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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I realized I was really in labor when I said " I hope we don't have to go home again and walk" and my midwife said " oh no...you guys aren't going anywhere...this baby is coming tonight"
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing about having a natural birth was not the pain, because it was uncomfortable, but manageable. The biggest challenge came way before labor. I had to learn to trust my body and the birthing process and block out the birthing horror stories of well meaning friends.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
To prepare for the birth physically, I went to my chiropractor almost every two weeks to keep myself in alignment and help with hip pain. To prepare my mind and spirit- I read a lot of Ina May birth stories, the natural birth stories of other mamas, and lots of natural mommy blogs. I really had to prepare my mind to not get in the way of my body and remind myself that this is what my body was created to do.
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What surprised you about your birth?
The most surprising thing about my labor was that it was not textbook at all! I am a nurse and I know that had I been at a hospital and not a birth center- I'd have been given pitocin!. My contractions made no sense, they didn't follow any rhythm that I could tell - they did what they wanted... when they wanted, but they here just what I needed to bring my baby here. I was also surprised that I never felt that overwhelming urge to push until right at the end, there was even a few times that I got tired and decided to " take a break" through a few of my surges lol.
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I was so shocked that it was all real and that I had truly just birthed this tiny wonderful creation into the world. She was so slippery and warm and perfect - at that moment I knew I would do anything to protect her and make her life a happy one.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Mentally :The best pain relief strategy I used was to remind myself that each surge wasn't going to last forever and that I just had to make it through that one. I also kept reminding myself that the only way to make it stop was to just let it happen so that we could bring baby home.
Physically: initially, the warm water from the shower was amazing, but the true star of the show was the tens unit, I was surprised at how much it helped ease my back labor- I LOVE that thing!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
We started out in the birthing pool, in my husband's lap, but that made me relax too much. We ended up moving to the bed and brought baby the rest of the way on it- with my husband laying beside me.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Holding " Panda" for the first time was the most incredible feeling in the world, the biggest blur of emotions I have ever felt. I was so shocked that it was all real and that I had truly just birthed this tiny wonderful creation into the world. She was so slippery and warm and perfect - at that moment I knew I would do anything to protect her and make her life a happy one.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
For other mamas who want to go natural the two biggest things to do is one - trust your body to do what it needs to do... it may not be easy but, it is definitely attainable and what is best for your body and your baby. Two: only give heed to positive advice ( unless its your doctor), many people mean well by sharing their horror story, but their experience has no implications for your birth. Worrying about the negative will only stress you out and make you doubt yourself and that's not the frame of mind you need to be in to allow your body to relax and open.
