Baby Girl made her entrance to the world at Noon. Weighing 7lbs 2oz. On Monday, November 13th 2017. At 41 weeks we were already set for an induction that night at 10pm! Baby decided to beat the doctors to the punch line! No complications Thank God! I was able to have her without an epidural...boy was that tough! Especially the last 3 cm! I feel that labor was much harder than pushing. When it came to active labor my body would just start pushing the baby on it's own, bearing down made the feeling less uncomfortable and gave me a sense of relief!

To be more specific, once I started pushing it was uncontrollable my body just started giving me this overwhelming feeling and sensation of strength and expulsion. Really can't put it any other way :) I pushed my little girl out in 3 sets of pushes that were dictated by my body not the doctors or nurses! I told them when my baby was coming. Although they kept trying to stall me since my designated doctor was not back from a cesarean he was doing. I birth her in less than 15 minutes and it probably would have been sooner if I hadn't been stalled!

Luckily there was a back up doctor I ended loving very much, she helped me continue the inevitable debut my daughter was making, she was ready for the world! There was no stopping her! I ended up doing the "puppy pant" hoping not to get the episiotomy but my assigned doctor made it through the door and I ended up birthing my baby with two doctors present...I ended up with an episiotomy. I tried to give my body time to adjust to baby's head by panting when she was crowning but maybe I was about to tear so they had no better option. They did not expect me to birth my baby so quickly I was dilating half a centimeter per hour according to my husband. I am sure it had to do with the fact I took no drugs.

I have to say I was open minded about the possibility of taking an epidural, since I did not know what to expect with the very powerful sensations of labor and birth and how it would make me feel. It was hard! And I almost opted for it an epidural when I second guessed myself once I arrived at 8cm. The sensations were so much more intense and lasted longer than the prior ones I was breathing through each one taking each contraction as it came, one at a time. Surprisingly the doctor was still offering to give me an epidural at 8cm. I believe that he was offering it because it would slow down my birthing and give him more time to do the other birthing moms' cesearean.

What made me want to do it without any meds you ask? Well I feel that our bodies have the inate ability to do this on there own! I believe we are strong enough and that if we put our minds to it and forget the fear, you can trust your body to do what in needs to do. After all how did women do it before doctors and even midwives? Yes, I know there was higher mortality rate for babies but it was still doable. Lucky for us we have the opportunity to try and have it as natural as possible with the wonderful back-up of science and doctors just in case things go haywire. Well so I decided to give it a shot. I also understand that due to complications, health concerns and prior birthing experiences that is not always possible, so don't fret if you can't! The most important thing is that you and your baby are well and made it out of this amazing life event alive and hopefully without any crazy difficulties! God bless!

Regarding on what I chose to help me cope with labor and birthing without the use of meds was the following: I did try to prepare with relaxing music, meditation and listened to a couple of books on "mindful birthing"

Life is amazing and birthing my daughter will be an unforgettable, amazing and one of the toughest things I've accomplished!

Wishing all a happy and unforgettable experience!

-Johana