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When did you realize you were really in labor?
Labor was much different this time. During my first birth, my contractions started in the middle of the night and progressively got stronger and closer together. I arrived at the hospital at 8 cm dilated and delivered within a couple of hours of arriving. This time at 41 weeks my contractions started the same way. I spent most of Saturday night timing contractions and resting when I could. Sunday morning the contractions stopped so I went about my day. I cooked, went on a leisurely walk and went out for dinner. My water broke on Sunday night around 8:00 but the contractions never started again. I slept through the night and called my doctor the next morning. He wanted me to come in to the hospital to get labor started. After trying some different positions and natural induction techniques, we decided to use Pitocin since we were going on 14 hours since my water broke. Pitocin labor is tough labor.
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
I did not even consider that I would use Pitocin, I went unmedicated the first time, why would this birth be any different? I did end up delivering my son unmedicated but the labor was much more intense this time. I hated laboring in the hospital. The first time around I did 80% of labor in the comfort of my home. I had great nurses and everything went fairly smooth. However, in my opinion you can't beat laboring at home on your own toilet.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Staying in shape helped me prepare for childbirth more than anything else. I started Interval Training before I got pregnant and continued until my 37th week. I did cut back to 3-4 days a week while pregnant. It really helped me prevent a lot of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy and to get through my marathon labor. I also walked on the days I did not go to the gym. I also bounced back quickly after delivery.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I was surprised that my birth was so different the second time around. From my recollection, my first birth was tough but I had no doubt that I could easily do it again. This time around, I chose to kickstart labor because I was fearful of infection if I waited too long. I have no regrets but I also have no desire to have any more children. Like I said earlier, it was intense.
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Mindset is key. You have to be clear on why it is important to you to go natural. You truly feel like Wonder Woman in the end.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Breathing. Hands down. Deep belly breaths helped so much. Also moving around and staying upright.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I ended up squatting to have the baby.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Amazing. He was such a little chunk. Almost a pound bigger than my first.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
Mindset is key. You have to be clear on why it is important to you to go natural. Personally, I do not do well with pain medication. I knew my recovery would be faster and my baby would be healthier and more alert if we stayed unmedicated. Also, sign up for classes to help you prepare. There are a lot of useful programs out there. I can't tell you how many friends I have talked to who said they wanted to "go natural" but did not do anything to prepare for the labor. Most of them did not reach their goal because they were not mentally prepared for the experience. And it is the most incredible experience. You truly feel like Wonder Woman in the end.