Listening To Encouraging Testimonies Helped Lizzy During Her Hospital Birth

When did you realize you were really in labor?

I'd had pre labour since 30 weeks, of contractions every 5 minutes lasting up to 3 hours, but in the end I had to be induced at 41 + 2, using a cervix ripening balloon catheter overnight, with midwives breaking my waters the following morning, at which point my contractions still didn't progress beyond 3 every ten minutes, and the midwives started the syntocinon drip which really got things moving.

What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

The most challenging thing was convincing the doctors to let my try for a VBAC especially after I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 30 weeks and then a breech at 34. We were able to manage the gestational diabetes really well with a high fat-low carb diet, prayer and apple cider vinegar, so that I didn't require medication. My baby was able to be flipped by a doctor who specialised in VBAC ECVs. Then convincing the doctors not to induce me at 39 weeks was the 2nd challenging aspect.

What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?

I read a lot and listened to many encouraging testimonies by others, along with educating myself on essential oils and herbal remedies.

What surprised you about your birth?

I was surprised that my baby didn't come without the induction, but I'd also prepared myself mentally that an induction didn't have to be as awful as people say they can be and that it was ok to need medical help in certain situations, especially when it took 2 hours of pushing and then her shoulders got stuck.

Educate yourself and have a birth plan but it's ok to need medical help. Let go of the bad stories you've heard and especially if you've had a bad birth experience yourself.

What pain relief strategies worked best?

Soaking my feet in Epsom salts really helped with the back pain because a lot of that was caused by constipation, as did an enema, but mainly prayer. (Epsom salts also really helped with the constipation afterwards, as none of the laxatives I was given worked, and I'd torn quite badly needing surgery)

What position did you end up delivering in?

I ended up delivering on my back as that was the position I'd been in through my labour, as I was quite exhausted after being up a lot the previous night.

How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?

It felt great to hold my baby and I was quite shocked when she finally came out, as it was so different to my first C-section birth where I failed to progress past 5cm after 13 hrs of labour.

What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?

Educate yourself and have a birth plan but it's ok to need medical help. Let go of the bad stories you've heard and especially if you've had a bad birth experience yourself. I spent nearly 3 years analyzing my first birth, but eventually I just had to let it go and accept that it had happened and move on.