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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was on summer break and was getting ready for my daily morning dog walk right about 9:30 am. As I walked into my room to get dressed, I felt some water down my leg. Not enough to be sure it was my waters. I had heard of so many women thinking their water broke when they actually were so pregnant had just peed themselves. I did not want to be *that* pregnant lady. I decided to go for a walk anyway and monitor the situation. I was 37 weeks and I knew if my water had in fact broken, they would not stop labor. My OB had said as much to me a month earlier. My pregnancy was deemed high risk due to gestational diabetes and IUGR and my doctor was going to induce me at 38 weeks. After the walk and a nice long shower, it was pretty obvious to me my water had broken. I kept waiting for the contractions to start, but my uterus was utterly silent, save for my son's reassuring kicks. This was *nothing* like the movies. After a couple of hours, I called my OB and they said to go to L&D if my contractions did not start on their own within an hour. So I sat on my birth ball, in the middle of our living room, looking at our half-finished kitchen (it was being renovated) trying to will my body to contract and practicing my deep breathing. By noon, it was obvious my contractions were not going to start. So husband and I had a nice lunch and savored our last moments as non-parents.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
We got to our room around 4:00 pm. I still had no contractions so had to have an IV and pitocin. We started a low dose protocol. When I came in I was 3c, 50% effaced. After a few minutes on the IV, I got up to use the restroom. Baby John had a really bad dip in his heart rate when I came back out. They could not find the heartbeat for a minute. They flipped me over and put me on oxygen. Very scary. They stopped pitocin and the OB advised I may need a "preventative" epidural in case of emergency c-section if the dip happened again. At that point I was very defeated. I didn't experience any fear. Just deflation. Pitocin was restarted at 6:00 pm. The anesthesiologist came in to discuss the risk of an epidural - which I knew very well. I let her know I was in no rush to get the procedure. The stars were aligned in my favor: so many women wanted and needed an epidural that day that mine kept being pushed back. Meanwhile, my son was looking very good on the monitor so the OB felt comfortable waiting. With each passing hour, I felt more secure and calm. I was feeling contractions of very mild intensity but no one really paid attention because they were not registering on the monitor. But I was in early labor. Nurses kept coming in asking me if I was ready for the epidural. The most challenging thing was to communicate to the staff that I wanted a birth without pain meds. My husband finally went to the nurses and made it clear. It was not brought up after that!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth as well as The Birth Partner. Bibles of childbirth in my opinion. We took some classes but they were not that helpful. I have practiced Yoga on and off for a decade and that was the most helpful thing to me - getting in touch with my breath and power - just as I learned in yoga. My husband was the most supportive, loving, and amazing partner. I could not have done it without him.
Finally, watch videos of natural births. So beautiful and inspiring!
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What surprised you about your birth?
My son's birth was fast! Active labor was only 3 1/2 hours and I pushed for 20 mins. As a 35 year old first-time mom, I expected it to be much longer.
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Yoga practice was the most helpful thing to me - getting in touch with my breath and power - just as I learned in yoga.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
The main nurse got me set up in a rocking chair and I labored there for a while. It was the most wonderful thing ever! (See picture) The contractions were intense, with most of the pressure in my lower back. The monitor still did not pick up my contractions but I was clearly in labor! When the wave would hit me, I would moan, relaxing my mouth to relax my pelvis. Brian was coaching me, helping me breathe to get oxygen to John. There was no build up to the contraction due to the pitocin, but I could handle the intensity just fine as long as my husband helped me breathe. The contractions came every 2 minutes and lasted about a minute. I got checked again at 2:30 am and had progressed to 8 centimeters and was 100% effaced. I could not believe how fast that went!!! At that point, I knew the c-section was not going to happen. I felt great! They moved me to the bed and I got in the hand and knees position. At this point my husband lied down to get some rest and mom took over. She would put pressure on my lower back during each contraction. It felt so good to have that pressure. We were totally in sync. It was like a dance and it was so comforting having her help during transition. The rest unfolded pretty much like a comedy. The nurse stayed for a couple of contractions and said "call me when you feel the urge to push". I'm sure she thought it would be a few hours. Nope. The very next contraction, my body went on full speed. The urge to push was immense. I lost control at that point, but in a good way.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
The nurse rushed in, checked me and I was 10 centimeters!!! It was 3:30 am. I had gone to full dilation in one hour. The nurse said "Don't push. The doctor is on her way." Don't push? Ok. Right. Tell that to millions of years of evolution. Impossible. The rest of the team rushed to get the baby station set up. They flipped me on my back for delivery. I did not want to deliver in this position because it increases the chance of tearing, but I was no longer conscious of wants, needs, or plans. I was in primal mode. I was roaring in low tones and trying to control my urge to push. The doctor showed up around 4:00 am and I could finally push. Mom held one leg, my husband held the other. The nurse coached me and had me hold my breath with contractions. It felt totally unnatural. I wanted to breathe like my dad coached me during workouts! Anyways, it must have worked because 2 contractions, 6 pushes later, my son was born! I got a second degree tear but did not feel it or the ring of fire - amazingly.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
They placed him on my stomach and the first thing I noticed was his ear. It was a perfect replica of his father's ear. So sweet. I started singing "le soleil a rendez-vous avec la lune" to welcome him to the world. I used to sing it to him in the womb. I had read somewhere that it helps babies make the connection between life inside and outside the womb. Mom joined into the song. He was breathing and calm and happy and perfect. I couldn't believe he was real. Honestly, I knew I was pregnant, I'd felt him move, I'd seen him on scans, I'd just birthed him but I still couldn't wrap my head around his existence. It is truly a miracle. I kept telling husband "look what we made. Look what we did"- indescribable feeling.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
1) watch as many videos of natural births as you can. I had no fear because I knew what would happen and it was very powerful for me.
2) have an advocate that can control the medical staff of needed
3) Trust your body. You can do amazing things!
