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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I knew the labor was real after I went to take a nap to see if my contractions would fizzle out the way they had been doing the last few days!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
This was my third baby and he was not in the perfect position for birth. This made the labor the most painful of my three babies!!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
To prepare for childbirth I always drink Red Raspberry Lead tea and eat 6 dates a day. I also try to stay active. And finally, I read Natural Hospital Birth and Ina May Gaskin’s book.
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What surprised you about your birth?
What surprised me the most with this birth was how fast it was! He was born two hours after I realized that I was in labor.
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Just remember that the pain is a good pain. It isn’t your body sending you a warning that something is wrong it’s telling your body that something is working the way it should!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Deep breathing, my husband pushing his fist into my lower back through my contractions, and staying on my hands and knees helped me the most with pain.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I delivered him while on my hands and knees. The nurses at the hospital never said a word and let me labor in whatever position I wanted. The doctor too never asked me to turn over on my back. He was completely fine with me laboring how I needed to.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
With two other kids at home, this pregnancy flew by and I didn’t have as much time to think about the baby in my womb. But seeing him and holding him for the first time made me think “Wow! There he is! I really was growing a baby!” Haha! Perhaps hormones had a play in those thoughts ;-)
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Just remember that the pain is a good pain. It isn’t your body sending you a warning that something is wrong it’s telling your body that something is working the way it should! If you’re in labor stay busy and get through the contractions one at a time. Also once you find a method of pain relief that works stick with it and let your team know what it is. They will help you implement the method without you needing to ask and you can just get in the zone and stay there :-)
