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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke at 3:00 am on my due date while I was sleeping.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most difficult part was getting the medical staff at the hospital to respect my wishes. I had a detailed birth plan that my doctor signed off on a month earlier, and I really had to watch one baby nurse in particular about going against my written requests. (I was considered high risk because of several autoimmune issues, so I had to deliver in a hospital because I could not find a midwife who would take me.)
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I focused on preparing my mind for the hard work ahead. I did lots of research on ways to naturally address common labor difficulties like stalling, nausea, exhaustion, etc. I packed all of my remedies and oils in a special bag with typed instructions for my husband to give me if I should experience any problems. I ended up having contractions that acted like I was on pitocin (I wasn't!), so I had no breaks in between contractions - inhaling lavender oil helped me to stay calm. Ina May Gaskin's book said to make sure to relax your mouth and that would allow your cervix to progress. That helped so much during contractions - all I did was think about relaxing my mouth, and it helped me get my mind off the pain. I also took an herbal tincture (Gentle Birth by Mountain Meadow Herbs) that was supposed to tone the uterus and make contractions more effective but not more painful. I think it really helped.
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What surprised you about your birth?
My labor was intense, but very quick! I couldn't believe that I was in labor for 12 hours with only a few of them being very difficult. The first few hours were only mildly uncomfortable. I was also surprised that the pain was less than I had imagined, and recovery was easier than I thought it would be.
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My labor was intense, but very quick!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Focusing on relaxing my mouth and the progress each contraction was bringing helped the most. As long as I didn't let myself think about the pain, I remained strong and focused on the goal of having a healthy baby naturally. Inhaling lavender oil helped when I began to feel overwhelmed.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up lying in the bed on my back to deliver.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Wonderful and surreal - it was the biggest accomplishment of my life.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Have plans for some natural remedies/strategies to try if things become too difficult or you aren't progressing. Write out a list of scenarios and what to do so your husband can just read the sheet and know what to do when you are in labor. Give him a tour of your hospital bag, too. This gave me tremendous comfort knowing that I didn't have to think about what I needed to do if I needed help.
