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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Friday at 2am
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The long duration of the labor.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I prepared my mind for strength and peace, ate a diet that would strengthen my reserve and build my blood, and prepared together with my husband regarding techniques, support and learning about the natural process of labor. His support was absolutely vital to me.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I thought it was be more painful!! I assumed it would be torture, but it wasn't, just intensely challenging.
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An amazing and fulfilling experience to watch a brand new precious human suckling contentedly.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
The water tub was a huge relief when we arrived to the birth center, because I was having piggyback contractions, they were lasting for 20 minutes, one minute apart. The tub made those time frames much more manageable. I got out of the tub to move around a little more, and my husband applied counter pressure to my back and also to my hips. Not only was that a huge relief, but it opened up my hips in a favorable way. As the day wore on, the intensity of my piggyback contractions grew. (this was Monday- I had been having contractions all night long, 8 min apart, each night since Friday) I had read about the reposal, and when the midwife suggested it, I happily agreed! My husband and my midwife each took an end of the bed sheet, and it offered the greatest of comfort! Around midnight, I got into the tub again, and it actually slowed my contractions way down, and I was able to rest for an hour. So... water, counter pressure, and rebozo!!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On the toilet!! Heehee
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I was shaking so bad, my first reaction was fear that I would drop her! ;) my husband held her until the shakes subsided a little, and then she did the breast crawl- an amazing and fulfilling experience to watch a brand new precious human suckling contentedly.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Reside within the REALM of natural. When we got to the Birth Center, the midwife gave us some options to encourage my contractions to become effective. My waters had developed a small rupture that morning, and I was GBS positive. Considering that I had been experiencing steady contractions for three days and had only dilated to a three, we chose the option of breaking my water at the top of the bag, as to encourage pressure downward. Lo and behold, it worked!! I also excepted the antibiotics; we had initially declined. That gave us a sense of relief, as we had initially been concerned about receiving them. Toward the end of active labor, my midwife pulled my cervix over the rest of the way during a contraction, because the babie's head was putting pressure on it in a way that prevented further dilation. After that, it was time to push! All in all, we are very thankful for how the labor went, considering the help we got along the way! I was picturing a smoother experience, but we know that our natural care provider helped our labor to not turn out more extreme. We were able to deliver naturally, in a world that would have medicated our baby out, or cut her out!
