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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been in and out of what I assumed was prodromal labor all week. Contractions would start, progress, and then completely stop. After doing some research I thought perhaps he wasn't fully engaged in my pelvis. I bought a birthing ball, bounced around on it for an hour, and laid down. A few hours later I was lying on the couch timing a contraction when I felt a very strange movement. It was almost as if my baby's feet were on my ribs. A second later I felt a weird sensation (as if my baby had propelled down) and just like that my water broke (which is an understatement—exploded is more like it). After that my contractions immediately progressed to three minutes apart!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Getting my mind into the right place. With how fast everything progressed after my water broke (from the time it broke to the time he was born was 3.5 hours), I allowed panic to take over a few times. By the time I got through triage (about 6cm) I felt very out of control. It was then that I had to take a step back and remember the emotional signposts, and to relax and get my mind and body working together.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Reading inspirational birthing stories and visualizing myself accomplishing my goal. I also practiced total body relaxation and that is honestly what got me through it in the end. My mom said I went into a completely catatonic state, and that she had never seen anything like it. Knowing how to relax helped my body take over and before I knew it my body started signaling that it was time to push!
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What surprised you about your birth?
Aside from how fast it was (I really hadn't anticipated progressing that rapidly), I was shocked at how natural the whole process was. Once my mind got out of my way, my body completely took over. All I had to do was lay there, accept the pain, and eventually push my little babe into the world! I was also shocked at how much relief I felt during the pushing stage. I was so scared at first but it ended up relieving the pain from the contractions!
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Listen to your instincts and do not let anyone convince you that you cannot do it. I got a lot
of negative feedback throughout my pregnancy, but I focused my energy on accomplishing my goal and surrounded myself with people who believed in me (like my husband, aka my number one fan). It was the single most empowering thing I've ever done, and I'm so glad I didn't listen to the people who called me crazy and tried to bring me down.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Total body relaxation and mindfulness. I would go as far as to say I put myself in a somewhat hypnotized state. I focused my vision on the pattern on my hospital gown and concentrated all my focus on that while my body took over and did what it needed to do.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was extremely surprised that I ended up delivering on my back. I was very against this position going into it, but it turned out to be the only position that I (personally) felt comfortable pushing in. I think it helped also to be able to see my husband right by my side telling me to push and cheering me on.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I think I was in shock. I felt so much love and couldn't believe that baby was mine and that I had just accomplished something so huge.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Listen to your instincts and do not let anyone convince you that you cannot do it. I got a lot
of negative feedback throughout my pregnancy, but I focused my energy on accomplishing my goal and surrounded myself with people who believed in me (like my husband, aka my number one fan). It was the single most empowering thing I've ever done, and I'm so glad I didn't listen to the people who called me crazy and tried to bring me down.
