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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had a routine of propping myself on one side with pillows, sleeping four hours, getting up to empty my bladder, propping myself on the other side, then sleeping four more hours. This worked great for the last month of my pregnancy. But at about 3:30 am, I had gotten up and voided, but when I went back to bed, I could not get myself comfortable. Then I started to feel the trickle. I went back to the bathroom and when I sat on the toilet--gush! My water was officially broken. I woke my husband up to let him know, but he informed me that he would be useless as a coach at that hour of the morning. So I went back to sleep for about three hours. I started feeling mild contractions at about 9 am.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing about going natural was that the doctor didn't like the monitor readings. My baby was having late decelerations, which can indicate an unhealthy placenta. This resulting in her panicking, using a vacuum extractor, moving me to a delivery room for a possible C-section, and an episiotomy which precipitated a fourth degree tear.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Bradley classes and exercises.
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What surprised you about your birth?
That in spite of all the ridiculous medical interventions, I still gave birth without medication. My baby was born healthy, pink and screaming, with no loss of meconium.
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DO IT! In spite of everything that went wrong with my birth, I owe everything that went right to God and the Bradley method!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
One of the best pieces of advice I got was from one of the older doctors in the practice I was with. She said, "If you want to have a natural birth, stay home until you can't stand it any more, then when you can't stand it any more, get in the shower." I was 7 cm dilated when I got to the hospital, and gave birth in about 2.5 hours after arriving.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back, unfortunately.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was a hard birth, and I unfortunately was medicated afterward for repair of my significant tear. About that time I was feeling like I'd been hit by a mack truck.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
DO IT! In spite of everything that went wrong with my birth, I owe everything that went right to God and the Bradley method!