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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was sent straight from a doctors appointment to the hospital at 39 1/2 weeks to be induced due to high blood pressure. The pitocin did not do much to get labor going. After getting antibiotics for a few hours due to testing positive for group B strep the doctor came in and broke my water. After that contraction started very quickly and got intense quickly!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Just the pain I guess! With this delivery I felt completely out of control. The contractions were so much more intense than with my first (due to the pitocin I imagine). I got to a point that I didn't think I was going to be able to do it but with my husbands support (and the fact that my son was born quickly) I made it through!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
This time I didn't really do anything to prepare since it was my second. Just having been through it before helped me have a better idea what I was in for and I knew I could do it because I had once before!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How intense it was this time! And the fact that even though I was being induced the Dr still only made it 2 minutes before my son was born! With my first I went into labor on my own and he was born 30 minutes after i got to the hospital.
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Research where you plan to deliver and discuss your desire to go natural with your provider.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Once things got really rough I got into the jacuzzi tub which offered some pain relief and it sped things up to the point that I came out of the the tub ready to push!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was on my back in the hospital bed but I was inclined.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was wonderful! He was immediately placed on me for a few minutes and we did delayed cord clamping but then he had to be suctioned by the respiratory therapist for a few minutes (within my eyesight) due to some breathing difficulty but then he was given right back to me for kangaroo care which we stayed in for a couple of hours before we took him to be bathed and weighed!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Research where you plan to deliver and discuss your desire to go natural with your provider. I'm lucky that the doctors (and certified nurse midwife in my case) that deliver at our local hospital are all on board with supporting natural delivery.
