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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been experiencing false labor for over a week, but I finally knew it was the real deal when I felt a contraction that was deeper and more intense. From there they were immediately 3-4 minutes apart and lasting about a minute long.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
It was a challenge to relax my body enough to dilate efficiently...I finally was able to relax when the midwife brought me a Benadryl and introduced the nitrous to me! Total lifesavers. I went from 6 cm to 10 cm in just 3 hours. Transition was really intense though... I remember telling my support team that I didn't think I could do it! Of course, I proved myself wrong :)
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Taking the birth course was the most helpful thing I did! I felt like it really gave me a good sense of what labor would be like and how to prepare for it. Reading books was also really helpful... especially all the positive birth stories in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How STRONG I really am! I was surprisingly calm during the whole experience and when it came time to push I was so in control of my body. I am so proud to be a woman!
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How STRONG I really am! I was surprisingly calm during the whole experience and when it came time to push I was so in control of my body. I am so proud to be a woman!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Deep, primal moaning and nitrous were what helped me through!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was sitting/laying in the bath tub.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It felt like time stopped and was the most surreal thing. It took me a few seconds to say anything out of pure shock and awe. I was overcome with love and relief that I finally got to meet my boy!
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
It helped to really explain all the stages of labor and how all births are different, but we are all truly strong enough to do it naturally!!
