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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Around 4 AM, I couldn't sleep because I was stressed thinking about getting induced (I was 6 days passed my due date). I started feeling cramping, and they just kept coming about every 10-15 minutes. Then I used the bathroom, and saw some blood. That's when I really new things were starting!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging part was not knowing how much worse the pain was going to get. I did get the consult for the epidural when I was at 7 cm, but I was able to make it through with Nitrous Oxide during the worst of it, until I had to start pushing.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I drank a lot of red raspberry leaf tea during my pregnancy, and ate a bunch of dates from about 34 weeks through my delivery. I also stayed active the entire pregnancy, including a few hikes the week before he arrived!
The best prep I did for labor itself was that I made a very strong brew of red raspberry leaf tea with honey into ice cubes, which really helped during labor, and in the following days.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast it went! I had my first contractions at 4, by the time I started timing them at 9:30 they were already 3-4 minutes apart, and lasted 40-50 seconds. By 11:30 we were on the way to the hospital and I was 5 cm! By 2 PM I was 7 cm, and he was born at 4:49 PM! 13 hours flew by!
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Believe in yourself, and listen to the people that are there to support you! Take their words of encouragement!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I had to sit on the toilet during my contractions, just to relive the pressure! He was sitting so low the pressure on my bum was insane, and that really helped. During the transitional period I used Nitrous Oxide which helped enough until I had to push.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back, with my husband and one of my nurses holding my legs.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It felt perfect and surreal! It honestly all happened so fast, from feeling the rushing "water slide" sensation of him coming out to all of sudden realizing he was on my chest! It was such a relief and so perfect!!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Believe in yourself, and listen to the people that are there to support you! Take their words of encouragement! What helped me the most was hearing, "You can do anything for a minute", "Breath it out", and my husband reminding me that soon we'll be meeting our sweet boy!!
