attention right away. It was about 10-15 minutes before I held her and it was so magical to meet my daughter. It was the moment I'd waited for my entire life and now she was mine.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
YOU CAN DO IT! Hire a doula, get chiropractic care, and know that the pain is temporary. You are so close to holding your baby!
