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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke on a Monday night, and I didn’t start having contractions until Wednesday morning! When the contractions started is when things started getting real
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Our son was in the LOA position for the last ten weeks of my pregnancy, but during labor flipped over so he was sunny side up, and stuck his chin up so his forehead was trying to come out first instead of the crown of his head. After having dilated to 9 cm, a few hours later my cervix became so swollen from the pressure of his forehead that I was back down to 8 cm, and later 7 cm. I had been in labor for 30 hours at this point with terrible back labor, we had tried all the tricks in the book to get him to re position, and I had been vomiting all night during almost every contraction from the pain. At this point, our midwife suggested we transfer to the hospital to get pain meds and some rest, to see if that would help my cervix dilate. I felt defeated, like I had given up on this natural birth that I do longed for, but really had no other option. After transferring and getting an epidural, some much needed rest, and pitocin for several hours, my cervix was now back down to only 6 cm! Our son’s heart rate kept dropping, there was meconium in my water when it broke, and we were approaching the 40 hour mark of labor. The midwives at the hospital said we needed to make a decision about having a c-section before it became an emergency. I felt devastated in that moment, but again felt like we had exhausted all other options. Even though things did not turn out as planned, once we saw our son all of those thoughts went out the window. We were so lucky and happy to finally meet our healthy baby boy!!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
During the pregnancy, my husband and I took a mindfulness based birth and parenting class. We practiced meditation and learned to be more mindful in our daily lives. This helped immensely to keep me calm during labor and to live in each present moment. I was also so thankful for the education about birth and interventions we learned from the Mama Natural Birth Class. After being in labor for 40 hours, we had to make the decision to have a C-section before it became an emergency. During labor he flipped from LOA to sunny-side up, and my cervix went from 9 cm back down to 6 cm from the pressure of his forehead. Because of what we learned in the Mama Natural Birth Course, we were able to make an educated decision on the C-section, and it wasn’t just a “cascade of interventions” that happened to us once we transferred from our birth center to the hospital, per our midwife’s recommendation. And because of the mindfulness class, I was able to peacefully let go of the “plan” to have an all natural childbirth. I even remembered to request everything for a “gentle c-section” that I learned from the class!
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What surprised you about your birth?
Even though things did not go as planned for my son’s birth, and I was not able to give birth naturally or vaginally like I had dreamed, everything turned out fine. Our son came into this world as healthy as can be, and because of the education about birth I received, I did not beat myself up about having to get a C-section. It is what it is, and now we have the most wonderful baby boy in our lives who we love to the moon and back!
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Educate yourself! Keep your mind open. If things don’t go according to plan it doesn’t matter. What matters is you have a beautiful healthy baby in your arms at the end of it all!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Squeezing the hips and putting pressure with a hot water bottle on my tailbone during contractions. Also doing meditation body scans.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
After 40 hours of labor, I had to get a C-Section because of my son’s position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazing! Seriously the best feeling in the world. I worked SO HARD for so long (40 hours!!) to get him out and once I held him and kissed his little face I forgot all about the pain. Pure love.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Educate yourself! Keep your mind open. If things don’t go according to plan it doesn’t matter. What matters is you have a beautiful healthy baby in your arms at the end of it all!
