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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had regular contractions since 2 PM then by 6 PM they were 3 min apart but because they didn't feel painful to me I still wasn't convinced it was going to be that night. I continued laboring at home thinking I could get in some sleep before heading to the birth center. It wasn't until I hit transition at 10:30 PM (still at home) that I realized how far into labor I was.
My husband and I struggled to the car in between contractions. The birth center was an hour away and 10 min into the drive I realized my body was pushing and we weren't making it to the birth center.
We got the midwife on the phone and pulled into a parking lot. Using all that we had learned from our classes and following my midwife's directions we were able to stay calm and let my body do what it was made to do. In the end, I delivered baby safely in the front passenger seat of the car into my husband's arms.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
After having 2 inductions, where the pain was very intense, the most challenging thing was realizing that I was in active labor despite not having very painful contractions.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Mama Natural Birth Course. It helped so much in reminding us that babies come when they are ready and that my body knows what to do.
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What surprised you about your birth?
The lack of pain and not making it to the birth center ?
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It helped my husband and me to stay calm despite knowing that we weren't going to make it to the birth center.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Distracting myself by playing games with my two older children and watching TV while cuddling with my husband. Then, during transition, using my husband to lean and pull on.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Feet on the dashboard. ?
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
After she was born I felt relief and joy. I also felt like the whole situation was very funny. My husband and I made jokes for the rest of the night.
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
It helped my husband and me to stay calm despite knowing that we weren't going to make it to the birth center.
