What it’s like to give birth! Come with me as I deliver my 5th baby. When I was pregnant with my first baby I had no idea what to expect when giving birth. I wish I had someone to walk me through how long labor could potentially be, the interventions that are used, and what my options were. So I decided to document and share my entire birthing experience from start to finish. I begin recording as my first serious contractions took place. I had been experiencing Braxton Hicks for several weeks at this point, but on this day the contractions were different. They were stronger and I could feel my whole uterus contracting, rather than just a localized area. They became stronger and I began breathing heavier. That’s when I knew the contractions needed to be timed. They say you know it’s time to leave for the hospital when your contractions are happening at least every 5 minutes, last for one minute each, and have been happening consistently for 1 hour. It’s called the 5-1-1 rule. I birth big babies, I am talking over 10 lbs, and never once was a c-section mentioned to me just because of their size. I have had an epidural for all my births so for baby number 5 I really wanted to try to have an unmedicated birth. Unfortunately I didn’t make it. I was close, but I knew I would lack the strength to push if I continued to suffer and fight the pain. I have actually enjoyed my epidural births! They allowed me to relax and be more present for the experience. Being able to relax is key too. Each time I tried to birth unmedicated labor wouldn’t progress. Please note, this is just my personal experience. Everyone is going to have a different birth story 🤗❤️ #givingbirthbelike #birthstory #birthstorytime #pregnantmama #pregnancyvlog #momtobe2023 #hospitalbag #givingbirthisnojoke #postpartumrecovery #10lbsbaby #hospitalbirth #hospitalbagessentials #pregnantmama #41weekspregnant #epiduralbirth #naturalbirth #unmedicatedbirth