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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I realized I was in labor when I randomly started getting contractions five minutes apart while I was watching TV with my husband.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing for me was that my labor actually went so fast that I actually didn't have a choice but to go natural. I intended to go natural by choice but gave myself permission to use meds if I absolutely needed them, being that it was my first child and I had no idea what to expect. However by the time I got to the hospital, I was already almost ready to push. The doctor and the doula hadn't even arrived yet, and the nurses couldn't locate my water birth consent form either. There was simply not enough time to really do anything I had actually planned to do, which I guess turned out to be a blessing.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
The relaxation audio files paired with the Hypnobirthing breathing techniques really helped me to just accept whatever the situation was and to just roll with it.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was surprised at how I was able to give birth to a 9 lb 5 oz baby "sunny side up" in only about 6 hours total. I'm glad I never was told what the baby could weigh prior to having him. I just trusted my body to do its thing.
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Get in the mindset of accepting whatever situation and rolling with it. My ultimate goal all along was not natural birth. My goal was healthy mom and baby. Natural birth was just the vehicle I wanted to use to get there.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Taking on one contraction at a time and pretending it was "the last one" before my baby arrived really helped me because I wasn't anticipating the next contraction and was able to rest much better. I was always thinking I was one step closer to holding my baby.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up delivering on my back in a hospital bed.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I wasn't prepared for how big of a moment it would be, given that I had no experience with kids prior to having my own. He was crying and I instinctively said "Oh honey..." He then stuck out his tongue and I said "Hey I can do that too." We quickly bonded in our own way.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
My advice is to really get in the mindset of accepting whatever situation and rolling with it. My ultimate goal all along was not natural birth. My goal was healthy mom and baby. Natural birth was just the vehicle I wanted to use to get there.
