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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke at 5 pm as I was sitting on my knees on the floor putting together train tracks with my son. I felt a pop in my lower right abdomen and small gush of fluid. It was yellow upon examination (mucus plug?), so I wasn't sure it was my water breaking. A trip up the stairs for fresh clothes confirmed that it had in fact broken. I was nervous that I hadn't felt any contractions, so was totally ready to use some techniques to get things going. Of course as I'm telling my husband all this, I have my first contraction.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The challenges with going natural were believing I could do it during transition. I think a laboring mom can only know she's in transition in hindsight, because it's that time when you really doubt yourself. Secondly, getting over the fear of pain and tearing during crowning. I experienced a 4th degree tear birthing my first son, and I was so afraid of tearing again, that it took me a few pushes to be okay with pushing through the pain.
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MomSamBirth
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I did several things that I feel were helpful. I did my best to deal with the fears of another tear by journaling, reading Birthing From Within, talking with my doula. I also educated myself. I read info on the Evidence Based Birth website. I listened to The Pregnancy Podcast. I also exposed myself to a variety of birth stories by listening to the The Birth Hour podcast. Having a toddler with some extra health needs also means I had very limited time for me, but I treated myself to chiropractic care alongside my prenatal doctor appointments. This helped with knowing baby's position, keeping me comfortable, and keeping my pelvis well-positioned for birth.
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What surprised you about your birth?
It was so FAST! My water broke at 5 pm and my son was born at 10:35 pm. I labored at home as long as possible, so when it was time to go, it was definitely time to go. We probably go to the hospital about 9:30 pm. The first nurse that checked me said I was 3 cm (I still don't believe I was only 3 cm at this point, I think she was wrong). Contractions significantly increased in intensity and I had a few one on top of another. Then a doctor wanted some internal fetal monitoring, so checked me while she was there and I was fully dilated. It was crazy fast.
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Amazement. Love. I couldn't believe that this perfect creature had come out of my body. Proud, of him, of me, of us, because we were a team, who had just done an incredible thing.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Believing in myself, knowing it wouldn't last forever, and breathing through it as best I could. I did this yoga ocean breathing that forces me to calm down. As I breathed out, I visualized a lily flower slowly opening.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
The traditional upright in bed with legs held up. My son's heart rate was dropping dangerously low with each contraction, so we needed to get him out fast, so I was okay with the doctor requesting the traditional set-up. She was able to stretch my perineum between contractions to help prevent tearing. She also felt baby's head between contractions as he was coming down and out.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazement. Love. I couldn't believe that this perfect creature had come out of my body. Proud, of him, of me, of us, because we were a team, who had just done an incredible thing.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Trust yourself. You can do it. Do some work to know yourself. You know what is best for you and your baby, if you just give yourself the time and space to listen. And have an experienced birth partner, be that a doula, husband, wife, mom, sister, aunt, friend, whoever.
