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When did you realize you were really in labor?
I was began having my cramps as I was making breakfast...I sat down to eat and my apetite just went away and I couldn't finish eating...that's when I realized I was on labor.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
After she started descending, i began having a lot of back pain and realized she was posterior. I was familiar with the back labor since my other daughter was born posterior. Thankfully this time I had my home birth advocate friend tell me just what to do. I got on all fours on my bed and stuck my butt out in the air. After several contractions, I felt her turn. It was a really cool sensation.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
I worked as a server until I was 36 weeks pregnant. I feel like having stayed active really helped my stamina. I also followed a lot of pregnamcy and childbirth instagram accounts, read the book Spiritual Midwifery, and hired a doula. I labored at home and when I reached the point where I thought I couldn't take the strength of the rushes, I remembered a reading birth affirmations I had seen on instagram and told myself "I am my contractions, my contractions are me", over and over until I shifted my mentality and got over the hump of doubt. My doula guided my breathing through every contraction and mare them bearable.
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What surprised you about your birth?
It was so quick! I was in labor for about 6 hours compared to my first labor, which lasted 21 hours. I had my baby in the car since we delayed leaving to the birthing center. I was in transition before we had even made it to the car to leave and I could feel her head crowning as I held my kitchen counter. I was doing my best to keep her in by breathing like I was blowing a candle. But right before we arrived, my body just started to push on its own. My midwife and doula were waiting for us outside and quickly came to my rescue. After a contraction, they thought I would have time to make it inside. Baby had no time to wait though, so on the next contraction, I gave a big push and out she came, head and body. It was exhilarating. I thought for sure I would tear her coming out was completely painless.
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Hire a doula, get in some water during labor, and go to a birthing center. But most importantly, BREATHE!
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing, laboring in the tub in hot water, and swating my hips during contractions.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
All fours.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Unbelievable. And absolutely amazing.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Hire a doula, get in some water during labor, and go to a birthing center. But most importantly, BREATHE!
