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When did you realize you were really in labor?
It was around midnight on June 4th that I knew the cramping was getting stronger and not going away.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I had such a long arduous labor with my first (also natural) this time only seemed challenging at the very end when I was pushing (just the last 30 minutes-yay!).
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I drank lots of red raspberry leaf tea, hired the most wonderful doula, took lots of walks, and went to a Webster chiropractor the entire pregnancy. It made a huge difference in this birth than with my first!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How quickly it went (7 hours versus 36 with my first), and how manageable it seemed due to my water staying intact until 45 minutes before he was born.
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There's nothing like having a natural birth and feeling so accomplished afterward.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I labored at home in a space I was familiar with for most of it, and then used the warm tub (that had jets!) once I got to the hospital.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was in a semi-squatting position though I moved around a lot during the pushing stage.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Incredible! It was so much quicker this time I felt like I had energy to enjoy him after he was born. There's nothing like having a natural birth and feeling so accomplished afterward.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
I highly recommend hiring an experienced doula and seeing a certified Webster chiropractor throughout the pregnancy. I think these two things made the most dramatic difference for me in my two birth experiences.
