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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My husband was sleeping, our 21 month old tucked sweetly into bed. With my first baby; labor dragged out over three days and our planned natural home birth had resulted in a c-section. So with baby #2 when I went into labor I was in DENIAL. I was downstairs after only an hour of getting out of bed after midnight as I was uncomfortable thinking these Braxton Hicks I was experiencing were getting intense - I woke up my husband only for him to sternly try and talk some sense into me that I was in LABOR and contractions were every two mins apart. I thought he was crazy and said I just needed a bath.. well then all of a sudden felt that undeniable urge to push! We were still at home (as I was a VBAC, we planned a hospital birth), no family here to watch our sleeping toddler.. and mama had to push!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The mind frame you need to have and the care providers to support and respect your choice, especially being a vbac. Since our birth "plan" with our first baby went as opposite as it could have - with the second I was a lot more "go with the flow" to prevent disappointment. Having a natural birth was something I wanted and knew I could have I just needed to be in the right mindset and fight for the birth I wanted and my baby deserved. The hospital (in Canada) had many policies in place regarding being a natural vbac, most in which I didn't agree to. Prior to my labor and delivery I spoke in great length with my midwife about what I desired for my birth. When the delivery came everyone was up to speed on what I wanted an did NOT approve and it was an amazing, all natural vbac.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Take time to prayerfully and mentally prepare for my vbac. Give the power to Him and know whatever happened is His will. Writing scripture based birth affirmations out in the days leading up to my sons birth. Having a husband who fully supported and me and my desired natural birth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Our FAST and furious it was. By the time we waited for my sister to wake up and arrive at out house to watch our toddler I was trying as hard as I could not to push. The second we got in the car I was fearful he would be born en route to the hospital. Thankfully it was middle of the night and the roads were clear. Our regular 15 min journey to the hospital my panicking husband got us there in under 4 mins (with running no red lights he adds). As soon we hit the maternity ward my midwife came running in and I finally gave in to the pushing. Not to long after we were holding our sweet little boy. If the intenseness of the delivery wasn't a shock enough the SIZE of our new baby was! I was always measuring very small in fundal height during my prenatal appointments - as were I with our first. I went for an ultrasound a couple weeks before he was born and they estimated he would way around 5lbs (our first was 6lbs 10oz). So I only packed preemie size clothes in the diaper bag just thinking our "normal" was tiny babies. However our little guy weighed 8lbs 2oz (I realize not a big baby in the grand scheme of things but with our first I pushed for over 6 hours and resulted in a c-section, so for me to have an all natural birth and him be over 8 pounds I was proud). It was a healing birth after the first, and although it wasn't a home birth, we were out of the hospital immediately after just in time for our toddler to wake up and meet his new brother - it was like we never left :)
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Do not make decisions based on FEAR - do your research, truly know your rights, have a great support birth team, and make choices out of what you know to be the right choice for you and your baby - no one else.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing properly, channeling all the screaming you feel like you want to make it focused, strong breaths. Being on all four's, and moving with your contractions. Once you realize to embrace them and not fight them, it's truly a better experience.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Using a bedsheet tied to a squat bar for maximum leverage to push against.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
No words can describe it. Seconds before he was earth side I yelled to everyone in the room they were not to touch him until I did. They all started laughing and they said they knew better after all my prenatal appointments. My midwife told me to look down and lift him out and that was the most empowering moment of my life. With my first son I didn't get to hold him for hours after and so with this baby that moment wasn't just for then it was making up for what I missed and so grieved over - it was worth every second of both there labor and deliveries.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Do not make decisions based on FEAR - do your research, truly know your rights, have a great support birth team, and make choices out of what you know to be the right choice for you and your baby - no one else.
