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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I started to feel mild menstrual like cramps. Something I haven't felt in so long and they had started around 3 am on a sunday morning.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging about my labor was hoe long i had endured being in labor. My labor started around 3 am sunday morning and my daughter was born at 1:44 am on tuesday morning. My labor was so long and my body was dilating sooo slowly. I was dilating in increments. I was at 2 cm for hours, then 4 to 5 cm for hours, then stalled again at 7 to 8 cm for more than 5 hours. Because of how long I was in labor, I ended up needing an epidural and pitocin. I started the drugs at about 9 pm on monday night and as soon as I had received the pitocin, within an hour I needed to push. No more than 10 minutes later of pushing, my daughter was born!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Hiring a doula and getting amazing support from my husband and doing the mama natural online birth classes.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How long I was able to manage going thru labor and contractions for 30 plus hours. I surprised myself how I was able to keep enduring the contractions for that long, but both my body and myself hit a wall where my body and i were so exhausted we could no longer move forward.
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Hiring a doula and getting amazing support from my husband and doing the mama natural online birth classes.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
My doula had me in all sorts of different positions and poses and also labored in the tub. Used the birth ball alot too.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I started in a squat position with a squat and ended on my side with one leg up on the squat bar.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was the most surreal moment! I was in shock that she was actually in my arms and that i had just pushed her out of me. Pushing was the most amazing experience i have ever done in my life.
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
The class truly prepared us with what birth is all about, the science, facts and information really helped guide me and give me an understanding on how my body works, what to expect and how to prepare for the unexpected. With out this course i dont think i could have gone through such an intense and long labor. Even though it wasn't completely natural like i had planned, i was just so grateful my daughter made it safely and healthy.
