Positive Birth Stories are here to revolutionize the way we look at birth (and change the world 🙂 )! Fear and stress associated to birth are one of the main reason why women don’t manage to achieve a joyful birth experience. And it doesn’t have to be that way! You can read more about Positive Birth Stories here. Or head to my birth story: How I had a natural and pain free birth thanks to hypnobirthing.
If you’d like to share your own birth story, I’d love to hear from you! Send me an email at monica@conqueringmotherhood.com
Kathryn’s Birth Story
I had an amazing, natural birth but it was definitely not without its challenges. I went way past my due date- 41 weeks and 6 days. My husband and I were trying everything we could to induce labor, to no avail. In fact, I was already 5 cm dilated before I went into labor!
But, on July 31st at 8:30 pm I had my first real contraction. Our plan was to have the baby at the birth center so we went ahead and texted the midwife after a few more contractions that I was in labor. Then I got into our tub at home and tried to relax.
Around 9:30 my contractions had started to increase in intensity, even though they never really developed into a set pattern (like the 4-1-1 rule). Since I knew I was already fairly dilated and I didn’t want to risk having the baby at home with no support I told my husband to call the midwife and tell her we were heading to the birth center. By the time we arrived around 10, I was 6 cm.
After that my contractions did get into a pattern and pick-up. For most of the time my labor was spent in the birthing tub in the dark with my husband there to support me. The midwife came in and out to check on the baby’s heartbeat and my progression, but other than that it was just the two of us. I really treasure those moments, sitting in the dark, enjoying peace and quiet and sharing an amazing and empowering experience with my best friend in the whole world.
I had developed a mantra to help me through labor which was, “every contraction brings me closer to my baby”. This really helped me focus on the positive aspects of the contractions and less on the pain. Around 1 am my water broke and at 1:30 my midwife told me it was time to push. At 1:59 exactly our precious son was born in the tub and placed directly into my arms.
I loved having my baby at the birth center. In fact, we switched from the hospital to the birth center during my third trimester. My OB at the hospital was nice, but I felt like a patient who had no voice or say in how my birth would go – everything was to be dictated by hospital policy. At the birth center my midwife listened to me and presented me with my options and then honored my decisions.
I don’t normally handle pain well so I was worried that I would not make it through a natural labor. Watching positive birth videos and reading up on the stages of labor and what to expect really helped me to prepare. In the end, I never even thought about an epidural, as I progressed further and further along I realized my body was designed to do this amazing, incredible life-giving thing. I can’t wait to do it all over again with baby number 2, due any day now!
Kathryn is a wife and mama of 1 (soon to be 2!) who runs the blog Braised in a Kitchen – a good blog with delicious and easy recipes. You can find her blog at www.braisedinakitchen.com
If you are looking for more tips or information on how to prepare for birth and postpartum, also have a look at the following related articles:
- 23 Tips for a Natural Birth without Epidural
- Printable Natural Birth Plan Template (FREE Word + PDF)
- 15 Signs that Labor is 24 to 48 Hours Away
- Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom, Baby and Partner (with FREE Printable)
- 12 Must-Have Clothes for After Delivery in Hospital
- Postpartum Care Kit Checklist (with all Essentials!)
- What to REALLY expect with your Postpartum Recovery
- 10 of the Quickest Ways to go into Labor Overnight (with Stories from Real Moms)
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