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When did you realize you were really in labor?
The night before Mr baby was born my husband, 19 month old daughter and I actually made it up to our bedroom. We had been sleeping on the couches a lot then. We all snuggled watched a movie and fell asleep! I kept waking up thinking little miss was kicking me in the stomach. After about ten times of this it dawned on me that maybe I should stay awake and see what was actually going on. Sure enough I was having contractions 5 minutes apart that hurt but weren't extreme, yet! I waited about six contractions and as each one got stronger I decided to wake up my husband. My contraction turned to 2 minutes apart with ten minutes of waking him up and stayed that way till about an hour before Mr baby made his way!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I was very emotional and panicky this time around! I had a hard time staying focused and calm.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Honestly being aware that birth doesn't have a plan. It just happens and all the stuff from start to when your baby is in your arms just melts away in that moment!
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was at 4 centimeters for a week before birth started until about 40 minutes before Mr baby made his way. The doctor had broke my water then twenty minutes later we were pushing! My labor was about 9 hours from the time I got up in the morning till 1:53 pm when Thorin was born!
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Be forgiving on yourself. There are usually many moments where you think you can't do it and that is ok! There is no road map to where you're going girl! Trust yourself as well. If your feeling like maybe you need to go a different route, that's ok too!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I liked to be moving and standing. I was kinda dancing around! Trying to find comfort. I liked the tub but I felt to constricted, the tub wasn't very big!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On My back! It took me awhile to calm down and focus after my water was broke things went really fast and I was scared. I knew my first contraction after my water was broke Mr baby was coming fast!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It is something explainable, something magical in its own right! We wait and wait for that moment and for all those anxious moments that seem like you will never get there That baby's first snuggle just devours all those seemingly eternal moments and fills me with so much more! And I don't mean more in a small manner. It is more love more happiness more capability more joy more fear and more and more and more. Having more than one child you don't know how you could everyone anything as much as your child or how your heart can get any bigger till you have other kids!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Be forgiving on yourself. There are usually many moments where you think you can't do it and that is ok! There is no road map to where you're going girl! Trust yourself as well. If your feeling like maybe you need to go a different route, that's ok too!