Today I invite you to join me on a walk down memory lane. I even pulled out a stack of scrapbooks to do it 🙂 For anyone who can handle my nostalgia, I’m going to share with you my 5 natural childbirth experiences and 1 epidural birth. What you’re about to read are the raw, unedited birth stories that I recorded shortly after birth for each of their scrapbooks.
I’ve learned a lot over the years, so promise me that there won’t be any judgment about the choices I made, OK? None of these births were “perfect,” but they were honestly all perfect to me. Are you ready to get up close and personal?! Let’s go!
Note: In order to prevent this from becoming the worlds longest blog post, I’ve given you the highlights of each birth below. Click on the links provided to read the full birth story, complete with pictures!
Epidural Birth Experience: Baby #1
Most memorable things about this birth:
This was my first birth and I remember being so surprised about the strength and intensity of the contractions. The hypno-style childbirth class I had taken really didn’t prepare me with enough labor coping tools. And, if I’m being honest, I probably didn’t spend enough time practicing the ones they did teach me. I started to feel out-of-control and overwhelmed, and chose an epidural. Fortunately, I had a very positive experience with the epidural.
Stats:
- I was 21 years old
- Birth weight: 6lbs 7oz
- Length: 19 in long
- Girl
Read the full birth story:
If you’re interested, click here to read about how my plans for a natural birth with Baby #1 turned into an epidural delivery.
Natural Childbirth Experiences: Baby #2
Most memorable things about this birth:
After being a bit blind-sided about the intensity of labor with Baby #1, I busted my butt to prepare for this birth. I scoured libraries and nursing text books to learn how to do the old-school Lamaze breathing techniques. Seth and I studied and practiced pressure techniques in case we had back pain in labor. I practiced deep relaxation and guided imagery almost every day for the last few months of my pregnancy. I really worked hard to prepare myself with lots of labor coping tools.
Baby #2 was 10 days late, so they did an induction to start my labor. I had lots of back pain. It turns out that he was an an OP (occipital posterior) position and was even born sunny-side up. I had a lot more medical interventions with this birth than I anticipated. Yet, I felt super prepared with coping tools and was able to have a safe, natural childbirth.
Stats:
- I was 23 years old
- Birth weight: 8lbs 6oz
- Length: 21 in long
- Boy
Read the full natural childbirth story:
If you’re interested, click here to read about my natural childbirth experiences with a labor induction without epidural, pitocin, and back pain from a posterior position.
Natural Childbirth Experiences: Baby #3
Most memorable things about this birth:
Baby #3 was my first time having my membranes stripped, and it was super effective. And wow, it seemed sooo much easier than my natural birth with a labor induction. Overall, it was just so much easier and quicker than I anticipated it would be. This birth was also my first time experiencing spontaneous pushing. Looking back, it was a pretty text-book, uncomplicated natural birth. This birth was also exciting because we didn’t find out the gender beforehand 🙂
Stats:
- I was 25 years old
- Birth weight: 7lbs 15oz
- Length: 21.5 in long
- It’s a surprise!! You’ll just have to read the full blog post to find out 🙂
Read the full natural childbirth story:
If you’re interested, click here to read about my natural delivery with spontaneous pushing. And, find out the gender of baby #3!
Natural Childbirth Experiences: Baby #4
Most memorable things about this birth:
I had been a natural childbirth educator for a couple of years by the time Baby #4 was born. Fortunately, his birth was yet another fairly straightforward natural birth without any interventions or complications. I felt like I really rocked the hypno-style deep relaxation this time around. I was in a deep relaxation “zone” for a big portion of my labor. This also marks the first time I gave birth in a hands and knees position.
Stats:
- I was 29 years old
- Birth weight: 7lbs 12oz
- Length: 21.5 inches
- Boy
Read the full natural childbirth story:
If you’re interested, click here to read about my hands & knees delivery with a hospital midwife.
Natural Childbirth Experiences: Baby #5
Most memorable things about this birth: This birth was memorable because it was the first time that I went into labor 100% spontaneously — no stripping my membrane or any other methods to encourage labor to start. And although this was baby #5, she was actually my longest labor. Another memorable things about this birth is that I had the whole process (early labor – birth) filmed for use in the Kopa Birth® online childbirth course series($195, $245, try the first class for FREE) . Talk about vulnerable over-sharing! LOL!
Stats:
- I was 32 years old
- Birth weight: 8lbs 2oz
- Length: 21 inches
- Girl
Read the full natural childbirth story:
If you’re interested, click here to read about the long latent phase of labor (early labor) that I experienced with Baby #5.
Natural Childbirth Experiences: Baby #6
Most memorable things about this birth: After spending forever long at the hospital before the birth of Baby #5, I was a big gun-shy about leaving too early to go to the hospital. In the end, Seth started calling the shots and got me in the car. Baby was born about 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital. It surprises me that after 5 other births and teaching childbirth classes for almost 10 years and, it’s still hard to know exactly how fast labor is progressing when you’re the one doing it.
Stats:
- I was 36 years old
- Birth weight: 7lbs 1 oz
- Length: 20 inches
- Girl
Read the full natural childbirth story:
Kopa Birth’s online childbirth classes allow you to prepare for a natural childbirth in the comfort of your own home, 24/7. Enroll today in our free online childbirth class to learn more about preparing for natural childbirth.