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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I started having sharp abdominal pains around 9 pm. We decided to start timing them around 9:30 and they were five minutes apart. We called the midwife and decided to go to the hospital to be checked, but I wasn't totally convinced it was real labor yet. Twenty minutes later in the car ride to the hospital I became convinced they were real and it was happening now! We only live 25 minutes from the hospital, but that ride seemed long and rough.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I had four previous natural births, so I knew what to expect. This time around everything went so incredibly quick that I wasn't able to go by my 'plan' or what worked best for me in the past. My midwife asked me if I needed to change positions, and by that time I just couldn't even move and pushed her out where I was.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I had four babies before this one so I knew what worked for me and what didn't. This time, I found an amazing midwife that honored the low-intervention birth I wanted. I had so much trust in her and she just let me do what my body needed to without pushing anything on me that I didn't want.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast it was! I labored for less than two hours total and had the baby twenty minutes after entering the hospital doors. I was ready to push the second I was wheeled into the room, so there was no time to set anything up. I was still wearing my pajamas when I was holding my newborn baby. Despite the quick birth I didn't have a single tear and felt full of energy and joy the second she came out!
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Trust in your mind and body to accomplish what it is built to do. Every ounce of pain is worth it in the end because you get to hold an alert baby and have the ability to move around when you're ready! You'll feel so proud that you were able to conquer that goal!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Standing up and rocking back and forth, and breathing through the contractions.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back in the hospital bed. Was not my original plan but with such a fast labor and birth, I didn't have any time to change it up. I don't have any regrets though!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Such a big rush of joy and relief. We didn't know the gender and were elated to find out we had another little girl! She was so alert and had a big loud cry, and was the largest baby I had delivered yet. I was still processing the fast birth but felt full of pride and accomplishment!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Trust in your mind and body to accomplish what it is built to do. Every ounce of pain is worth it in the end because you get to hold an alert baby and have the ability to move around when you're ready! You'll feel so proud that you were able to conquer that goal!
