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When did you realize you were really in labor?
During my brother-in-law's wedding ceremony! I'd been having regular, light contractions and bloody show all day while getting ready for the wedding. I was in contact with my midwife, but there was also a part of me that worried these were 'false signs' (even though I was 41 weeks and 4 days). During the ceremony, contractions picked up, they were still tolerable, but I wasn't ignoring them any more. I knew this was the beginning of things!
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What was the most challenging thing about going natural?
The mental block. With my first, I planned a home birth, but I stalled at four centimeters and we ended up with an intervention birth in the hospital. This time, the longest part of my labor was from 4-5cm. The fear and discouragement of 'that number' was the hardest thing for me.
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What was the most helpful thing you did to prepare for childbirth?
Hiring a doula! Seriously, she was amazing.
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What surprised you about your birth?
I went from 5 cm to a baby in my arms in two hours. Once I was past that mental block, things went so fast! And my transition contractions didn't look or feel any different than the ones I'd been having at 5 cm, so I didn't even realize we were making progress.
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Do the work, be prepared, and then be willing to let go and do what ever feels right in the moment.
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What pain relief strategies worked best?
Counter pressure and massage. Reminding myself to breathe in a count of five, and out a count of five. Repeating this verse to myself: The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Reminding myself that every contractions came with a flood of His strength and peace.
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What position did you end up delivering in?
I moved several times in the 30 minutes I spent pushing, but in the end, I was on the floor, reclined against my husband, holding my legs back as far as I could. It was the only way I could get enough leverage.
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How did it feel to hold your baby for the first time?
Incredible. I was thinking able to hold my first born right away. But this baby, I caught and pulled to my chest myself. It was amazing.
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What advice can you give to other mamas who want to go natural?
All the prep I did, all the things I thought I'd want to help me through the pain, I ended up not using any of it. Do the work, be prepared, and then be willing to let go and do what ever feels right in the moment.
