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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke spontaneously but I did not go into labor, unfortunately being group B positive this meant going straight to the hospital for antibiotics and an induction.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Letting go of my plan to go natural when it was no longer an option and accepting that the only thing that mattered was getting my baby into this world safely.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Absolutely nothing I did could have prepared me for the sort of delivery I had, but kegels, squats, and staying active have me the muscle tone I need to push hard enough to avoid an emergency C-section.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Nothing at all went as planned and my entire birth plan went straight out the window in the very beginning. The whole birth became a slow train wreck that I watched as a helpless passenger. I was most situations that none of my preparations or education about birth applied to my experience in any way.
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I really hope your delivery goes as planned, but you may want to remember that things don't always go as planned. Sometimes complications and unexpected problems can leave you with a birth experience that is very far from the natural birth you planned. The important thing is that everybody is safe. Don't beat yourself up if you don't have the perfect birth you planned for. Every birth is a miracle, and every mama is a superhero no matter how it happens.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I ultimately had to get an epidural, though I had no intention to do so originally. The back labor combined with contractions that had no space in between them from the induction meds was not eased in the slightest by any of the natural pain relieving techniques I had practiced.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back with people pulling my legs up. He had major decels and had to be delivered by vacuum when I was only 8cm dialated. I was just moments away from being wheeled to the OR for an emergency ceasarian when the combined efforts of myself and the doctor managed to get him safely into the world.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was a very intense moment. I was shaking violently and crying from the traumatic birth experience and was a little intimidated by holding him. All I could think was how glad i was that he was safe.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
I really hope your delivery goes as planned, but you may want to remember that things don't always go as planned. Sometimes complications and unexpected problems can leave you with a birth experience that is very far from the natural birth you planned. The important thing is that everybody is safe. Don't beat yourself up if you don't have the perfect birth you planned for. Every birth is a miracle, and every mama is a superhero no matter how it happens.
