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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Early in the morning at 4:30 AM on October 23, 2016. I was 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant with my third child. I woke up assuming I was dealing with prodromal labor AGAIN. But I realized it was real labor when it got worse when I walked.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
My son was "sunny side up" so it was very painful going through transition.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I'm not sure what helped me most. I stayed healthy and kept my weight in check. I exercised. I discussed my fears with my husband who was my labor coach. He really helped me so much through my contractions.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Feeling the Fetal Ejection Reflex. It was amazing and scary at the same time. I had an epidural for my previous births so I had never felt my body just take over.
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Don't underestimate how painful it actually is and prepare yourself for it.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Yelling. I went very primal and was very vocal. Instead of making me feel as though I was losing control, I felt powerful. I'm normally not very vocal and have a high pain threshold but that was intense.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up delivering sitting up in a sort of squatting position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was amazing. It was worth all the pain I went through to hold my son and smell his sweet little newborn head.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Don't underestimate how painful it actually is and prepare yourself for it.