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When did you realize you were really in labor?
When I googled 'early signs of labor' and realized I had 5 of the 6 symptoms!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Knowing that the "odds were against me" in the setting I had chosen - I wanted to give birth in a hospital as I am a little older and wanted to ensure there was medical support necessary should it be required; however I also knew that I would likely be surrounded by medical staff who may not be as supportive of my goal. The other big challenge was getting into the right mentality. It felt hard to convince myself that I could do it when there were so many other women around me were just saying 'why would you want to do that, take the drugs!'. And doctors would quote stats like '96% of women at this hospital take the epidural'. My real friends were supportive of my aspiration for natural, drug-free childbirth, and helpful to remind me that it was exactly that, an aspiration, and if everything didn't unfold as I'd like, that's ok too as it's all in service of delivering a healthy baby safely.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Hired a doula. Second to that was the mama natural birth course which was invaluable at helping me understand what to expect, and how to advocate for myself. Third, was to read 2 books: 1) Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and 2) Natural Hospital Childbirth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How the pain wasn't as insane as I expected (crazy I know) - I kept thinking it was going to go for much longer, so I had to just keep getting through each contraction as best I could. It was such a mental game, and the impact of handing over control of my body to my baby (I literally said these words out loud to her in the shower: "I give my body over to you darling, to use my body as a vessel to bring you safely on your journey into the world") was astounding, and quite moving. I was also surprised about how amazing I felt after (apart from being exhausted) - I felt a true sense of accomplishment and utter amazement and respect for what I mentally and physically did.
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It educated me on the whole process of childbirth, to a greater degree than the hospital day course did! I felt empowered to advocate more for myself and understood more of the choice points.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
My doula and husband pressing on either side of my hips, and also downward pressure on my tailbone, whilst in the all 4s position; on the ball in the shower
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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?
Surreal. I remember saying 'Hello I'm your mummy, I love you'. It didn't really sink in that in a second I could be someone's mummy. it was nuts.
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
It educated me on the whole process of childbirth, to a greater degree than the hospital day course did! I felt empowered to advocate more for myself and understood more of the choice points.
