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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had so much false labor through this pregnancy, and many days I was sure that I would have a baby shortly. My midwife encouraged me to schedule an induction at 42 weeks, and I hesitantly did, thinking I surely wouldn't make it that far. Within an hour of her breaking my water, I was having strong, close contractions.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I planned to have a natural birth like I did with my first baby, but this little guy's heart rate kept dropping, and so there was talk of a c-section. That was concerning, and not the direction I wanted to go, but the safety of my baby was clearly the top priority. My midwife decided to monitor the baby closely, and see how he tolerated the next few contractions. Those "next few contractions" came hard and fast, and my body dilated from a 4 to a 10 in just under an hour. It was so incredibly painful, much worse than the slow, steady progress I experienced when my daughter was born. Afterwards, my husband asked me if I wanted pain medication during the worst of it, but I honestly didn't have time to think about it! From the first hard contraction, to the moment they put my son on my chest was only one hour long. It was so amazing and fast.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I hired a doula! Seriously, hiring a doula is the best thing you can do to prepare. She helped me to research my options, and helped me stick to my plan when things got rough.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast it went! With my daughter, I was in labor for 36 hours. I know second babies tend to come faster, but I didn't expect to have him in my arms in an hour!
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Research, research, research! Know your options, and hire a doula to help you on this journey! It is totally doable!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing through my contractions, and focusing on what I was doing. I didn't have time to branch out with different positions like I initially planned, but keeping my focus was so important.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
So amazing. I was so elated from the whole experience and I could not believe that he was already here!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Research, research, research! Know your options, and hire a doula to help you on this journey! It is totally doable!
