Natural delivery -- not easy, but definitely worth it!

by Noelle
(Philippines)

I had always wanted to give birth without an epidural, mainly because of the stories of shivering and grogginess I heard from many of my female friends.

I naturally have low blood pressure so i felt having an epidural might complicate things. When I became pregnant, I became even more resolute in this, even though I was also a bit afraid of the pain. My fiancé and I took a crash course in natural birthing, while I continued to research on the benefits of natural delivery.

We didn't take all of the recommended classes, but when my water broke and I went into labor, I was relaxed and able to keep my wits about me. My labor started at 10 am and was in active labor until around 1:30 pm. All this time, there was pain but it was manageable and I remained calm because I was timing my contractions and knew what to expect. Well, when I entered transition, I wasn't so calm anymore. For a full hour before pushing stage my contractions were so strong that I would scream whenever they would peak. I started to panic, but before I knew it, I could already feel the urge to push.

It took a few minutes for me to figure out how to push as I was so overwhelmed. However, I suddenly felt energized. I started pushing, and could even control my muscles so as not to release so abruptly after each push (as this caused my baby's head to get "sucked" back in). This amount of control allowed me to deliver my baby after just ten to twelve pushes.

What they say about renewed energy is true. After our baby boy came out, I felt so relieved but was very alert. They gave him to me to nurse for a while, and were were both wide awake and bonded instantly. Both my gynecologist and our baby's pediatrician were amazed to see me just a couple of hours after the delivery, so energetic and refreshed. Our baby was able to latch on without any trouble at all and is now a very healthy three-month old who loves interaction.

I am quite petite (only 5 feet tall), so I am not going to lie. It was not a walk in the park. However, I am so happy we made this decision. I would take more classes in the future but only to practice the relaxation techniques. In any case, it was totally worth it. Women have been giving birth without intervention for thousands of years. We were made to do this!