The Realization Of An Ideal Birth, Despite Obstacles.

This is a guest post by a mamma who had an amazing natural birth experience.  I’m happy to introduce Danielia from Anchors Away.  She is such a sweetheart and I love her perspective!  Enjoy!

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Hi all, I am Daneilia from Anchors Away.  I want to thank Erika for having me guest post on her blog, especially because she is super sweet and I get to share something with you all that was and is highly important to me.  I’m going to give you all my spiel on having a natural birth.  It’s one of the things in my life I am most passionate about, after all it is about life.

When I was younger I loved watching all the TLC shows on giving birth.  My favorite ones were the water births, which were always drug-free.  The women would say how the pain wasn’t something that consumed them.  It is just an amazing experience.  I knew then, like I knew when my husband and I got married, what our plans would be when I got pregnant.  I would birth our child naturally.

I am one of those people who believe in doing everything the most natural way first, if at all possible.  I am also that person that absolutely hates needles so, if I can stay away from those, I’m a happy camper.  Mostly, though, I really wanted to avoid ALL of the possible complications and long term effects that can accompany epidurals.  I have met a couple of women who will be forever impaired one way or another because of having an epidural.  Everything from life long issues to death were the possible risks I wasn’t willing to take.

I had several midwives who worked with me during my entire pregnancy.  I absolutely adore them for what they have done for my daughter and me.  They all knew I wanted to birth my baby naturally from the start.  They also all knew I wanted a water birth, but since our Army plan didn’t pay for water births, I had to settle for being on a bed.  The Army hospital I had my daughter in had just renovated several birthing rooms and a few of them had new jacuzzi tubs.  To my surprise, my midwives told me as long as I had one of those rooms during my labor, I could sit in the tub.  All smiles on my face, I was so excited.

So, on a Sunday morning in July at 1am, I went into active labor and had my husband take me to the hospital.  As soon as we arrived, I was being monitored.  Even though I was in pain, I was thrilled because I didn’t want to have any doctors.

I didn’t just trust my midwife because I knew her, I trusted her because she cares about natural births!  Since she already knew my birth plan, she knew the steps to take that night.  After being monitored and checked, I was only dilated at 3cm, so she gave me the “go-to” to head over to my room and get prepared.

Once in my room, I was helped into the jacuzzi tub (so I somewhat got a water birth) and, after several hours, when I had begun bearing down, my midwife pulled me out of the tub and checked me.  I was 9cm.  My contractions sped up very quickly and, before I knew it, I was giving birth vaginally without any medications.

Our daughter was born without any complications.  L was given the Apgar test and scored a 9.  After L and I were tested and checked over, we were given the “good-to-go”.

My birth experience was AMAZING and perfect and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  My daughter and I were healthy and safe which is exactly what every mother wants.  I couldn’t have done without my wonderful husband and midwife.  They literally held my hand the entire time.  They stuck by me even when I might have second guessed myself on being able to do it.

I know that for our next child I will have the same birthing plan because, for me, natural is best.  If anyone tells you, you won’t be able to handle having a baby naturally they are WRONG (unless you are high risk).  I had a lot of people tell me, “you’ll probably change your mind and get that epidural” or “its a lot of pain, you’ll probably get an epidural”.  In the end its “mind over matter” and you are capable of anything.

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