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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My Braxton Hicks contractions had increased in amount and intensity for the last couple days, so being only 2 days before my due date, we decided to grocery shop and see if it would get things moving since it seemed like she was getting ready! My contractions strengthened through the night, finally waking me up fully at 3 am. I timed them for an hour or so (they were pretty consistent and 8 mins apart - we live 2 hours from our hospital) before I woke my husband up saying “I don’t think you have to go to work today, hunny!”
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I was very determined to be completely drug free this labor and delivery since my 2nd baby was posterior all the way through birth and caused me to tear badly (I had an epidural with her). I did a lot of looking into it and found that babies born when the mother doesn’t have an epidural have a tendency to turn themselves so they aren’t born posterior too. I never thought of the possibility of this baby being posterior through labor too - and the fact that would create a lot of back labor. Well! She was posterior until right before she was born! She did turn - yay! So I didn’t tear hardly at all, but the intense back labor - even with my husband’s amazing counter-pressure and massages was really hard to endure without questioning my decision for no pain medication! Luckily my husband kept me going and kept me strong!!!!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Reading about natural child birth and ways to make it through without getting an epidural or other pain medication. The most helpful was learning how the whole process works, what muscles contract, what muscles need to relax, and learning ways to help your body to work with what is happening instead of tensing due to pain and fighting what needs to happen!
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What surprised you about your birth?
Back labor! And how quickly it went! My husband can’t believe how fast it was - it was only intense for about a half hour.... but to me it still seems like it was hoursssssss!
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Amazing! And relieving! And empowering!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing, focusing and picturing what was actually happening in my body to cause the intensity of the contractions.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Some squatting some modified squatting.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazing! And relieving! And empowering! I had never delivered without medication before - my first was a c-section (she was breech), my second I only cared about delivering without a repeat c-section, so I ended up with an epidural, this time I was determined to fully experience birthing her! It was amazing.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Do some reading! Find out why your body does what it does, why your contractions feel the way they do, and make sure you’ve got a good coach. I owe a lot to my husband for being completely and totally involved in the birthing process. He never took a second for himself. He was there to support me and make my wishes a reality. Find someone that will do that for you!
