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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I woke up at 4am and felt contractions. They were pretty weak, but I was a day past my due date and I just knew it was the real thing.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The most challenging thing about going natural was working with a "traditional" OB - I went to an OB practice where I met a group of doctors, some of whom were very supportive of natural birth and others of whom who were not. When I went to the hospital, I got the most traditional OB of them all - just my luck! Even though the nurse gave him my birth plan, he still tried to get me to take pitocin (I was fully dilated at that point) and he tried to get me to agree to an episiotomy (he said I was at risk to have a big baby due to being past my due date - by a day - and having gestational diabetes - which I managed by diet and had lost about 20 pounds at this point). I refused both interventions in between transition-contractions (he kept trying to talk to me during contractions!) and this was especially challenging because I was working so hard to stay focused.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Practicing relaxation, going through the motions of relaxing all of my muscles and clearing my mind. By the time I went into labor, I was a pro at becoming a wet noodle!
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What surprised you about your birth?
Second stage labor took an hour. Even though I was fully dilated, I don't think I was quite mentally ready to push because I didn't feel much of an urge to. I also experienced a third degree tear and was pretty surprised about how that made my recovery more difficult.
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Practicing relaxation, going through the motions of relaxing all of my muscles and clearing my mind. By the time I went into labor, I was a pro at becoming a wet noodle!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing. Just breathing through the contractions. I took myself to different places and was in a different world. I do not remember being in pain at any point of labor.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
Bradley method position - upright, knees held back. At one point, I would get up into a semi-squat and used the squat bar attached to the bed for leverage.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
I was so excited just to hold her and meet her for the first time. I couldn't believe she was all mine! It was just a huge relief and a happiness that is difficult to describe using words.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Practice relaxation!! Practice every night, if you can, even if it is just for 10-15 minutes. I feel like it made all the difference in how I managed through contractions. Also, it helped to be well-informed about the labor process. I knew what was happening at each stage and was not surprised or anxious when I went into transition, which is certainly the most intense.