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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been contracting for months, but out of nowhere, they began to hurt. They intensified very quickly.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
Getting in an environment that was conducive to/supportive of a natural birth. The state I live in is not birth-friendly.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Eat well, exercise.
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What surprised you about your birth?
How fast it went, even though the baby was over a pound bigger and and 3 weeks later than my other babies.
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Hire a doula, make sure your practitioner is supportive, and do some sort of childbirth education with your support person. It will really help you know how to communicate what you need, and it will empower your partner.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Warm water, lower back counter pressure, supportive doula reminding me how to breathe.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Hands and knees/squatting in the shower. Would have preferred to be in a tub, but the hospital didn't have one available. They put me in a c-section recovery room.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Surreal. I couldn't believe labor was done and we was actually out
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Hire a doula, make sure your practitioner is supportive, and do some sort of childbirth education with your support person. It will really help you know how to communicate what you need, and it will empower your partner.