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When did you realize you were really in labor?
When I couldn't fall asleep that night due to them coming regularly (every five minutes or so). For a few weeks before then I would have contractions every night, but I was able to fall asleep every time and I'd wake up several hours later and they were non-existent. So I knew that this had to be the real thing when they kept coming and I couldn't sleep through them. I also had bloody show around this point in time.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
For me crowning was the most challenging thing because it felt like I was being split open. I actually didn't tear, but it certainly felt like I was tearing in the moment.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
The most helping thing I did was learning how to trust my intuition to tell me anything I needed to know in the moment. For example, near transition I felt a strong urge to turn my hips all the way to the right while on hands and knees--I realized after the fact that she must have been rotating and turning my hips helped facilitate that.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How simple and straightforward it was. I had a UC and my intuition was my guide. The whole experience felt normal and relatively easy, like it was just an every day thing. With all the fear around birth in our society I half-expected it to be dramatic, overwhelming or problematic. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was just a natural part of life. I have a strong feeling, though, that if I had been in a hospital it wouldn't have gone so flawlessly or easily.
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Focus on breathing deeply, not allowing other people's stories and fears affect your experience of birth, listen to your intuition when it comes to what position feels right to be in in the moment, lean on others for emotional support if you are able, and relax as much as possible between contractions.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Deep breathing, biting the pillow I was leaning on and relaxing as much as possible between contractions.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Lying on my left side with my right leg raised and bent at the knee.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It felt so natural and matter-of-fact, like I had done it a hundred times before.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Focus on breathing deeply, not allowing other people's stories and fears affect your experience of birth, listen to your intuition when it comes to what position feels right to be in in the moment, lean on others for emotional support if you are able, and relax as much as possible between contractions.
