Moving And Moaning Helped Tanya During Her Hospital Birth

When did you realize you were really in labor?

My water broke at 2:30 in the morning on a Saturday, when I got up to use the bathroom. It was just a trickle instead of a gush, so I put a pad on and went back to bed. Mild contractions started right away, but I fell right back asleep anyway. I was 40 weeks and 6 days.
I hopefully waited for labor to really kick in the whole day Saturday. The contractions came steady, but they were mild and spaced out. By that evening my midwife suggested taking some herbs to help things progress. By 2:00 in the morning (Sunday) they were somewhat stronger and closer so we decided to go to the birth center. It was an hour and a half drive, and I took my last dose of herbs on the way. The contractions were a minute long and 5 minutes apart the whole way. Then we got to the birthing center and they pretty much stopped. We slept till morning. When we woke up the midwives had me try nipple stimulation, exercise, and positioning to try to get the contractions going strong. We couldn't get them to be any stronger than they had already been.
At around 3:00 that afternoon we decided I needed to be transferred and induced. It was a scary decision to make but we all agreed it would be the best thing. If we waited any longer the hospital might push for a c-section, seeing as my water had been broken for so long. I had been continuing to leak the whole time. There were no signs of miconium, unusual bleeding, or infection though.
The hospital staff was very friendly and helpful, and got me started on pitocin within an hour of arriving. They didn't seem to resent our wishes of the most natural birth possible. One of the midwives came along and acted as a doula, helping us through all the decisions. She was amazing! I refused any drugs besides the pitocin.
Once the pitocin kicked in labor became very intense and progressed fairly quickly. I don't remember how long each stage lasted. I do remember the fetal monitor being extremely annoying until they taped this wireless thing to my belly. It was the size of a hand and I hardly noticed it being there. It allowed me to move and do whatever I wanted. I also remember asking them to stop increasing the pitocin when I reached 20 ml. The midwife and my husband were amazing, encouraging me when it seemed so impossible. For a long time I didn't think I could keep going, but they told me I could and somehow I hung on. I was fully dilated around midnight, and my daughter was born at 1:20. I started pushing on a birthing stool that the midwife had brought, and then moved to all fours on the bed. When the doctor came in and the baby was about to come out they told me to lay on my side or back, but I ignored them and pushed her out on all fours. They passed her up to me between my legs and then I lay on my back. I held her while the doctor needed my placenta out and stitched me up. They waited till my cord had stopped pulsing and then my husband cut it. I had second degree tearing (the baby kinda shot out), but the midwife said the doctor did an excellent job stitching me up and I'm healing well.

What was the most challenging thing about going natural?

Dealing with fear. Fear of my labor never "working." Fear of the hospital and what it would be like there. Fear if being at the mercy of drugs and people I was unsure of. Fear of my labor going on forever. Even fear of dying when the contractions were the most intense and I wasn't getting any break.
I had to push all that fear away, and believe. Believe what the midwife and my husband were saying. And ultimately, believe that my life and the life of my baby were in God's hands. At each step I had to surrender to the circumstances and my body. I had to let go of myself and ride the whole process out, forgetting about everything but the goal of getting my baby out.
I definitely believe that the process brought me to the very end of myself, and amazingly, back again!

What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?

Probably preparing my mindset. I tried many practical preparations (ie. diet, exercise, etc.) But, in the end the biggest battle was in my mind. I had strong beliefs and reasons for my decisions, and I clung to them when the going got rough.

What surprised you about your birth?

As bad as it could have been not getting the birth I had planned, everything went well. The hospital staff was good, the pitocin did it's job, I managed to avoid a lot of interventions, and I labored on pitocin without giving up. The midwife was perfect and my husband did amazing. I was able to do skin to skin, start nursing immediately, and keep my baby with me the whole time. Amazingly the hospital let me go home the same day, and our bill was a lot less than we expected. And, though I tore, that part didn't hurt at all and I'm healing perfectly.

Know your why! Make your decisions based on facts and strong beliefs. And then, take it one step at a time. Hopefully, you get the birth your want and plan, but understand that it's not completely in your control. No matter what you'll be surprised by something. Believe that it'll be okay no matter what. It doesn't hurt to have a plan B, just don't let it scare you.

What pain relief strategies worked best?

During the contractions moving and moaning helped some. I didn't really feel like I was in pain exactly. It was more like severely intense contortions of my insides, and there wasn't much I could do about it except hold on and let it happen. By holding on I mean resisting the urge to scream, or tense up...

What position did you end up delivering in?

On all fours facing the head of the bed. I was also naked. At that point I couldn't stand anything touching me and modesty was the farthest thing from my mind. The room was mostly strangers and I simply didn't care about anything but getting the baby out.

How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?

More than amazing!!! Totally surreal! Blissful! I go back to that place in my mind and can still feel it. She was warm, wet, and so very alive. She was mine, and the result of all the hard work. She was perfect, and I felt perfectly whole and happy. She completely erased all my fear and discomfort.

What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?

Know your why! Make your decisions based on facts and strong beliefs. And then, take it one step at a time. Hopefully, you get the birth your want and plan, but understand that it's not completely in your control. No matter what you'll be surprised by something. Believe that it'll be okay no matter what. It doesn't hurt to have a plan B, just don't let it scare you.
Also, have that person (or two) who will support you. Don't go it alone. Being alone is something you shouldn't have to deal with.