Come chat about your birth experience

[Faerieshadow]

I don't know about anyone else, but I keep finding myself reminiscing about Elina's birth and all the joy that I experienced from it. I can't bore to tears those around me that don't have all these pp hormones flowing, but I wondered if any of the rest of you want to talk about your birth experience, how it made you feel at the time, how you're feeling now about it (the good, the bad, everything!).... we're about to head out on a walk now that Elina is about done with nursing, but I'll be back to post some thought later.

[TaraRae82]

i couldn't read and not post but i've only got one free hand right now so i'll have to come back to really discuss a little later. i'm also doing a lot of reminiscing!

[CrunchyDoula]

I can't post much right now either but I will absolutely be back! I can't stop thinking about my birth experience. It was wonderful, amazing and so empowering!!! I just can't stop smiling about it! I'd love to process it even more, but it is hard to do with people IRL as they just don't seem to get it and get bored easily.

[ibusymomto5]

Count me in! I've had such fond memories of this labor and birth, and yet it was probably my hardest labor. Maybe it's because I think this might be my last baby. I'll have to wait and add more later too. nak right now... a little one handed pecking goes a long ways, lol.

[Faerieshadow]

Originally Posted by Crunchy Doula

I'd love to process it even more, but it is hard to do with people IRL as they just don't seem to get it and get bored easily.

That's how I'm feeling. I figured who else would understand but the mamas who just went through the same thing recently?

Elina's in the sling, I have two free hands for once, but I'm also in the middle of cooking dinner... but just quickly, the difference between my first birth experience and second are so completely different, I really feel like Elina's birth healed me of the issues I had with Toby's. I am in awe over how simple and beautiful birthing without medical intervention was. Can't wait to expound...

[birthdancedoula]

I want to chat about this, too. I feel so overwhelmed by it all that I find it is hard to even put into words. Each labor and birth experience I have had has been uniquely different but this last time was indeed the grand finale!

[crosscat]

For someone who was terrified of pregnancy and childbirth just a few years ago, having my Calla completely unmedicated felt like an absolute triumph. The fact that it was such a fast and easy labor was the icing on the cake.

[JBaxter]

Yes mine was very positive ( minus the epidural not working be even that wasnt bad) I electively induced and was glad I did Jack had huge amounts of meconium that was ( best guess) a few days old. I asked my first nurse about not doing eye ointment etc she said no problem and took the eye ointment vit K Hep b etc out of his baby cart. I was nicely asked 2 times just to confirm I did not want a circ. and it was asked that way also.... 1 doc and 1 nurse said.... just confirming you did not want him circ'd..

All my wishes were followed as close as possible!

[Baby_Cakes]

Since my postpartum time hasn't been too happy, I've spent a lot of time thinking about Nora's birth and how wonderful and empowering it all was. I think the only word that adequately describes how I feel about it is "Proud". I am so incredibly proud of myself. But I can't walk around boasting about how proud I am of our birth to everyone IRL!

It was by far the toughest and most intense experience I have ever endured. I went through a complete life change, and I found myself during the whole process. I became a mother. I earned my title.

I still can't get over the fact that she was inside me for so long. I feel like I've known her forever, and I look at my belly pictures and think, "How could I not have known her then?"

I feel like once I had her in my arms, she had always been there and definitely belonged there.

Another thing I keep going back to is how pure and perfect Nora and I were together at that point. I love that there were no drugs involved in her birth. I love that I loved her that much to do that for her, for us.

Awesome thread...

[audsma]

Originally Posted by Faerieshadow

I really feel like Elina's birth healed me of the issues I had with Toby's. I am in awe over how simple and beautiful birthing without medical intervention was.

Originally Posted by birthdancedoula

I want to chat about this, too. I feel so overwhelmed by it all that I find it is hard to even put into words. this last time was indeed the grand finale!

Originally Posted by crosscat

having my Calla completely unmedicated felt like an absolute triumph. The fact that it was such a fast and easy labor was the icing on the cake.

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes

I've spent a lot of time thinking about Nora's birth and how wonderful and empowering it all was. I think the only word that adequately describes how I feel about it is "Proud". I am so incredibly proud of myself. But I can't walk around boasting about how proud I am of our birth to everyone IRL!

I found myself during the whole process. I became a mother. I earned my title.

Awesome thread...

:

[Faerieshadow]

I've been so busy around here I haven't had time to revisit my own thread lol...

So I'm wondering, can anyone else relate to this? I'm simply amazed at how my body just knows what to do for birthing. Both of my labors were quick, ds's was five hours (but with pit) and Elina's was three, so I don't know how I would have handled things with a long labor (tons of kudos to all who have gone through that!) but it's like my mind and body just settle into this different state where riding through the contractions is bearable. I mean I felt everything, I remember just how strong the contractions were, and how strong the nauseated feeling was. But it's as though I was able to function on a different level and "not feel" it at the same time. Or maybe I was experiencing it with a totality that made it seem and feel surreal. Does that make any sense?

And on one more little note, the peace and joy in birthing at home after my first experience infused the whole process. Even when I couldn't speak from contractions I just wanted to be smiling, I wanted everyone else to understand how well things were going, although I didn't know how to communicate that lol. Poor Dh was so stressed at first running around trying to get all the things ready that we had planned to set up - music, candles, etc.... and be there through contractions as well, we had no idea it was going to be that quick. So when the midwife found me at 8 cm I told him to drop everything else, we weren't going to need it anyway. He was such a great birthing partner, too... as nervous as he was about it beforehand, it's like he instinctively knew how to provide what I needed through contractions. And I love the fact that even though we never discussed it prior, he just jumped right in the birthing tub with me without hesitation, as his own idea. I really feel like I can say we birthed our baby girl together. :

Random thoughts over, time to get back to studying for midterms.. :