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When did you realize you were really in labor?
The morning of May 2nd I had slept in until 11am (which never happens thanks to my other two kids) so I thought something must be happening soon. Stood up and didn't even make it to the bathroom before a very distinct gush of fluid went everywhere. Following day, May 3rd, at around 10am almost 24 hours after my water had broken, I started to feel intense contractions suddenly lasting a minute and a half every 2 minutes. 2 hours later, our sweet baby girl was born.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing for this natural childbirth was mentally preparing myself for all the things that could go wrong and oppose my birth plan. I wanted to labor in water and on a birthing ball but due to the fact I labored so quickly in 2 hours total, and our car ride to the hospital was an hour and a half, I ended up laboring crammed into the passenger seat of our car so uncomfortable. If I would not have been mentally prepared that anything could go opposite of my birth plan, I probably would not have been able to succeed in birthing her naturally.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Because this is my third kid, but first child my fiance could actually witness being born, the most helpful thing I found that prepared me for childbirth was preparing him. Teaching him natural pain techniques to help me, teaching him some encouraging things to say when I'm starting to get in the mindset of I couldn't keep going, etc. It really did help.
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What surprised you about your birth?
His quick it was! I knew I was in active labor when I arrived to the hospital. I did not however know I would be arriving at 10 cm and would have my baby born so fast that my midwife wouldn't have even had the time to put gloves on let alone consult my birthing plan.
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Trust your gut and do what you feel will help and be best for your birthing situation. Also, understand that sometimes things don't go according to plan and that is OK!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
As weird as it sounds, I found biting a dry wash cloth during contractions to be the most helpful. Not something I had heard of doing but during the midst of labor, it felt like it could help so I went with it and sure enough it helped.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Squatting on the hospital bed. My midwife who wasn't my original Dr was very understanding that I did not want to be forced onto my back although the nurses kept trying and told me to do whatever felt like the best position to birth my baby and even encouraged hands and knees. My knees hurt so bad from being crammed in the car so long that I decided with the help of my fiance and a nurse to squat on the hospital bed. 1 push later, baby was born.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
There isn't a single word that can describe the overwhelming bliss a mother feels when she holds her baby for the first time. I couldn't stop crying, my fiance couldn't stop crying, it was a beautiful moment.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Trust your gut and do what you feel will help and be best for your birthing situation. Also, understand that sometimes things don't go according to plan and that is OK!
