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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Soon after I woke up, around 6 a.m.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
That due to a severe emergency (uterine rupture) I didn't get the natural birth I'd hoped, prayed, and worked so hard for. I labored med-free from 6 until 3:30 that afternoon. I made it to 8.5 cm, but my cervix was not cooperating and I was having severe, pushy contractions for hours, and yet I could not push. My doula, dr, and I decided getting an epidural in the hopes that I could still deliver vaginally if contractions slowed down and the swelling decreased was our best option. At some point, we have no idea when, my uterus ruptured in the back in 2 places. The baby's heart rate dropped dangerously low and I was rushed in for an emergency c-section. When the dr opened me up to retrieve the baby, all she could see was his head inside the uterus. The uterus was in pieces and he was floating among my organs. I was the talk of the hospital. In their combined 100 +years of practice, none of the doctors or nurses had ever seen a case like mine. In similar cases, usually the mother died and often both baby and mother. While I longed for a natural labor and did literally everything possible to avoid it, when I finally got to hold my precious son at 5 days old, I could do nothing other than breathe thanks to God for sparing our lives.
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IMG_0974
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I did everything. Dates, red raspberry leaf tea, exercise, Webster technique, hired a doula, chose a VBAC friendly doctor and hospital who supported my wishes for an unmedicated birth. They allowed me to go past my due date, in hopes that labor would begin on its own. It did, and I got 9 1/2 hours of unmedicated labor. Plus a c-section. Plus a hysterectomy. But still I am nothing but grateful.
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What surprised you about your birth?
See all of the above
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Do it!!! It works great for most people!!! And definitely hire a doula!!!!!Of my 4 births, my favorite/easiest by far was the natural birth I had with my second. Recovery was easy-peasy and while the labor was intense and lasted 12 hours, getting to experience pulling her out and immediately watching her do the breast crawl was so rewarding.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing (doula)
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Surgical
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Relief and incredible joy. I did not get to pull him out of my body as I'd hoped, but I nearly lost my life giving birth to him so the feeling of "success" is still pretty high.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Do it!!! It works great for most people!!! And definitely hire a doula!!!!!Of my 4 births, my favorite/easiest by far was the natural birth I had with my second. Recovery was easy-peasy and while the labor was intense and lasted 12 hours, getting to experience pulling her out and immediately watching her do the breast crawl was so rewarding.
