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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Due to low amniotic fluid I had to be induced this time. I realized I was in labor after I was hooked up to the IV and the Pitocin was turned on.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Keeping the right mindset and remember that your body was made to do this. You get to a certain point and just feel exhausted and keeping your focus through each contraction gets more and more difficult.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I did the HypnoBabies home study. Even though I wasn't able to hold on to the self hypnosis through the entire labor I know that it helped me stay strong throughout the whole process. It definitely gave me the confidence I needed.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was most surprised by the fact that I did not go into labor on my own. My first child was born one day before her due date. This time I had to be induced at 41 weeks 2 days due to low amniotic fluid.
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Stay confident! If you believe in yourself then you can definitely can do it. Don't get discouraged when things don't go 100% as planned.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
HypnoBabies worked well until I hit transition and lost focus. My nurse and my husband were there helping me remember to relax through each contraction. With HypnoBabies it is important to have a birth partner that is willing to study with you and unfortunately my husband wasn't able to learn the cues, I believe that would have helped during transition. But most importantly, he knew what to say when I was feeling down.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was hoping to deliver in whatever position felt most comfortable, but at the point that I needed to push I felt very out of control (almost having an out of body experience) and there was no way I was moving, so I ended up delivering on my back in a semi reclined position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazing. No words can describe the feeling of holding your child after experiencing childbirth without pain medication.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Stay confident! If you believe in yourself then you can definitely can do it. Don't get discouraged when things don't go 100% as planned.
