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Video Interview With Katie
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When did you realize you were really in labor?
10 days late and trying all the things to jumpstart labor, I woke up feeling minor contractions. It wasn’t until I noticed they were coming every 15 minutes that I texted my midwife “I think today is the day.” She told me not to get too excited too quickly, but when I had a bloody show I knew it was game time.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Truthfully I was more scared prior to labor than I was when it actually came. I feared the unknown - how bad would it be, would there be complications, would we have to emergency transfer to the hospital? I was in my head about all I couldn’t control. When the time came, however, I knew my body was leading the way.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
2 things: breathing techniques (moan don’t whine!) and my support team. My husband and midwife team were incredible. They encouraged me and never left my side.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How all-encompassing it was! I was in active labor for about 5 hours and pushed for 1, but time FLEW. I didn’t really notice the time passing, it felt much shorter.
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Go all in.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing through each contraction, moaning, & holding my husband’s hand!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Surreal. My sweet girl, whose head and body was born all at once, rocked my world. Nothing prepared me for that moment. As my picture shows, pulling her to my chest was a whirlwind magical moment.
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What did you name your baby, and why?
Margaret Anna. Margaret means “pearl”, and I felt like a firstborn daughter would always be precious to me. I also believe she will be molded by God into a beautiful woman.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Go all in. Having had a home birth, any pain medication was off the table. It simply wasn’t an option without a transfer. Because of this, I didn’t ever think I needed it. I was diving in head first (& thankfully so did my daughter, pun intended!).
