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When did you realize you were really in labor?
After my water broke at the hospital. Everything got way more intense after that. I felt a big pop and felt a bunch of water gush out.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
We found out the baby was breech 3 days before he was born. The next day we tried to do a manual version and flip him around so we could still have a natural, birth center birth. He wouldn't flip. The next day I went into labor and had to make a decision whether to drive to the nearest hospital and have a c-section, or drive 2.5 hours to a hospital that was not breech birth friendly but had a doctor who would do the breech birth for us. It was such a hard decision to make. Would I even make it 2.5 hours in the car?!?! We ended up doing the 2.5 hr drive and I ended up have an all natural breech birth under the most amazing doctor! I am soooo happy with our decision , it was so worth it!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I did a ton of walking and really tried to keep in shape, which my 1.5 year old definitely helped with lol. I also drank red raspberry leaf tea every day starting in my second trimester and also ate dates after 36 weeks.
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What surprised you about your birth?
Well finding out the baby was breech was a big surprise. The pregnancy was so smooth, except for nausea in the beginning.
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Your body was really made for this. Yes birth is the hardest thing I have ever done, both times lol but it is such a wonderful thing! Birth is not supposed to be this thing you have to suffer through, it is supposed to be a beautiful thing! When you feel like you can't take it anymore your baby will come and nothing else will matter to you!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Just trying to work with my body, to "ride the wave". And my husband, I could not have done it without him. Since I ended up being in the hospital I didn't have the water option,which I really wanted, but in the end we made it!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Hands and knees
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
So happy it was over and so happy to finally hold him and happy that it all worked out safely.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Your body was really made for this. Yes birth is the hardest thing I have ever done, both times lol but it is such a wonderful thing! Birth is not supposed to be this thing you have to suffer through, it is supposed to be a beautiful thing! When you feel like you can't take it anymore your baby will come and nothing else will matter to you!
