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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I realized I was in labor after my water broke while sitting on the couch. Of course I thought I peed on myself (the biggest pee of my life) but when it happened again after I changed my clothes, I knew it was the real deal.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing about going natural was the comments from other people. My husband is an anesthesiologist so I think people expected me to go to a hospital and get and epidural.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
The most helpful thing I did to prepare for childbirth was to constantly remind myself that my body was built to give birth to a child.
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What surprised you about your birth?
What surprised me about the birth was the timing. My daughter was 2.5 weeks early. I had only decided to have a home birth 2 days earlier. We had to prepare quickly for her arrival.
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You can do it! Don't let anyone else's stories stop you from thinking that you can deliver naturally. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but you are free to move as much as you want and afterward you and the baby are drug free and all there mentally.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I didn't really have time to use any strategies for pain as my active labor lasted only about an hour. I thought that getting in the tub would help with pain, but I think it just progressed the labor.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up delivering on hands and knees. I was sitting on the toilet thinking, I have to go number 2 (aka your baby is about to come), when the midwife came in the house and yelled get off of the toilet. She said to get on my hands and knees to slow things down a bit.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It felt great to hold her for the first time. She looked just like my first daughter so I felt like I had just delivered the same baby again. I had to remind myself that this a brand new person.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
My advice to other mama's who want to go natural is, you can do it! Don't let anyone else's stories stop you from thinking that you can deliver naturally. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but you are free to move as much as you want and afterward you and the baby are drug free and all there mentally.
