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When did you realize you were really in labor?
On the morning of my son's birth, I had some cramping and lighter contractions. I was rested from a good night's sleep so I decided to get some grocery shopping done. (Last minute nesting!) We had lunch and I put my older son down for his nap and sat down for a minute. As I got up to do something else, I realized that I could no longer focus on anything but the contractions. I was definitely in labor!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I was very anxious about delivering my second son naturally since I had back labor during my first pregnancy (and ended up with an epidural). Fortunately, I did not have back labor this time!
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I think the most helpful thing I did to prepare for childbirth was to become as informed as possible about the labor and birthing process. I took a natural child birth class and read books about birth. I believe that understanding the labor and birthing process allowed me to feel confident in my body's ability to give birth and it also allowed me to take labor one step at a time.
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What surprised you about your birth?
My body started pushing before I even knew what was happening! It only took 3 pushes in less than 1 minute and my son was born. (Clearly my body knew what it was doing!) My son was also born in the caul (amniotic membrane).
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I believe that understanding the labor and birthing process allowed me to feel confident in my body's ability to give birth and it also allowed me to take labor one step at a time.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Warm water! I sat on an exercise ball for a while in the shower (water hitting my back) and then I got into the birthing tub during transition. The water felt amazing!
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I delivered my son in the birthing tub in a sitting position.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Incredible! I couldn't believe that such a perfect little person (my son!) could come from my body. It felt like such a miracle to me. It's a feeling of complete joy!
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
If you want to go natural, be sure to select a care team (OB, Midwife, Doula) that whole-heartedly believes that birth is a natural process. When you trust your care team, you can be confident in their judgment as labor progresses (if interventions end up being necessary). Take a natural childbirth class so that you can understand the labor and birthing process and trust your body to deliver your baby. I also recommend prenatal yoga and getting regular chiropractic care -- both things really helped prepare my body for a more efficient labor!
