Preparing Herself And Her Husband Helped Alyssa Achieve Her Natural Home Birth

When did you realize you were really in labor?

Prodromal labor started on my 40 week date. It wasn’t until I hit my 41 week date that real labor began. When bloody show happened and was immediately met with more intense contractions than those I had been having prodromally for a week.

What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

I had a lip on my cervix, and baby was sitting asynclitic so labor was long. 37 hours of active labor/pushing. I was totally exhausted. Getting past the lip took 5 hours of alternating between allowing my body to push and trying to not push (which was definitely the hardest part). Trying to stop your strongest muscle from doing what it was designed to do is a hard feat. After my water broke and pushed me past the lip, it just took 1 hour and 10 minutes of pushing, but that felt great since I could feel progress with each push.

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

Preparing myself and my husband to support me was definitely the best thing. I'm so thankful I started learning about birth intimately for years prior to getting pregnant was definitely an advantage when it came to knowing my options. It saved me from thinking I needed to transfer when a hiccup in the plan happened.
I’m the only doula in my area so I didn’t have the option to hire one. Had a doula been an option, I would have absolutely hired one. I needed so much help with soothing my back labor. My husband was exhausted from squeezing my hips for 37 hours, almost continuously. He did fantastic, despite being in pain and exhausted. It was so incredible to see him working so hard to help me.

What surprised you about your birth?

Despite having an intense and long birth, that totally exhausted me, I was able to keep going. I feel like I could accomplish anything.

Trust your body and don’t be fearful. Fear definitely slowed down moments in my birth and when I overcame the fear, things progressed so well.

What pain relief strategies worked best?

Double hip squeeze and hot shower

What position did you end up delivering in?

Despite most of my pushing being vertical, I ended up on my back, propped up by pillows, holding my own legs with no one touching me. Laying on my back helped a lot with the back labor.

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

The most gratifying moment of my life.

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

Trust your body and don’t be fearful. Fear definitely slowed down moments in my birth and when I overcame the fear, things progressed so well.