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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had a confusing start of labor. Early Monday morning, I felt like my water was slowly breaking. It wasn't a big gush like I'd experienced with my first baby, but consistent warm leaking that was clear and odorless. I was also having some mild cramping that felt like it could be contractions. I was very concerned that I would have a really fast labor since my first was pretty fast, and I'd been having tons of Braxton Hicks for weeks. Since we're 40 minutes from the birth center, I was nervous about having the baby in the car. So we drove to the birth center, and they agreed that it appeared my water had broken, and sent us out for breakfast and a walk to try and get contractions to pick up.
Nothing happened all day, and I was growing concerned because we now had a deadline to get into active labor (24 hours from water breaking). That evening, one of the midwives suggested a membrane sweep to try and get things moving. But when she did the sweet, she noticed that I was dry, and that my water bag did not seem to be broken. She could even bounce my baby's head in her hand, and no water came out. We were all confused! Turns out I had a pocket of fluid surrounding my water bag, and that's what ruptured. So now we were off the clock, and the midwives sent us home. I was SO happy not to have a deadline, but also devastated to be leaving the birth center STILL pregnant!
That night contractions picked up a little, and I had heavy cramps that I could time. We slept through the night... hoping I'd wake up in labor. I didn't. The next morning (Wednesday), I continued timing the cramps, but they weren't unbearable, and they weren't long enough or close enough together to be real labor. But they kept coming... all day long. It was such a long day, and I spent most of it on my hands and knees to help me manage the pain. If I laid down to rest, the cramps would get further apart and last less time... I didn't want that!
By 2:00, I had been in significant pain for many hours, but still didn't believe I could really be in labor. - this just felt like cramping! It didn't feel at all like the full-belly contractions I'd had with my first baby. By 4:00, I was just done. It had been a long day, and I needed to know whether or not this was actually labor.
We drove to the birth center to be checked, and they checked us in after discovering that I was 8 cm dilated! I was SO happy! The misery I'd been through the entire day had been labor contractions, and they had done a lot of good!
I gave birth in a beautiful tub four hours after arriving at the birth center, and my precious baby boy was healthy and amazing!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing about going natural was knowing that another contraction was coming, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I was so exhausted from the long two days we'd had, and I had also had a very painful pregnancy. So the pain that I experienced when we were finally at the birth center was intense. I was so ready to just be DONE. I was tired of hurting and trying to deal with the emotion of it all. There were several points where I thought to myself "I just don't want to do this! This sucks! I just want it to be over!" When it came time to push, I was so unmotivated. It was really hard to get my mind wrapped around the fact that I had to feel even more pain before I could hold my reward. But I'm so proud of myself for persevering to the end!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
This time around, I focused much more on my postpartum plan than my actual birth plan. With my first baby, I had no idea what to expect postpartum, so I just focused on pregnancy and birth. Wow, did I regret that... I had a really rocky postpartum with my first, and I was determine not to let that happen again. So I did a ton of preparation for this period of postpartum, and knowing that I would come home to everything I needed, with lots of help from family, made mentally preparing for the actual birth so much easier.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was very surprised by how different this birth was from my first birth. Contractions felt different, and I only had to push for 10 minutes (first was two hours!). I was also surprised that I couldn't really get into "warrior mode" like I had with my first baby. I really struggled to make it through labor with a positive attitude. But the best surprise was the incredible surge of oxytocin that I didn't experience with my first birth, even though that was also an amazing water birth at a birth center. With this baby, I really felt like I was high on some amazing happy-drug. It was awesome!!
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Holding my baby for the first time felt incredible and victorious! I was so proud of myself for what I'd just accomplished, so I felt like Super Woman!! And I fell in love instantly. My husband was is awe of both me and our baby!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Being in the tub felt amazing!! And deep, slow breaths helped me stay super calm and allow my body to work for me.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
In the tub in a reclined position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Holding my baby for the first time felt incredible and victorious! I was so proud of myself for what I'd just accomplished, so I felt like Super Woman!! And I fell in love instantly. My husband was is awe of both me and our baby!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. And prepare for postpartum - not just birth!
