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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Right after the super bowl, I had my first real contraction and it was so painful I couldn't breathe...they were automatically 5 minutes apart right off the bat and didn't stop for 21 hours.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The pain! I had a really difficult labor, I couldn't talk through any of my contractions for all 21 hours of labor, and none of my ideas I had in my birth plan even came close to dulling the pain. All I could do was close my eyes and breathe through the pain. I almost gave in on the way to the hospital and asked for meds or an epidural, but when I got there I was already in transition and had my baby 5 hours later! I was not expecting how hard it was going to be.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Keeping active by going to the gym and doing yoga every day, as well as eating healthy. I know that by being strong and healthy I was very prepared for the work of labor. Also hiring a doula.
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What surprised you about your birth?
My strength and primal power of my body.
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Be strong and have a solid birth plan, as well as a birth partner and team that support you 100%, also expect the unexpected.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Deep breathing, making low deep sounds, and the doula and my husband applying counterpressure with the rebozo
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back, although propped up a bit. There was meconium in the amniotic fluid so despite my birth plan, it was a crisis situation and I was flipped on my back and coached to push the baby out as fast as I could.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was amazing and also surreal. Her little face was so beautiful and looking right at me. However also heartbreaking because they had to take her right away due to fluid in her lungs and I was hemmoraging. That was so scary. But after a week in the NICU everything was completely fine.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Be strong and have a solid birth plan, as well as a birth partner and team that support you 100%, also expect the unexpected.
