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When did you realize you were really in labor?
With my son they told me I was dilated to 4 and wouldn't let me go home, then broke my water and stuff like that.
With my daughter I was 5 and again they didn't let me go home, but they did nothing else. They let me eat, they put the hep lock in and no iv... and i did start feeling tightening after a while, but nothing painful. I got in the bath and once I got out then i had to bend over with each contraction and breathe. The whole thing was over in about an hour! The worst part was their wanting to keep checking her on the monitors but they couldn't find her because she was moving down too much! With my son I was on the IV more, and the monitor was on near constant, so I was limited in my movement, and couldn't get on all 4's like with my daughter, so it was longer (but still only 7 hrs) and more painful.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The end. Transition is hard. I always throw up and I hate throwing up. And the fact that they barely know what to do with you in a hospital when you're not drugged up and paralyzed from the waist down....
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2013-06-21-2
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Read the Bradley Method and do everything in my power to avoid the IV and monitors attached to me.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast it was when i followed what my body wanted to do and what position it wanted to be in. I think my son would have been faster too if I wasn't so tied down. I was only allowed to be on my side, never on all 4's. with my daughter, they had NO idea it would go that fast, so they weren't even "ready" for me to deliver - but i wasn't either, I thought it would be a few hours more or something, but she was ready and delivered herself practically!
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Just do it. Yes, it's work, but so is a marathon, or any working out, or anything! Anything worth having is hard work.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Going into the position my body wanted to be in.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Well, her head came out when i was on all 4's, and because no one was in the room I tried holding through the next contraction, which i actually regret because then they made me turn over.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
FINALLY! :) She was so amazed by me and so wide eyed :) she looked for brother right when he came into the room too - she couldnt wait to see his face after hearing him for so long.... it was adorable.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Just do it. Yes, it's work, but so is a marathon, or any working out, or anything! Anything worth having is hard work. Yes, you can do it. Yes, its gonna suck for a while, but that wide eyed beautiful baby awake and alert looking for YOU is priceless.
