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When did you realize you were really in labor?
The last two and a half weeks leading up to the day labor started, I had a lot more Braxton Hicks contractions that were more intense, but still had no pattern and wouldn't stick around. I settled down to watch a movie with my hubby around 6:30 pm and the older kids put themselves to bed at the time, without anyone asking them to. I had some contractions that also had some back pain just during the contraction. I started messaging my mom through facebook a number for when I had one and she timed them for me. They were about 10 mins apart, but they finally had a pattern and only got closer after that.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
There wasn't anything challenging for me really. I labored at home messaging my mom when each contraction was. I got to a point when I had to stop walking around during the contraction, but I had let my hubby sleep the whole time and hadn't realized how far along I had gotten. It was a good thing we got to the hospital when we did. My mom said my water not breaking was the only thing holding him in because she knew I was in transition during the half hour drive there.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth was the best thing for the birth itself. Reading how others coped through the labor really helped me be ready this time for the natural process compared to having had an induction previously. The thing surrounding the birth that helped me most was having done freezer meals within the two weeks leading up to the birth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
What surprised me the most is how quickly he came out. My twins came out quickly when came time to push (went back to OR for pushing after 5 pm and they were both born before 5:30 pm, just 5 mins between them). With this one, pushing was maybe 10 mins to him being fully out and my body did almost all of the pushing on its own without me actively trying to.
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Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Those stories are so empowering and have so many coping mechanisms through out them for labor. The birth stories in that book are uplifting and do well in being realistic yet not horror stories either. Those that had a previous birth that didn't go so well had a healing latter birth which was so encouraging.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
I felt like I never did figure out a good way to relieve the pain during contractions. I remembered to keep my hands open and mouth loose to avoid tensing up in the pain of the contractions. When it came to pushing I did vocalize some.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up in the standard hospital birthing position. They hardly had time to get the bed half ready, and couldn't do it how they normally do. I never had time to figure out what position was better because he came so quickly.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I was surprised he was out so quickly and I got him directly from him being inside me just moments before. With my twins, it was cut the cord and get that one out of the way as the next one was being birthed, who was also removed from me to be looked over while I got the placenta out and then stitching for a small tear.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Those stories are so empowering and have so many coping mechanisms through out them for labor. The birth stories in that book are uplifting and do well in being realistic yet not horror stories either. Those that had a previous birth that didn't go so well had a healing latter birth which was so encouraging.