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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I didn't truly realize I was in labor until my water broke. The weekend before I had been having irregular contractions, that unlike Braxton Hicks, were a little painful, but because I was only 37 weeks I brushed them off. On Wednesday morning, I woke up around 12:30 AM feeling period-like cramps (and funny side note, my cat was going crazy; pawing me and circling the bed). I knew both of those things could be signs, but I tried to convince myself it was nothing and go back to sleep. At 1:57 AM, I was dozing off and I felt and heard a "pop." I knew it was my water, but I just laid completely still to see what would happen. After about a minute I was like, "yep, I just peed my pants." My contractions started immediately and were insanely intense. I was confused by their intensity as I thought this was supposed to be "early labor." I had the instinct to time them and they were each lasting a minute or longer and three minutes apart. By 2:40 AM, I couldn't take it any longer, so I woke my husband up and let him know I was in labor and needed him. He texted our doula and called the birthing center - the midwife highly suggested we come in, but I was still unsure. I didn't want to be there "too early," but I also had the feeling this was happening fast. We arrived at the birthing center at 3:30 AM. They put me in triage in an effort to monitor my contractions and check baby's heart rate, but I looked at the nurse and said "I need to push!" Within 4 minutes of arrival, the midwife was called into the room. She checked me and said, "you are 10 cm and I feel your baby's head, it's time to push." She looked at the nurses and said, "we are having a baby in triage" and everyone scattered like cockroaches trying to get a triage room turned into a birthing room. At first pushing felt very out of control and I wanted to stop because of the pain. At the same time, my body wouldn't let me stop, it kind of naturally took over and after just a few pushes I definitely felt calm and in a rhythm. Our baby girl arrived after 30 minutes and it was such a wonderful surprise and reward to meet this tiny human, since we had not known the gender. In hindsight, I know that I was in transition from the time my water broke. I had probably started early labor during the weekend when I had first had those slight contractions, I just didn't know it.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Labor was a mental battle. The challenge came in reminding my brain that my body was okay - and not just okay, but the contractions and discomfort were actually a good thing, helping us to meet our human :) The second biggest challenge for me however, was recovery. I felt very prepared to handle labor and delivery, but I didn't feel as though I was prepared for recovery. I wish more mamas and birthing programs would talk more about everything that happens to your body in the days and weeks following birth!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Learn as much as I could and then set my expectations. For me, "the unknown" was scary, so learning everything I could about childbirth helped ease my fears. Then, I let go of a "birth" expectations knowing that no one's birth goes exactly how they see it in their head. I truthfully think that watching birthing videos was particularly helpful for me, because nothing felt surprising or scary when I was in the moment. I remember visualizing my baby moving down, visualizing my body opening etc... and because I had seen videos of so many strong women do it already, I knew it was possible for my body, as well!
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What surprised you about your birth?
First, the speed! Two and a half hours from labor to delivery is not at all what we expected, and although some women have said how "lucky" I am, the situation didn't leave me a lot of time to react or wrap our head around what was happening. I had a lot of processing to do after my birth. On a much larger scale though, what surprised me during birth was how supernatural it was. I felt so connected to my body and to the world around me. Even though I was in pain, I felt my own inner strength like never before and as soon as my baby was laid on my chest I felt more proud and more purposeful than I have ever felt before.
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Knowledge is power and Mama Natural helped me feel secure in the knowledge I had! From the beginning it gave me the information I needed to feel prepared for everything from prenatal visits to breastfeeding. I felt informed and empowered to have a successful pregnancy and birth. It also helped me feel like my partner and I were on the same page and that we were a team for childbirth.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
During contractions, leaning over a table or being on all fours was always the most comfortable, but overall for me, moving was key! I mean - I was still walking into the hospital moments before I gave birth, but I actually attribute continued movement not only to pain relief but the progression of my labor, as well.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I tried pushing on my hands and knees, but it left me very uncomfortable between contractions, like my muscles couldn't get a break. I ended up delivering laying on my left side, with my amazing husband holding up my right leg.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Holding my baby for the first time made everything I have done thus far in life feel insignificant. Seeing her perfect little body made me feel so proud of all the work my had done over those last 9 months and so excited to begin the most rewarding new adventure of my life.
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
Knowledge is power and Mama Natural helped me feel secure in the knowledge I had! From the beginning it gave me the information I needed to feel prepared for everything from prenatal visits to breastfeeding. I felt informed and empowered to have a successful pregnancy and birth. It also helped me feel like my partner and I were on the same page and that we were a team for childbirth.
