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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I never felt Braxton Hicks and had any symptoms that labor was coming except for losing my mucus plug the 3 days prior to birth. At 8:45 pm, I had my first contraction. They were from the start 60-90 seconds long and 3-5 minutes apart. I labored at home tracking the contractions until 2 am. Then my husband called the relatives who would look after our toddler. We arrived at the hospital at 2:30 am and I was 7 cm and +1. I had my baby just under 2 hours from arrival. The nurse I had was amazing and fully supportive of my birth plan.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
When the baby is moving down the birth canal and the "ring of fire" were definitely painful. The pushing also was painful; however, my husband helped coach me with breathing.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Constant reminding myself that women's bodies were created to give birth. That the pain in childbirth is one of the curses from the fall of man, but also women have been having children naturally up until the past 100 years.
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What surprised you about your birth?
The recovery with this birth was MUCH easier than with my first (I opted for an epidural and had an episiotomy without my consent on my first). The nurse also told me afterwards that I did absolutely incredible job and that she wished all women were as easy as me. She said I handled birth the best she had ever seen. I guess I have a high pain tolerance.
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You can do it. Birth is a natural thing. Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Know that women have been doing this since creation.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I had a lot of back labor, so in between contractions, my husband massaging my lower back was incredibly helpful.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ultimately wanted to have a squatting birth, but once I was sitting on the bed, it was too much for me to get into position. I ended up giving birth in a sitting/squatting position, but on a bed. It was not exactly how I had envisioned, but it was close enough.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
This time was much different than my first. With my first, it was so awesome and just amazing. While it was beautiful holding my baby this 2nd time, the doctor on staff for my delivery (not my obgyn since she wasn't able to make it), she was doing something down there after the placenta was delivered. It was SO extremely painful, it was also worse than pushing. It basically ruined that special moment after birth. I still have no idea what exactly happened, but it hurt so much that it really ruined the moment and I wasn't able to enjoy holding my baby for the first time until afterwards.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
You can do it. Birth is a natural thing. Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Know that women have been doing this since creation.