Mama Natural Birth Classes Helped Susan During Her Hospital Birth

When did you realize you were really in labor?

I started to have contractions on Sunday night but they were so far apart I wasn't really sure that it was the real thing. It wasn't until about 3am that I started timing what I was feeling and realized I was truly having contractions and they were about 6 minutes apart!

What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I didn't really question my decision to go natural until I was about 8-9 centimeters and it got really intense. I wasn't sure I could do it. But in between contractions when I had a little break, I reminded myself why I was doing it and in those moments I knew I could keep going. Pushing was really challenging, I pushed for 2 hours, the baby was crowning for what felt like forever. Each time I pushed all the nurses and doctor would tell me how close he was to coming out. I knew contractions would be tough, but i didn't expect the pushing to take so long or to be so difficult.

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

I can't point to just one. Definitely the mama natural birth classes were invaluable, my husband and I watched them together so we were both prepared. We hired a doula, who was a great resource during pregnancy in preparing for what to expect at the hospital and how to deal with different scenarios, and during labor in reinforcing comfort measures and reminding me of how we had prepared when it became really difficult. I also walked every day for 30 minutes during my lunch break and did prenatal yoga at home 3-4 times a week.

What surprised you about your birth?

How big the baby was!! The doctor had estimated about 8 lbs, but he came out weighing 9lbs 9 ozs!! Everyone was shocked that I had pushed out such a big baby naturally, including me!

It was a bit surreal, amazing, and overwhelming.

What pain relief strategies worked best?

I stayed at home as long as possible, stayed hydrated with coconut water, different breathing techniques, sitting on a birth ball, leaning over a chair or counter, lots of walking around.

What position did you end up delivering in?

Unfortunately the doctor that delivered my baby was not my doctor but the on call doctor and insisted that I be in my back with feet straddled. Our plan had been to nut deliver this way at all, but I was too exhausted by that time to fight it and as much as my husband advocated for me to be in a different position, the doctor was not cooperating and made some wild claims about why I needed to be in that position.

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

It was a relief that he was finally here, that delivery was over, that I had done it! It was a bit surreal, amazing, and overwhelming.

How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?

The birth classes prepared both myself and my husband to know what to expect, it helped us know what we want and create our birth plan. It convinced us to hire a doula! The knowledge it provided us was invaluable, the stories from the couples were really good to hear as they were real and relatable. It prepared us for the reality of a natural birth and because we were delivering in a hospital, we felt prepared for what to expect there and we felt empowered to ask for what we wanted.