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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I had been having mild contractions on and off for 3 weeks. But Friday morning at 2:30 am, I had my real, full-blown contractions. What I had been feeling for weeks paled in comparison. There was no question that my body was working to have this baby!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The exhaustion. I labored for 58 hours of unmediated. I didn’t shower, brush my teeth or hair, and basically wore the same clothes. I slept 3-7 mins at a time depending on how far apart my contractions were. Nothing helped to relieve me. It was hard to deal with the pain when my body was so worn out.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
The Mama Natural course played a HUGE role in my prep for labor. So many questions I didn’t even know I had were answered professionally and factually. Watching the birth videos helped too! My husband and I watched them together and then discussed and marveled at how labor was so different for each woman. It helped us get a more accurate picture of why labor would be.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was shocked by my stamina. My body amazed me. There were many times I thought I couldn’t do it anymore. But my mom’s words kept ringing true “You ARE doing it.” It took me 10 hours to go from 8 centimeters to 10. That was longer than I even knew was possible. When I held my son in my arms, I was amazed at how I could last that long with no medicine and no rest. It was truly empowering.
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Hearing the stories from the couples, providing the birth videos, ALL of the downloadable content are just a few of the ways the Mama Natural course helped. I loved how the information was presented. I loved knowing the biology behind everything. It made me appreciate all the pain I was going through.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
My poor, strong, faithful husband squeezed my hips till his arms shook. And that was some of the best relief! Also, my favorite was lunging and using the birth ball in the shower. The hot water on me helped distract from the pain. Another was my mom’s voice. She encouraged me to just focus on her words. It helped to trick my brain into focusing on something other than my uterus. :)
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was the biggest relief to hold my son. I thought I would be emotional and cry. But I was too tired. I just looked down in awe of the little human my husband and I made. It was such a blessing. Oh! His hands were the first thing I noticed. They were (and still are) huge! Just like his dad.
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What did you name your baby, and why?
We named him William Alan. Alan is my husband’s middle name and his dad’s middle name. So naturally, we carried on that tradition. William is for 2 reasons. The first is that my husband’s late grandfather was named William. He was a war hero and a great man. The second is for my great grandmother. Her name is Willie. She has always hated her name, but her husband nicknamed her “Sweet William” and so she asked that someone name a child William in her honor. So we did!
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How did the Mama Natural Birth Class help you in your childbirth?
Hearing the stories from the couples, providing the birth videos, ALL of the downloadable content are just a few of the ways the Mama Natural course helped. I loved how the information was presented. I loved knowing the biology behind everything. It made me appreciate all the pain I was going through.
