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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Actually, we had a scheduled induction. I was approaching 42 weeks and since we were confident in the accuracy of our due date, we took our doctor's advice of starting an induction (with hopes of only needing a little bit of help to get labor going). When we arrived at the hospital, I was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome after showing high blood pressure and alarming lab results. I was treated with magnesium to prevent seizures and lower my blood pressure, which works against the pitocin they had me on. But I did have some contractions, and was happy when my water broke on its own!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
For me, it was letting go piece by piece of my birth plan. Because of my condition, I wasn't able to move around, I needed continuing monitoring, I was on drugs to lower my blood pressure and prevent seizures, etc. We held onto every bit of "going natural" as long as we could, but ultimately much of it was not possible in keeping my and my baby's health a priority. We actually wound up with a general anesthesia c-section, which felt completely unnatural, but as I told my husband after - "we did what we thought was best for our baby...naturally."
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
The most helpful thing was talking to my husband about what we feared, what we hoped for, what we were excited for, etc. over and over again. When it finally became time, my husband was my biggest advocate and in a great position to help guide us through the process, which was crucial because I was weak and not able to do so.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Everything! It was nothing like I had planned or expected. But despite that - it was still amazing. I never thought that could be.
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When I met my son, all of that melted away and I couldn't be happier. It was incredible. And the effect lingered - I had to recover in the ICU, and I was uncomfortable and in pain, but every time the nurse brought him to me, it all went away and I was nothing but happy.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
When I was having contractions, my husband and doula applied counter pressure on my lower back, which was super helpful since I was bed ridden.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
C-section!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It felt absolutely amazing. I had a rough recovery after the c-section, so I wasn't able to meet him until I was stable five hours later. And up until then I was feeling defeated, scared, in pain, and overall awful. When I met my son, all of that melted away and I couldn't be happier. It was incredible. And the effect lingered - I had to recover in the ICU, and I was uncomfortable and in pain, but every time the nurse brought him to me, it all went away and I was nothing but happy.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
When planning for your natural birth, make sure you understand the why behind each part. This will help you make decisions if things don't go the way you planned. For example, if you want skin to skin with your baby immediately following birth, is it for bonding? If it becomes unavailable to you for whatever, your birth team can provide other ways to reach that goal, ie skin to skin with your partner, etc.
