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When did you realize you were really in labor?
When contractions where like 10 minutes apart and like 30 sec long... and I began counting them.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The pain and the length of labor... I labored for 17h before asking for the epidural. I really wanted to do it natural and my midwife, who knew that, said "don't worry, I will end the epidural before the pushing and you will feel everything!!" ;-) and that's what happened! I had the epidural for 5 hours, I hated it, it was uncomfortable but I needed to rest a bit before pushing that big boy!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
We had like 8 private info sessions with my midwife. We discussed a lot about becoming a parent, babies and childbirth. I needed the talks about motherhood (because I'm not close at all with my mother) and I think next time I will maybe focus a bit more on childbirth ;-)
We also took private Haptonomy classes and it was Wonderfull! taking time, having "dates" with your baby were the most valuable things during pregnancy!
And another thing that really(!) inspired me were your videos!! My son was born sep 11 2013 so I went back to look all your pregnancy updates, birthing vids and baby updates with Griffin and of course your pregnancy video with Paloma!
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What surprised you about your birth?
That other person in the room...
The hormones, so difficult to manage; the breastfeeding so hard and painful at the beginning but yet so magical and natural; the war zone down there; the fact that NO ONE could take my baby in there arms except for my husband and my sister; the fear that now that he was outside, I couldn't protect him anymore; his perfect little lips, fingers, legs... ; the tears; the contractions while breastfeeding; all that blood!
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Then when the epidural ended, we were like 15 minutes away from the pushing, my husband hypnotized me! We didn't expected that technique to work that well!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
First massage of the back (before the water broke)
Then the hot bath (I took 2, 1 at home at 12 hours of labor; the second one at the hospital at 16hours)
Then the epidural
Then when the epidural ended, we were like 15 minutes away from the pushing, my husband hypnotized me! We didn't expected that technique to work that well! But I didn't make a sound for 15 minutes! even my midwife was very impressed.
And during the whole process I used a whole lot of visualization and the "son grave" (don't know the name in english).
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I was on the hospital delivery bed in front of my midwife, very straight, legs up on the leg rest.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Words can't express it...
When he came out, I picked him up right away sceaming "mon bébé, mon bébé, mon bébé..." and I cried. He stayed on my chest for 2 hours...
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Be confident, have your partner very involved but yet very discreet when you need it :-) (make your midwife explain those thing to him) ; find a midwife that you love.
