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When did you realize you were really in labor?
With my first baby I felt like I should have waited longer to go to the hospital, so I kept telling myself not to get my hopes up that it was real labor. But finally when the contractions got strong enough that I had to focus on relaxing and breathing through them and they were just a few minutes apart, I knew it was real!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Keeping myself relaxed and calm as the contractions intensified. I knew that tensing up or being afraid was only going to make it worse, so I tried to keep my mind calm and focusing on praying and breathing. Since this was my second birth it was also challenging for me to not compare this birth to the first! I was tempted to believe it would be as long and as difficult as the first, but thankfully I was able to just take each contraction as it came and it was a much quicker labor!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Reading books about natural childbirth and discovering how so many women make their labor and delivery more difficult by being afraid and fighting the pain. I also read a great book called "Christ Centered Childbirth" that showed me so much about how God designed our bodies for birth and the beautiful plan of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Also sharing the learning experience with my husband and fully trusting him to coach me through delivery was one of the best things I could have done!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How quickly it went! With my son I had 10 hours of labor including almost 2 hours of pushing, so I was expecting something closer to that. But our daughter was born less than an hour and a half after we got into the hospital room!
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Absolutely perfect. I couldn't help but cry and laugh all at the same time out of sheer joy! She was so beautiful and I was amazed at how quickly and easily she had arrived after only a few pushes!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Relaxation, deep breathing, and prayer!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Everything went so quickly that I ended up delivering on my back even though I was hoping to deliver in possibly a side lying position!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Absolutely perfect. I couldn't help but cry and laugh all at the same time out of sheer joy! She was so beautiful and I was amazed at how quickly and easily she had arrived after only a few pushes!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Research! Learn the benefits that a natural birth will have not only for you but for your child! It's so wonderful and empowering to partner with your husband and go through this journey together to welcome your sweet baby into the world. Once I knew the risks of not pursuing a natural birth, I knew that I wanted nothing more than a baby born as close to the way God designed it as possible! Once i had that commitment in my mind it was almost impossible for me to give into any unnecessary interventions. The beauty of a natural birth far outweighs any pain you may experience in the process!
