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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I felt cramps in my stomach for a few hours and called my midwife to ask her about it. She said I could be in labour and to go to sleep for the night. When I woke up no longer able to sleep through the cramping feeling (aka contractions) I knew this was labor. I always thought my water would break, mine didn't break until I was pushing my baby out!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I didn't really find it challenging to go natural. I did my research while pregnant and I knew I didn't want to go the medicated route, hence having a home water birth! Even when I thought "I don't know how much more of this I can take" I never wanted medication for the pain.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I drank red raspberry leaf tea (as suggested by Mama Natural), did my best to keep myself active and healthy by doing yoga and eating well. I listened to my body, when I was tired I rested, when I felt like I had a bit more energy I went for a walk.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was surprised that I didn't actually have to "push". In movies you always see the doctor say push... Or telling mothers they need to push harder to get the baby out etc. when it was time to push my body just did it! I felt like I didn't have control over it, my midwife was trying to get me not to push so much and ease the baby out. I felt like my body just knew what to do and pushed all on its own, I just said to my midwife "I can't not push, she is coming" and the next push my baby was out!
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YOU CAN DO IT! Remember that as a woman your body knows how to do this! You know how to do this even if you have never done it before, all you need is someone there to catch your baby, and even then many woman catch their own babies!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing through the contractions and having a warm bath worked to help with the pain.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was squatting in the bathtub when I delivered my baby.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was beautiful! With that being said, I felt terrible because people only talk about the love that rushes over you and how happy you are. Yes that is true, however, I still felt that my lower region was on fire! I was trying to focus on the gorgeous baby in my arms, but the umbilical cord was being tugged due to clamping it and that was a very strange feeling too! I did feel much better and a great releaf after I birthed the placenta.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
YOU CAN DO IT! Remember that as a woman your body knows how to do this! You know how to do this even if you have never done it before, all you need is someone there to catch your baby, and even then many woman catch their own babies! Believe in yourself and remember in the end you will know what it felt like to birth your baby and push your baby out, many woman who have children don't know what that feels like, it's a beautiful part of the process.
