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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Honestly, I didn't realize I was in labor until I was already checked in to the hospital and told by my midwife that I was in labor. My water broke in the morning and I had thought I just wet the bed because I was feeling no contractions. We went to the hospital birthing center and they checked and told me my water had broke. I still felt nothing for most the morning and afternoon. I unfortunately risked out of a water birth, that was frustrating, but I held tight to my goal, healthy baby. That was all I cared about. I didn't start feeling my labor until I asked if I could soak in the tub. I was in the tub no more then 30-ish minutes before I was asked to step out of the tub and begin pushing via land birth. It was then, I really experienced labor.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I honestly felt very comfortable laboring and giving birth all natural. The most challenging part for me was not being able to have a water birth. I feel the water birth offers more freedom with movement which would have helped ease my labor and pushing. Laboring and pushing on the bed was I comfortable because my movement was limited. I had tried to ask for the squat bars but unfortunately the baby was ready before we were and we did not have time to get those.
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Roselynn
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Research and application. I purchased and read several natural mamma books and in addition researched online. I created a pregnancy diet and weekly birth plan. I received chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy weekly during my entire pregnancy. I walked daily. I maintained a very healthy diet and took all prenatal vitamins. I drink red raspberry leaf tea every day several times a day. I ate dates like candy. I diffused and topically applied several essential oils I say this was the most helpful because I feel it was the main reason I had such a fast labor. I was only in labor for 2 and a half hours. I feel all the prep I did before my daughter was born really helped the process of her birth. Having our bags packed, food packed, and all my essential oils packed was not as important because my labor was so fast, we didn't need most of what we brought. However, I am glad it was packed anyway just in case I wasn't blessed with a 2 hour labor- then I really would have been grateful for my packed bags.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How incredibly fast it was. My understanding was most first time mammas experience pretty long labors and birthing process. I was incredibly surprised when my midwife told me I was in labor and I had no idea. I was also surprised when my contractions that I could see on the screen were 2 minutes apart and I still could not feel them. I was shocked that my active labor was only 2 hours. Overall my entire labor was surprising as it was not as difficult as I imagined without medication. We were very blessed.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
We were diffusing essential oils while I labored in the bathtub which provided me relaxation. Movement was also helpful. During the pushing phase, having my husband there to help my breathing was very beneficial to maintaining my relaxation. I
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I would have preferred a water birth. Unfortunately I risked out. I ended up doing a land birth and delivered on my back which was not ideal. I would have preferred the squat bars however my baby girl had other plans and decided she wanted to arrive before the nurses had time to set the squat bars up for me.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I can't even begin to understand the wave of emotions. It was like I never knew love until I held her. Everything else in life became invisible.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
In addition to having your bags packed and birth plan written, make sure you do the ground work before you go into labor. Make sure you are relaxed and your nutrition is good. I really think chiropractic care helped keep my body aligned and helped my labor time decrease. During the labor process, just breath. Deep inhales. I found sometimes I was doing short inhales and long exhales thinking I was breathing correctly. The inhales are what matter. Breath in deep for your baby so she or he can get all the oxygen she needs to be delivered. Be prepared to feel love like you've never felt before.
