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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had on and off contractions from about 1 AM Thursday morning until about 8:30 PM Thursday night. It wasn't until then that they established a regular pattern and began getting stronger and closer together.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
This time around, for sure the back labor. I was able to mentally work and breathe through contractions with my first, but the back labor this time was a whole other ball game. I was very thankful to my husband for all the counter pressure he provided during this labor.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I took Bradley Method Natural Childbirth Classes during my first pregnancy and teach natural childbirth classes now. Understanding the natural, physiological process of birth in addition to having my husband equally educated and knowledgeable about comfort measures is invaluable during labor and birth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was surprised by how intense back labor is. I was very relieved when I felt the urge to push at the end of contractions signaling the start of second stage. And I was surprised at how long my bag of waters stayed in tact. This time around, my waters did not break until I was pushing.
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It was amazing to go through that class with my husband and it helped us to bond during pregnancy. It also gave us the confidence to have a natural hospital birth and to do a home birth for our second.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I labored in a birth pool for a while, and while the contractions were less intense in the pool, they stayed fairly spaced out. When I got out of the pool, they would be much more intense and pick up in frequency. My husband providing counter pressure for my back/hips was extremely helpful for pain relief. For both my labors, breathing and using vocalization helped me focus through each contraction as well.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I began pushing while kneeling on the floor while resting my arms and head on the side of our bed, but ended up pushing him out while standing next to the bed.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazing! We did not find out gender this time around, so it was incredible to have that surprise and see his face for the first time.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
I would definitely invest in a childbirth class like Bradley that focuses on a thorough education including the physiological process of birth, how the partner can help during labor, comfort measures during childbirth, informed consent, etc. It was amazing to go through that class with my husband and it helped us to bond during pregnancy. It also gave us the confidence to have a natural hospital birth and to do a home birth for our second.
Image from Snap Life Photography
