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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for about three days before I went into labor. On the day I went into labor I was feeling very uncomfortable, I felt a lot more pressure in my pelvis and later that day I felt a pop and then a steady trickle of liquid and I realized that my water had broken. Contractions started about 45 minutes later.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Fear of the unknown. Since this was my first pregnancy I was fearful of how painful labor would be. My mind would go to, "what if it gets too painful and I can't handle it". Labor was painful, but I expected it to be much more painful than it actually was.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I read a lot of books about natural childbirth and I took the mama natural birth course which helped me understand labor and how our mind plays such an important role in how well we can tolerate pain. I stayed very active throughout my entire pregnancy and I ate healthy so I felt my body was healthy and strong enough for labor. Also having a supportive birth partner and medical professional was crucial. At the beginning of my pregnancy I was seeing an OB-GYN who was not supportive of my plan to have a natural childbirth so I switched to a midwife and she was so supportive throughout my entire pregnancy and during my delivery. I don't believe I would have had my natural birth without her! Also my husband was very supportive of my decision for a natural birth and was so encouraging and helpful throughout my labor.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How strong my body actually was and how much power my mind had over my body. When the contractions first became intense I would tighten up with each contraction and complain about how much they hurt. Then I remembered to try to stay as relaxed as possible, so I started to keep my body relaxed and limp with each contraction and I didn't complain about the pain I simply tried to imagine riding a wave with each contraction. And amazingly the contractions became easier to handle. Once I came to the pushing stage, my daughter had her hands up by her face and the cord was around her neck so it took three hours of pushing to get her out. But my body had the energy and strength to push for three hours and she was born healthy.
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I am so grateful that we took the Mama Natural Birth Class. Knowing what to expect at each stage of labor helped me feel more prepared. Listening to other people's natural birth stories and watching natural birth videos helped me realize that women do this all the time and empowered me that I could do this too! Also the classes on diet and natural treatments for common pregnancy aliments helped me to make wise choices about what I was putting into my body.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Keeping my body relaxed and limp and imagining a wave with each contraction; I also kept reminding myself that the contraction would only last for a minute and then I would get a break. Also laboring in the shower helped immensely to lessen the pain of the contractions; I knelt on a pillow and leaned my upper body on a shower chair and my husband sprayed my back and belly with the shower sprayer.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
On my back. I tried pushing on my hands and knees and while laying on my side, but it seemed I was able to push the best laying on my back and grabbing the side handles of the bed.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Surreal, I couldn't believe that she was here. We didn't know the sex of our baby so it was a surreal moment when my husband said it was a girl and they laid her on my stomach. She was in a little distress when she was born so the pediatrician had to take her to the other side of the room and check her vitals so we didn't get to bond immediately. But after a few minutes they were able to put her on my chest and it was an incredible feeling. Looking back the entire experience seemed like an amazing dream.
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
I am so grateful that we took the Mama Natural Birth Class. Knowing what to expect at each stage of labor helped me feel more prepared. Listening to other people's natural birth stories and watching natural birth videos helped me realize that women do this all the time and empowered me that I could do this too! Also the classes on diet and natural treatments for common pregnancy aliments helped me to make wise choices about what I was putting into my body.
