Childbirth is a miraculous event that happens differently for every woman. It is said that you never forget the moment your child is born and they become a part of your life forever. In this blog post, I will share my personal account of what childbirth was like for me in the hopes that it will help other women who are about to embark on this journey.

Childbirth is a miraculous event that happens differently for every woman. It is said that you never forget the moment your child is born and they become a part of your life forever.

There is no one answer to the question of what childbirth is like because it differs greatly from woman to woman. Some say that it is an incredibly painful experience while others report feeling a sense of euphoria and intense love when they delivered their baby. No matter what the delivery was like, though, most mothers say that they forgot about the pain as soon as they held their baby in their arms for the first time, which was exactly my own experience. For many women, giving birth is an empowering and life-changing event that leaves them feeling overwhelmed with love and gratitude for their new bundle of joy.

In this blog post, I will share my personal account of what childbirth was like for me in the hopes that it will help other women who are about to embark on this journey.

I will be as honest as possible about the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of childbirth so that you can go into it with your eyes wide open. Childbirth is an amazing and life-changing experience, but it is also one of the most physically challenging things a human being can do. For me personally, labour was long (over 24 hours) and very intense.

What made me decide to have a natural childbirth?

There is nothing like the moment you first meet your child. The instantaneous connection and pure love you feel is unforgettable. For me, that was one of the main reasons I wanted to have a natural childbirth and followed hypnobirthing. I wanted to be as present as possible for my baby’s birth; to feel every single sensation and truly savour the experience. Now, I’m not saying that natural childbirth is easy. It definitely takes courage and a lot of preparation (both mentally and physically).

The possible risks associated with natural childbirth vs medical interventions

Childbirth is a natural process that has been happening for centuries. However, there are certain risks associated with any childbirth, whether it is your first baby or your fourth. Natural childbirth does have some advantages over medical interventionsj though. For example, natural childbirth allows the mother to be more in control of her body and the delivery process. She is also less likely to experience side effects from procedures such as epidurals or forceps delivery .

How I mentally and physically prepared for labour and delivery

When I was pregnant with E, I read everything I could get my hands on about childbirth. I wanted to know what to expect and how to best prepare for it. Even though every birth is different, there are some general things that are helpful to know. Here’s what childbirth is generally like, both mentally and physically.

Mentally, labour can be a very intense experience. It is probably one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through mentally in my life. You will likely go through a range of emotions, from fear and anxiety to joy and relief.

Physically it can be absolutely gruelling and feel like you are doing ten rounds in a ring with Mike Tyson.  Even with hypnobirthing, the pain was immensely intense for me. At times, I felt like I was being turned inside out with it. Then you are just so exhausted at the end I didn’t know if I had what it took tokeep pushing and actually deliver my baby. But of course I did and once it was all over, that was it. It all washed away in an instant and everything became about this miraculous little bleating baby that was laid on my chest.

10 things to know about childbirth

There is no one right way, everyone labours in their own way and time

It’s about having the best possible labour for yourself and for baby, not about having the perfect ‘natural’ birth.

Birth plans…birth what!?

Write a Birth preference list as a tool to help you learn about all your options, and help your midwife learn about you. But don’t bother with a plan, often then it just puts pressure on you to have the ‘perfect’ birth and can result in a feeling of failure if it doesn’t go to plan. Don’t be afraid to ask questions questions and more questions.

The best thing you can do, is just relax in to it

Go with your body. Sounds silly right!? But your body was made to do this, so by becoming fearful or anxious we just interrupt the normal labour hormones from doing what they are supposed to do.

Using pain relief does not mean that you failed at labour

Some antenatal classes or books might make you feel like that, but every labour is different, and you have to just do what feels right for you and your baby at the time. There are no gold stars at the end for not having an epidural

Birth partners are crucial

…in how relaxed and supported you feel. So if you don’t want them there, don’t have them there. It’s fine to say “no”.

It’s very rare for a labour to be like they are portrayed on TV

Sometimes waters break and no contractions come, or contractions come and then they go again!?

Pack snacks for yourself

Light snacks, full of energy. Energy drinks are also great for the final hurdles.

Pooing in labour is just a physiological fact

Baby’s head passes over mother’s bowel, so don’t be embarrassed. It’s just what happens! “Oh my gosh, she pooed whilst giving birth!”… said no midwife, ever.

If you have a caesarean birth

…for whatever reason, please remember that it is just as much giving birth as it is giving birth vaginally. You brought a new human into the world, nice one!

After having your baby, you can bleed for up to 6 weeks

It does get lighter, and it will eventually stop!

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