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When did you realize you were really in labor?
My water broke at 3 am on a Monday. I expected labor to pick up quickly as it had with baby number 2, so I excitedly got out of bed and started to get ready. After hours of contractions not remaining consistent, I asked my doula for some advice and she made her way over to our house. She helped me work through a few Spinning Baby's techniques to help baby get into the proper position.
My doula and I both decided to take naps. After a little rest, I woke up feeling very discouraged that things weren't moving along as I expected.
I went to sit on our to have a good cry while my husband held me in his arms. About 10 minutes later, my contractions began to increase in frequency and intensity. I finally believed labor was truly beginning! My doula said that having my husband hold me and letting out some tears may have given me a needed boost of oxytocin. After this, the midwives made their way over as well.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
This was my third baby, and second natural home birth. Because of how amazing and supernatural my birth experience was with my second, I expected this birth to go the same way. What made this birth challenging was the specific expectations I had placed on it, instead of really listening to my body.
Every time I would lay down to rest, my contractions would pick up, so I would jump up and do some moving around to try to speed up the process. But my body knew that laying down and resting was what I really needed.
Baby was born about 26 hours after my water broke and I spent way too much time just tiring myself out. The biggest and most important lessons that I learned from this birth were: Listen to my body, rest! And, a good birth does not have to mean a quick birth.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
The most helpful thing I did to prepare for this birth was to set clear expectations with my husband about what I needed from him. He had a list of ways to help me, encouraging words to say, and tasks that needed to be done.
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What surprised you about your birth?
After many exhausting hours of what seemed to be unproductive contractions, I finally listened to my body and laid down to rest, and my body told me to lay on my left side. This was a little before 5:00 am. I quickly started feeling the real urge to push, so I pushed while on my side and pulled my leg up to my chest. I think this gave my birth team a good indication that we were near the end now. I didn’t really feel very comfortable in this position though, so I moved to my hands and knees.
By 5:36 am baby was born! My husband helped catch our baby with the help of my midwife. We waited to find out baby's gender, so we got the wonderful surprise of finding out baby was a boy!
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The biggest and most important lessons that I learned from this birth were: Listen to my body, rest! And, a good birth does not have to mean a quick birth.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Pacing the hallway. Breathing deeply, "blowing out" the intensity of the contractions. Keeping my mouth and jaw loose, horse lips. Low moans. Squeezing someone's hand. Hip squeezes.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
It was such a tremendous relief to have the work of labor done and be holding my baby. Since we didn't know the gender until that day, it was a flood of emotions to suddenly know we had another son and call him by his name. There's really nothing sweeter than holding that slippery little body on yours and finally seeing each other face to face.
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What did you name your baby, and why?
We named him Graham, and his middle name after my father-in-law. Graham was the only boy name my husband and I both really liked.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Keep your body as rested and relaxed as possible. birth plans, desires and expectations are great but don't let any of that override your body and your baby needs at the moment.
