-
When did you realize you were really in labor?
My son decided to come 6 weeks early, so when my contractions began I was frightened. On my way to the hospital, I was beyond nervous & hoping to not be dialated and just be experiencing Braxton Hicks, but that wasn't the case. My doctor checked me & said I was 3cm dialated and 100% effaced - uh oh.
-
What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Having a premature birth, doctors want to keep you as calm as possible. They wanted me to be comfortable, so that the baby didn't feel as much stress. But i wanted to go all natural, and eventually they respected that.
-
IMG_1661
-
What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Trust yourself - trust that your body is MADE to do this. You're made to experience it, live through it, and recover from it, both emotionally and physically. Believing in myself and refusing to change my mind when it came to my beliefs was crucial. Many women tried to change my mind, but stuck to what I wanted. Trusting yourself is so important!
-
What surprised you about your birth?
My birth was actually very easy going, and I think a lot of that had to do with the mindset that I had. But how I handled the pain was probably most surprising to me. I can barely stub my toe without whining - imagine my anxiety when I headed into that delivery room! But my body took over and was confident in what it was doing, so I just let it do its thing.
-
Your body will not give you a pain that you cannot handle, whether it feels that way or not. Don't give in to pressure and believe in your mind and your body - you've got it.
-
What pain relief strategies worked best?
Ice chips and breathing were my saving grace. Anytime I would have a contraction I would grab my husband's hand, put an ice chip in my mouth, tell myself it didn't hurt and just breathed through it.
-
What position did you end up delivering in?
I delivered in the traditional position they have you in in hospitals. I had heard horror stories of that position before, but it worked really well for me. Another thing to remember is everyone is different!
-
How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I was overwhelmed by both positive and negative emotion. I was so absolutely in love with this little human I got to call my own, but terrified of his health and well being because he was so early. But it was the most amazing feeling in the world - it's truly indescribable.
-
What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
I can't stress enough how important it is to trust yourself! Your body will not give you a pain that you cannot handle, whether it feels that way or not. I would also advise to see a homeopathic doctor and have a conversation about remedies she can give you to speed up the process. My doctor gave her daughter a remedy to speed up labor, and all of her labors were an hour long. Although I couldn't use them because he was premature and they tried to stop labor, there are natural remedies that you can take to make your life a lot easier. But you can do this! Don't give in to pressure and believe in your mind and your body - you've got it.
