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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke early Friday morning, but I didn't start having regular contractions until at least 12 hours later. I don't think I realized I was in labor until active labor started about 20 hours after my water broke, when I realized I couldn't talk through contractions and my toes would curl with each contraction because of the intensity.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing for me about going natural was embracing the unknown and fully trusting my body and the process. It was hard not knowing how much longer it would take, having no control over the process, etc. I kept thinking I wasn't as far along as I was, and got discouraged thinking that I had so much longer to go. At one point in the early stages of pushing, I told my midwife "But I'm not even through transition yet!" because I was sure it had to get worse before I got to push, and she laughed and said "You're already through transition! You've already done the hard work!"
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I read a TON - from Ina May's Guide, to scientific articles about labor, delivery, etc. plus listening to a few podcasts regularly. Through that research, plus hours of classes with my midwife, I felt as prepared as I possibly could be. I also spent time practicing and studying pain coping tools, many of which I never used, but a few of which were incredibly helpful to me personally (using mantras, low moans, relaxed face, and a lot of active movement/positions). Most important was my birth team - I had an incredible doula, my husband who had also spent countless hours reading about how he can support me during labor, and my mom and sister. Being surrounded by such a loving team made a huge difference for me. Lastly, I made a playlist of labor songs that I found inspirational, and that playlist really helped move me through active labor and transition.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How peaceful it all was, and how truly calm I was most of the time. When active labor started, I requested little to no talking from my birth team, so it was very quiet and peaceful throughout the whole house. I'm not the calmest person, so I thought maybe I would be loud during labor, but I was actually very quiet and only hummed a quiet mantra most of the time. I was also surprised by how trance-like the whole experience was - I went completely inward, rarely had my eyes open, and completely lost touch with what was happening around me.
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There was absolutely a point during labor where I felt like I couldn't do it anymore, but then I DID IT. My body is not any more capable of unmedicated childbirth than any other woman's is... so if I can do it, so can you.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Moving a lot - any contractions I had while laying down were horrible, so I was on the exercise ball or standing most of the time. I also used a lot of deep breathing with a mantra on the exhale, which seemed to make contractions pass faster because when I took long slow breaths it was only about 3-4 breaths before the contraction was over, and that seemed manageable. My doula also used massage throughout, and that was lovely.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Knees on the ground beside my bed, and my arms and head were in my husband's lap who was sitting on the bed facing me. He would help hold me up as I pushed
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Surreal. I couldn't believe it was over and we did it.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
You are 110% capable of doing this, even if you think you can't. This was my first baby, and I had never broken a bone or had any serious injury, so I wasn't really sure what my pain management threshold was, or how my body would respond. There was absolutely a point during labor where I felt like I couldn't do it anymore, but then I DID IT. My body is not any more capable of unmedicated childbirth than any other woman's is... so if I can do it, so can you.
