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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I thought I might be the night before he was born because I had gone on a really long walk that night and I was having contractions. So I went to bed and when I got up the next morning (it was a Sunday) I said looks like we are not going to church we are having a baby today.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I have never had anything but a natural birth and this was my third. It didn't really seem challenging. I had a lot of support from family and friends. I guess the most challenging thing is to just trust that God will take care of me and my baby and everything will go fine. Some people can be very judgmental about home birth so I kept it to myself around strangers.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I always make sure there is someone to watch the kids and our dog and everyone knows the game plan. That way I can relax and not worry about my other responsibilities. I tried the birthing tub thing, got music ready I liked, bought candles for ambiance, and made sure my house was spotless for a week. But when the day actually came the tub made me mad the music annoyed me, I could not have cared less about the ambiance, and of course I had laundry in the wash and dryer and I had not done the dishes the day before. We get this picture in our mind of this idyllic peaceful perfect birth and i'm not sure that's healthy.
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What surprised you about your birth?
What surprised me about birth is how different and unique each birth can be.
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Get a team of people around you that you trust it makes all the difference and don't be afraid to say what you like and don't like and how you are feeling. Labor and birth don't always go as planned so don't build up a scenario in your head. You cant imagine how wonderful it will be. You don't want to morn the scenario you built up and not see the miracle that just took place.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Walking around, swaying and "dancing", changing position and pressure on my lower back helped me a lot with the pain. But what i think helped the most was vocalizing what i was thinking and feeling and not being afraid to grunt and scream. I just kept asking God to give me strength and to help me carry this burden and he did. I know I could not have done it alone I found strength in my husband, my birthing team, my mother, and my God.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I originally was going to squat. But I ended up on my hands and knees. My LO had shoulder dystocia so when he got stuck my midwife got me in a lunging position to open my hips more. It was a scary few minutes while he was stuck but my midwife was awesome! She got him out without injury to me or him. She is a rock star!
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was such a relief. He had shoulder dystocia so when he finally came out my midwife had to examine him and I just kept saying "is he okay?" over and over again. Then he cried and so did I she handed him to me and it was overwhelming the love and relief and gratitude i felt.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Get a team of people around you that you trust it makes all the difference and don't be afraid to say what you like and don't like and how you are feeling. Labor and birth don't always go as planned so don't build up a scenario in your head. You cant imagine how wonderful it will be. You don't want to morn the scenario you built up and not see the miracle that just took place.
