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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I never really believed it until I was about to actually give birth. The contractions were so gentle and I had prodromal labor for weeks so I was in denial. Something deep inside me though knew something was different because I called the midwife and photographer. I had never done that before so my intuition knew it was real.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I struggled a bit with letting go and trusting my body. Not so much in labor but the process leading up to it. I had a lot of anxiety but I finally learned to relax and that's when labor happened.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Eat delicious food and watch Netflix. Especially after you pass 40 weeks, it's a great time to just relax, reconnect with your partner and enjoy that time together.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How easy it was! My contractions never felt worse than period cramps and a few spontaneous pushes and there he was, in my husband's hands, still in caul!
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Trust your body. Don't fight the pain. Embrace it. Trust it. Move with it. Listen to your intuition. It will never steer you wrong.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Being in the water helped a lot. I also meditate during tougher contractions. I literally check out and am able to block out everything around me and ride the waves rather than fight against them. I talked to my baby through the contractions, whispering to him to "move down for mama. That's it. We can do this."
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was leaned back in the pool with my head resting on a towel.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Surreal. You wait for so long. You're already madly in love and all those surges of oxytocin rushing in and those eyes gaze up at you and there will never be another moment in your life that even comes close.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Trust your body. Don't fight the pain. Embrace it. Trust it. Move with it. Don't listen to everyone else, listen to your intuition. It will never steer you wrong.
