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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I felt pretty normal all day, but when my water broke that evening my pressure waves (contractions) really got going. I called my midwife and my doula, they suggested I take my temperature every hour, change my pad every hour, take an immune system support, and try to rest. Little did we know it wouldn’t be much longer! I laid down to rest and practice my Hypnobabies techniques when all of a sudden I felt what I thought was the need to go to the bathroom. While in the restroom, I felt my body give a small push on its own. I immediately yelled out to whoever was near the restroom, “Umm, I just had the urge to push!” We called the midwife back and told her we needed to head in to the birth center right away, and we gathered everything and hit the road!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing about going natural had to be the uncertainty of what it would be like and how it would unfold. Since I’m a first time mom, I had no idea what I was getting myself into and even though I consider myself to pretty tough, I often got nervous or worried that I wouldn’t have the strength to go through with it when the time came.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I did many things to prepare for birth since I wasn’t sure how I’d feel and how it would unfold (dates, red raspberry leaf tea, etc). The most helpful I did would have to be educating myself on natural birth, practicing Hypnobabies relaxation techniques, using affirmations and scriptures often, and reminding myself daily that I was created to do this and my body knows exactly what it’s doing!
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What surprised you about your birth?
The biggest surprise about my childbirth was how quickly and daily it happened! My water broke and within 2.5 hours my beautiful baby girl was safely in my arms. I never actively pushed with my body, I just breathed deeply and let it do its thing. I think this helped keep me soft and open and I didn’t even need stitches for my first degree tear!
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I loved the Mama Natural Birth Class because it offered so many resources with each class session and the community of other Natural Mamas I’ve been able to join is priceless! I also really loved the beautiful affirmation cards and the affirmations app. I looked at them daily!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Since things happened so quickly I didn’t have much time to get overwhelmed and discouraged by the discomfort. The most effective relief came from breathing deeply between contractions and working to stay relaxed and calm.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was originally on my knees leaning forward in the tub, but my midwife had me turn around and sit in the tub. She said baby’s heart-rate was much better in this position. This also allowed me to relax more and easily bring her to my chest right after birth.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Holding sweet little Amelia for the first time was so surreal! The moment I had been waiting for all those months, the moment all the preparation had led to, it was pure bliss! I remember saying, “Oh, it’s real person!” The miracle of pregnancy and birth is awe inspiring!
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
I loved the Mama Natural Birth Class because it offered so many resources with each class session and the community of other Natural Mamas I’ve been able to join is priceless! I also really loved the beautiful affirmation cards and the affirmations app. I looked at them daily!
