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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been having light cramping for a little over a week but I knew officially when my water broke at 5 am the day before my due date. We had planned to labor at home for as long as possible if I went into spontaneous labor, but on advice from my doctor we went in to the hospital right after my water broke. I was GBS+ and needed to start antibiotics.?
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
My contractions were not progressing on their own so I had to have pitocin which I was adamant about trying to avoid. With the pitocin my contractions had no natural build up but since it was my first time I didn't have anything to compare it to.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Having a doula and reading about hypnobirthing and using your breath to stay relaxed through contractions. I visualized each breath pushing my baby down further and made sure to relax into the contraction rather than fighting it. My doula helped me try new positions and suggested ways my husband could help me during contractions.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How focused I was! I'm a talkative person and imagined talking through labor but I zoned in and really focused on my breathing and visualizations. It was an amazing experience and I loved being able to accomplish something I had my mind set on.
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Don't let anyone make you think you can't do it, you can! You have to be committed and have pain management techniques at the ready, but if you prepare and stay committed you can do it!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Focused breathing, visualization and kneeling over the back of the hospital bed.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
My doctor only allowed me to deliver on my back but I doubt I would have been able to stand anyways given the pain I was feeling in my thigh. During the pushing my husband held one leg and my doula and a nurse held the other.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was absolutely amazing! I was pretty out of it but right when I heard her cry I came back to my normal self. We did not know the sex but I had felt that she was a girl since I found out I was pregnant. I was so excited that we got it right when my husband told me she was a girl!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Don't let anyone make you think you can't do it, you can! You have to be committed and have pain management techniques at the ready, but if you prepare and stay committed you can do it!
