Disclaimer: I've been debating whether or not to share this post publicly. I don't want to offend anybody or appear to be bragging about my birthing experience. I know that when I was preparing to deliver my baby, I read many people's personal experiences with natural childbirth as a way to prepare and give me strength and confidence. This post is fairly personal, so if personal makes you squeamish - you might want to skip this one.
Also, I wouldn't have been able to do any of it without Geoff. He supported me from the beginning and was willing to be open minded and even excited about the prospect of natural childbirth. If you don't have a nice husband, don't even attempt it....just don't.
I've chosen not to share my birth story publicly as it is such a special, sacred, and personal experience for me, Geoff, and Baby Huck. However, I would like to share my experience with a natural childbirth - in an effort to gather my thoughts as well as help others who are considering natural childbirth for themselves understand a little bit better what my expectations were and what the reality was.
First and foremost, being able to deliver naturally is an experience that I am incredibly grateful for. Seriously. Now, I don't judge people who have chosen to use an epidural or other means of childbirth, I completely and totally get that childbirth is difficult (oh my goodness do I know). I just know that natural is what worked best and was the healthiest for me and my baby, and I plan on delivering all of my babies naturally. When I say I delivered naturally, I delivered my baby in a hospital, surrounded by doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists - which I am incredibly grateful for because could have been all sorts of complications - it's childbirth for goodness sake! I did however forgo all types of medications, IV's, and even those awkward hospital gowns (no, I wasn't naked - I wore a super sexy pink nightgown). I was able to drink water and would have eaten had it not been the middle of the night when I was at my least hungry. I wasn't constantly monitored and I could get up and walk around and even spent a little bit of time in the bathtub in my bikini (yes...I'm that private of a person).
I had known for years before I became pregnant that I wanted to have a natural childbirth. I would like to say that it was because I felt like it was the healthiest thing and best thing to do for me and my baby, however the moment I decided I would have a natural childbirth was years earlier in a Human Development class while watching birthing videos. I watched that needle go in for the epidural, then the catheter, and thought that there was no way in heck anybody was sticking a tube in by back. That moment got me thinking about natural childbirth, and after a lot of research, discussion, and ultimately knowing how my body works best, I came to the conclusion that a natural childbirth was not only doable, but it was by far the best and healthiest way for me to deliver my future babies. And so and I think that mentality helped me to better prepare my mind for what was eventually to come. I decided on the Hypnobirthing method after doing some pretty extensive research, and Geoff and I took a class together so that we would both be prepared for our individual roles during labor. I would highly recommend the Hypnobirthing method to all moms who are considering a natural childbirth. The premise behind it just seemed to make sense to me - and once I was in labor, I appreciated the attitudes and techniques that were taught to me (as well as all of the secrets about the hospital that we learned). We took the class from one of the nurses at the hospital, and I would recommend that if it's possible. We were able to learn lots of different tricks and secrets about handling hospital policy, getting the best rooms, etc.
Now, labor was intense - I'm not going to pretend it was a walk in the park on a sunny day. Many women talk about how their labor was not painful or difficult and I say more power to them....crazies. For me personally, labor was by far the most difficult physical feat that I have ever accomplished. But despite the difficulty, I have also never been so in tune with my body as when I was in labor. During labor, I understood what each muscle was doing, where I was at in labor, and I knew exactly what I needed to do to deliver my baby. Labor was one of those experiences where your body and spirit join together - where they understand each other and they work together to make something wonderful happen. And that is an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.
One of my biggest fears going into natural childbirth was that I would become that cliche woman on TV - the one screaming at her husband to get her an epidural. What I learned was that labor doesn't change who you are - it simply magnifies your personality. I stayed very quiet throughout labor. That isn't to say I was silent by any means, there was some quiet moaning through contractions and a lot of communication between me and Geoff as we discussed what I was feeling and how he could best help me through the contractions (as well as gossiping about how grumpy our first nurse was). By the end of my labor, I was practically silent. I needed to be silent in order to fully concentrate on my body and figure out what I needed to do. Ultimately, I was able to stay myself throughout labor, and I am dang grateful I didn't turn into a cliche.
People talk about how men aren't strong enough to handle labor or that they will never understand how difficult labor is or that childbirth is a woman's job. I found this to be entirely and completely untrue. Geoff was a rock through my labor. I labored through the night and so both of us were pretty exhausted to begin with. But he was there with me through every contraction, holding my hand, rubbing my back, reading me scripts, getting me water, helping me relax. But the most important and best thing that he did for me was believe in me. When I didn't believe in myself anymore - when I had given up in my ability to deliver this baby naturally, he was there reminding me how important it was to me to labor naturally, that he loved me, and above all - that he knew that I could do it. He gave me the strength that I needed to make it through and it was an experience that I would never want to have without him. Childbirth is not just a woman's job - it's a job equally done by a husband and a wife. So like I said before, if you have a mean husband....or a wimpy husband, just don't even think about it. Or hire a doula.
Overall, loved my experience with natural childbirth. My recovery was amazing. I was sore - goodness gracious was I sore - but I didn't experience any nausea, headaches, etc. I felt pretty much like myself, making those first few days with Huck perfect, helping me to truly appreciate the new little soul that would compete our family. And ultimately - that little soul was worth it.