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When did you realize you were really in labor?
This was my third birth. I was actually having "false labor" for about 2 weeks beforehand, and was already 41 weeks. Because I am 35, they scheduled an induction. Unfortunately, it wasn't until pitocin was administered that real labor began for me.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Had I actually gone the natural route, I believe the hardest thing would have been for me to RELAX. This is what has happened with all three of my pregnancies. Until I received an epidural, my cervix would not budge! It even went down a cm or two at certain points (measured by the same nurse). Until relaxation of voluntary and involuntary muscles occurred, that cervix wasn't opening for anything so I would definitely encourage women to take relaxation techniques seriously and practice them religiously.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Emotionally- Kept telling myself to cease from expectation. Of course to always hope and pray for the best. But too often my mind would go down the "what if" roads and I could take a detour for hours on those paths - and they were rarely the best case scenarios! So staying positive and trying to ignore the "what if" thoughts - taking it one day, one hour, and one minute at a time.
Physically- walking!!! This cut down my recovery to a fraction of the time it usually takes. Staying active really really helps you afterward. You will need your rest, but you will also need endurance to care for your sweet baby, so keep moving and your recovery will be amazing!
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What surprised you about your birth?
How wonderful it was, despite it being totally immersed in "the system." I am a healthcare worker and I am the first to be skeptical of "defensive medicine." But the nursing staff must have picked up on my uneasiness and they explained everything they were doing and asked me if I was comfortable with it beforehand. This really gave me some peace of mind. Also, this hospital is very conservative with their birthing approach so immediate skin to skin contact with mommy and baby, breast feeding right away, and quiet time with mommy at night was all strongly encouraged. They respected my wishes to delay cord clamping and no vaccinations without any medical pushback (I.e. "you should do this..." or "it's best for the child if you say yes.."). So despite my hesitation and fears of going the medical route, it was a wonderful experience!
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Indescribable. There are few times in life when you get to experience something like this.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing through the contractions- sounds obvious, but it was actually hard to do until I really concentrated on it. Although I did receive an epidural, I could still feel quite a bit and could move my legs pretty well so I don't believe I had as much medicine as I had received in past labors, where my legs were completely limp. This allowed me to feel a lot of the labor pain and use it to my advantage. After 12 pushes and about 15 minutes, she was out!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was on my back.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Indescribable. There are few times in life when you get to experience something like this. It was definitely apparent to me that this was one of those times in my life which was a moment that was nothing short of miraculous.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Have a good support system around you. If your partner isn't too into it, you will find it very hard to continue on a natural path. Don't beat yourself up - either way you choose, you will have your sweet little baby soon!
