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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I didnt really feel contractions, though I was having them. I dilated to 4 cm but was not in actual labor. I was at dinner with family and had a good belly laugh. I felt a gush of liquid and I thought I had peed but there was something off about it. The hospital was right across the street so we went in just to be sure and sure enough it was amniotic fluid.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I did alright until transition. Those intense contractions nearly kicked my butt!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I devoured information. I took a class, I read every birth story I could, and I watched documentaries about birth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
The biggest surprise was when things stopped going as planned. My son had breathed in fluid and after I was able to see and hold him, he was taken to the nursery for oxygen.
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You can do it! Just trust yourself. The contractions can't overtake you because it is you.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I used an oxygen mask during contractions. It really helped to make my breathing more effective and served as a focus point.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Semi-reclined
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was amazing. We were team green so I didn't technically know the baby's sex but the moment I found out I was pregnant I knew I was having a blue-eyed boy. When I felt him crowning I called out his name and told him happy birthday. The moment he was placed on my chest I felt such joy. Immediately, I forgot all 14 hours of labor because there he was.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Go with the flow. Move around and find what feels good. Try several different techniques for comfort measures. You know yourself and your body. You can do it! Just trust yourself. The contractions can't overtake you because it is you.
