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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was laboring at home and my husband told me I should call the midwife and let her decide. I was a week early and kept waiting for the surges to die down. My midwife listened over the phone during a surge and told me to not wait for my mother to pick up my son but that I should head to the hospital.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Having my son present for the ride to the hospital and in the birthing room. On the ride there I was facing backwards in the front seat holding his hand (he was behind me in his car seat). I had my birthing cd cranking and would reassure him before and after each surge. By the time we got into our birthing room I didn't have it in me to help him anymore. I needed him out of the room because he was terrified and crying and I couldn't help him. I didn't prepare him at all because he was supposed to have been left at home with my mother.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Hypobirthing practice and surrounding myself with positive birth stories. I picked up a bunch of affirmations I had read during my first pregnancy and wrote them on pieces of paper which I used to encourage myself during labor. Also I listened to my birthing cd in the car a practiced relaxing to it.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast it was! It was only 8 hours long and I was in denial for most of it!
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You have to really want it. Work toward that goal with knowledge and some physical prep. Have a birth team that will support your desire to go natural! That's so important!! And get some good tunes to labor to!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing and reading my affirmations. At one point I was having a little trouble and either the nurse of the midwife said "ok, now let that one go" and it helped get me back on track with being present and not anticipating the next surge.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I had wanted a water birth and to catch my own baby but there was a lot of meconium in the fluid so I ended up birthing his head on hands and knees at the end of the bed. Then the midwife said she couldn't get a good angle on him. He was sort of stuck because he came out with his hand next to face so she had me crawl up the bed and lean against the inclined back. She told me to reach down and take my baby. I tried to pull him up but he was stuck and she told me to push. So I did sort of get to catch my own baby after all!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I can't really say. I was tired and he was laying on my belly. My friend who was there photographing said "Alex, you have a little girl!" I thought it was a girl the whole time so I was content. Then the midwife said "let the parents find out for themselves" so I was like "huh?" So I looked and was thrilled to see he was a boy!!! I was so excited and happy (and surprised!) at that moment. My husband knew the gender throughout the pregnancy and never said a word until I looked for myself!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
You have to really want it. Work toward that goal with knowledge and some physical prep. Have a birth team that will support your desire to go natural! That's so important!! And get some good tunes to labor to!
