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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke while out eating dinner at a restaurant with my husband and friends. It was sudden and a gush, but one that thankfully didn't go all over the floor like the movies! And I knew it had broken because it happened with my first son, and you can't miss water breaking!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The fact that I didn't! I wanted to try to labor naturally and at home and wanted contractions to start on their own, but they did not. My baby's head wasn't even close to being engaged. Because my water broke first, and also I'm 40 and considered high risk, they wanted me to be at the hospital as soon as possible. When at the hospital, I waited about 14 hours there for my contractions to start and this was against the doctor's wishes who wanted me to start induction immediately. Nothing was happening. I started pitocin 16 hours into my water breaking. After another 8 hours on pitocin, I was still only 5 cm dilated and they had max'd out the level/amount of pitocin that I could receive, it was on the highest number allowed to try to get my body to cooperate, to make the baby engage and move my body along. I did wind up getting an epidural.
This happened the exact same way with my first birth - I had prayed and hoped that this second birth would start naturally - or at least contractions would start on their own, but instead the water broke again and although I fought my doctor on getting pitocin for a while, I did it.
I know that this isn't the natural story you're looking for, and believe me, I wanted one! However, I've lived long enough to learn how to deal with unmet expectations and also how to trust God that it all comes together in the end. My daughter, Naomi, arrived adorable, healthy, and happy 10 days early. In the end, with both my births, I realized God is in control and I trust him to deliver my babies at the most perfect time. Totally not what I had hoped for, but totally in a way that I am 100% ok with!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Mentally and spiritually was the best preparation for me. Yes, I ate 6 dates a day and made red raspberry leaf tea and did my kegels and exercises, but I knew I personally couldn't control how or when my baby would arrive or if these would help in how my birth went, so I resolved myself to just going with the flow, and being ready mentally and spiritually for whenever that day came.
I knew when the baby was ready to come, she would. I did all I could to prepare physically for the day and had an idea of how I wanted the birth to go, but knew that my expectations may not go as planned (as I learned with my first).
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What surprised you about your birth?
*That the amount of pain you feel is unreal, but the moment your baby is on your chest, you forget it all!
*That mama's do this multiple times - but I'm talking 8, 10, 12 times :)
*The feeling of RELIEF when you have pushed the baby out.
*The fact that I barely tore and didn't need to be sown up!
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Do it! Try as hard as you can - have people around you to encourage you.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I LOVED the big yoga ball that you sit on. That felt the best to me. It relieved a lot of the discomfort. If you need a break from walking around, try lying on your side with a one of the yoga (peanut) balls between your legs.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazed, relief, shock, surprise, awe.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Do it! Try as hard as you can - have people around you to encourage you. Although I didn't (just my husband who semi-helped when he could :), find the doula or whoever you want to walk and talk you through it. I don't know firsthand, but think that would be SO helpful.
And Don't beat yourself up if you wind up not going natural. Life goes on. Babies and mothers live happy and excited lives to tell the story. And that story is YOURS and not anyone else's! God is still God!
