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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was at 42 weeks and we didn't want to wait any longer for labor to begin on its own. We tried a lot of natural techniques but my labor didn't really start until my doctor broke my water. Then contractions came hard and fast!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Having to make some sacrifices in terms of what I had been planning. I didn't want to have to be induced, I wanted to labor at home, and I ended up not getting either of those things. I had a very specific plan in mind for how I wanted my birth to go, and it didn't work out exactly like that--although that was okay in the end!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I studied multiple books on the Bradley method and practiced the techniques with my husband. Between learning Bradley and having my husband as my birth coach I felt really well prepared.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I had expected to move around a lot during labor because in most birth stories I'd heard or read, that's what women do. Instead, I wanted to sit perfectly still almost the whole time, in a very meditative state. I'm normally very talkative and I hardly was able to communicate at all during most of my labor because I was so focused on relaxing. I also expected pushing to take a lot longer than it did. After about 14 hours of labor I only had to push for 20 minutes; I was completely shocked by that!
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Educate yourself as thoroughly as you can about the whole process. Knowing what to expect helped prevent a lot of fear and anxiety for me.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Focusing on relaxing and keeping my breathing normal and steady helped during most of my labor. I would silently repeat to myself "You...can...do...this. Re...lax...re...lax," breathing in and out on each syllable. During transition I was lying on my side instead of sitting and I had awful back labor. My husband and the nurses took it in turns to apply extremely hard pressure on my lower back during contractions, and that was the only thing that helped me get through them.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was in a semi-squatting position on the delivery bed--mostly sitting up with my feet on footrests. I feel like it was the most effective way to push while not having to focus on balancing or keeping myself in a standing or kneeling position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was incredible, but it was kind of scary too because he didn't cry at first. So my first memories of holding him are of trying to coax him to cry. He finally let out this tiny little wail and it was the best sound in the world! I was thrilled to finally meet this little person I'd been waiting so long to hold.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Educate yourself as thoroughly as you can about the whole process. Knowing what to expect helped prevent a lot of fear and anxiety for me. At the same time, be willing to be flexible with your birth plan, and don't let any unexpected developments throw you off completely. A strong determination and belief that you can do this helps a lot too!