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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was 2 weeks late with my 2nd baby. Immediately following an acupuncturist appointment, I had irregular contractions. That night, my husband and I went to bed and my contractions became seven minutes apart. They were powerful and rhythmic. Something I never felt with my first, who was an emergency c-section. I excitedly embraced the pain and soon moved to the bath tub for comfort. I tried to let my husband sleep as long as possible, at this moment, I knew it was going to be a very long night in the best way possible.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
During transition I had flashbacks of my first labor and delivery, which to put it lightly, was very traumatic. But it was amazing how if I let a tiny shred of doubt in during the beginning roll of a contraction, the pain was unbearable and I let the whole hospital know with a blood curdling scream. On the contrast, when I approached a contraction with confidence and a fierceness only God gives to laboring women, less pain was felt and less noise happened ;)
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I went to childbirth classes with my husband. Even though we already had our sweet baby girl together and I have had some doula training, it bonded us together and made us feel ready to have some sort of game plan.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How relieving it felt to push. I never made it to that stage with my first. It was empowering to reach down and feel my baby boy's head. To know that achieving a natural VBAC is not only very possible, I was about to meet my angel boy!!!!!!!
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You can do it. It helped me to think "you can do this for 10 more seconds" and then start over. So worth it when you finally hold your little angel!!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Mental preparation and staying positive between contractions. Praying out to God and not being ashamed of my naked butt which was on display in a huge mirror. I was under the impression I would be given a small hand held mirror. Nope. They wheeled in a movie theatre and guess who was the star of the show?
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back with my legs up on a midwife, grabbing the back of my thighs and squeezing my husband's anything I could grab.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I was very relieved he was here and healthy and I felt so thankful to God for pulling me through.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
You can do it. It helped me to think "you can do this for 10 more seconds" and then start over. So worth it when you finally hold your little angel!!
