-
When did you realize you were really in labor?
On the drive home from our 39 week appointment with our OB, Dr. Hastetter, I started having intense cramps. I thought this was just from riding in the car, since we were still a week away from our due date. We drove to New Harmony to meet with Matthew Barker to take some pictures and the cramping subsided until about midnight that night.
-
What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I found telling myself I was capable was the most challenging thing about going natural. Contractions were intense and stayed around 2 minutes apart until I finally reached 10cm. Felicia, our midwife, arrived and a flood of additional nurses and aids entered the room. My IV (which had to be done twice initially because the first attempt wouldn't thread) shot the most intense pain I've ever felt (yes, worse than all my contractions) when the saline started. Two nurses entered to solve the issue. By the time the IV was sorted out and I was ready to push again, Felicia discovered I had reverted back to 7cm. Disappointed and exhausted, I was back to laboring and Felicia returned to the office to wait for me to reach the 10cm point again. After an hour or two of no progress, my OB suggested Pitocin to start things up again. Luckily he's conservative with his interventions and only prescribed 4 drops (unlike many doctors who initially go to 30+ drops). My contractions were just as intense, but I had no breaks between. This is when my mind started telling me I had reached my physical limit and might be selfishly pushing for a birth that wasn't going to happen.
-
15146759_1815575435383824_1790950087_o
-
What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Read. And breathe. I immersed myself in Ina May's, Guide to Natural Childbirth and Spiritual Midwifery. I didn't want to read all of the doom and gloom many pregnancy books present. I wanted to see pregnancy and birth through the eyes of women before me; women who are passionate about the process. Breathing techniques really helped while I labored at home. Focusing on the breath and 'breathing baby out' made the experience more about the experience in each moment rather than seeing it as a single event that started and ended in the hospital.
-
What surprised you about your birth?
I was surprised by how powerful my body truly was - even more so than my mind. My husband, Josh, and I followed the mantra, "you are stronger than this is hard." This mantra helped us communicate calmly when I was feeling weak. It allowed Josh to keep me focused on my desire for a natural birth without being aggressive or making me feel incapable. I was also extremely surprised by the language of the hospital staff. Although I delivered in a baby/mommy friendly hospital, most of the staff immediately went to language like, "maybe the baby is too big" or "how much longer do you want to be in pain?" They weren't trained in empowering messages for Momma and birth assistants. They didn't help guide me towards the natural process I desired. They were all about getting baby out (which I was very thankful for) but forced me to DEMAND to squat because I knew pushing on my back wasn't getting me anywhere. *Note: as soon as I changed positions I had a surge of energy and quickly breathed little Leo out.
-
You CAN do it! Don't let any book, article, fellow Momma, medical professional, etc. tell you otherwise. Your contractions will be completely unique to you, so take the time to move around and find the relief methods that work for you. I closed my eyes for most of my laboring and this allowed me to forget what was happening around me and speak to my son. This is a journey you go on with your child, and if you connect with him/her and work together, it will be so rewarding in the end!
-
What pain relief strategies worked best?
While laboring at home, leaning forward on railings and swaying on all fours allowed me to manage my contractions through the night. In the hospital after Pitocin, I was given a small dose of pain medication through my IV which did not eliminate the pain but allowed my mind and muscles to calm. Josh's mother, Wendy, and grandmother, Michele, arrived while we labored back to 10cm offering words of wisdom and comfort, motivating me to stay on my path to a birth without epidural. My stepmother, Annette, held my hand and talked me through each contraction: "We're heading up. Breathe. Breathe. Okay, now we're on the way down, you can rest for a moment."
-
What position did you end up delivering in?
I started pushing on my back and knew this position wouldn't give me the leverage I needed to deliver this child vaginally. I requested moving to an upright position, then demanded I change positions after realizing little Leo was basically lying on my spine. My delivery doctor, Dr. Reid, told the nurses to give me room to move into a squat position and away we went. I squatted on the bed while gripping a birthing bar.
-
How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Surreal. I felt like I was holding someone else's child. I felt like I was still pregnant and maybe dreaming of my birthing experience. The baby high is so real and truly takes you to another place. Anything you thought you couldn't do before, you KNOW you can do now! And even the few things you doubt after giving birth, you somehow miraculously do. Holding my son made me feel like a super hero just realizing her powers are real.
-
What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
You CAN do it! Don't let any book, article, fellow Momma, medical professional, etc. tell you otherwise. Your contractions will be completely unique to you, so take the time to move around and find the relief methods that work for you. I closed my eyes for most of my laboring and this allowed me to forget what was happening around me and speak to my son. This is a journey you go on with your child, and if you connect with him/her and work together, it will be so rewarding in the end!
