My Natural, Unmedicated Birth Story

I’m such a sucker for birth stories.

While going through my own pregnancy, I found that hearing or reading about positive birth stories really helped calm my nerves and prepare me mentally for my own!

I went into my birth wanting an unmedicated, natural birth, while also knowing that I couldn’t 100% guarantee what I wanted at the same time.

I think the combination of preparing my body physically (all my exact pregnancy workouts were put into what is now FIGR:Pregnancy) and reading positive birth stories to prepare my mind mentally really helped me achieve the birth I wanted from the beginning!

I’m hoping my own birth story can help you prepare just the same.

Here’s my unmedicated birth story:

11.24.21 – 1pm:

At my 39 week checkup (39 weeks + 2 days) I was already 4cm dilated, 70% effaced and a -1 position!

I was so freaking happy knowing my body was already doing so much work without me feeling a single thing.

11.24.21 – 4pm:

I went home and did my 30 minute circuit of squats, mobility and stretching (a workout I include each week for the last 4 weeks of FIGR:Pregnancy). It felt so good to sweat and move a bit, but I didn’t feel any labor signs the rest of the day.

11.25.21 – 12:30am:

We were watching a movie and I felt a slightly “sharper” cramp. I didn’t think anything of it though. Then it happened again a few minutes later. I decided to get a contraction timer app “just in case.”

Another one happened and I timed it: 1 minute long, 3:13 until the next one came.

After the next 2 contractions did the same thing, the app told us to pack our bags and head to the hospital! From things I had heard, 1 minute long with 3 minutes in between is when you’re supposed to head out.

I was still in denial at this point because the contractions didn’t hurt and I could still walk and talk through them. I also thought they would be super far apart at first then gradually get to 3 minutes apart.

From all the podcasts and pages I listened to, these were the signs I was supposed to wait for, but things were going way quicker than expected.

11.25.21 – 1am:

We called the hospital to see what to do, but the midwife never called back. Anthony packed the car and I still thought we’re over exaggerating, but then I started bleeding so I knew it was the real deal.

Contractions were still 1 minute long, 3 minutes apart, and even though we had only been timing them for 30 minutes at this point we decided to head to the hospital.

11.25.21 – 2am:

We get checked in, head to triage, and I was at a 6!

Contractions were getting stronger, but I was still able to kind of just deal with it.

While we were waiting for our labor room, I threw up, which the nurse said was a sign I could already be in transition

11.25.21 – 3am ish:

On the way to the delivery room was the first time I had to stop walking and let a contraction pass over. When we got to the room is when I really had to breathe and concentrate during each one.

11.25.21 – 4am ish:

It started to get more intense so I got in the shower. The hot water felt great and I could sit down between contractions which were both big reliefs, even though the contractions themselves got way harder.

I started bleeding and had a small fetal ejection reflex, but the midwives didn’t seem urgent and said it would be a bit before I would actually have that feeling. So, I just kept doing my thing.

They offered to break my water and eventually I said yes just to make it go faster, even if it meant things would get harder.

At this point I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to stand the contraction pains and wanted it over.

When they went to go break my water, they said it had already broken in the shower and I was at a 9!

11.25.21 5am ish:

It was the biggest relief to hear that my water naturally broke and that I was already so close! The nurses started preparing the baby station and I was told to just do what my body needed to do, which was to push.

I tried different positions, then ended up on my back which is where I felt the most in control. Then the nurses put a sheet on my chest so I knew I was close to the end.

11.25.21 – 5:29am:

After 30 min of pushing, as Anthony says “she shot right out” and Amelia was born! Just 5 hours after the first mild sign of labor and healthy as can be.

I didn’t have any tearing and both myself and Amelia were healthy on every level.

1000% the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I was so proud I accomplished what I trained for!

And guess what? You can prepare for your best birth too.

My own birth story is why I am so passionate about coaching pregnant women in strength and interval training. I know without a doubt that my workouts and mentality played such a huge role in achieving my best birth.

As I mentioned, there’s no guarantee how your birth experience will be. However, physically PREPARING your body for birth is possible and achievable for everyone!

I wrote down every workout and labor prep session I did throughout my pregnancy and turned it into a FIGR:Pregnancy. Now you can prepare for the biggest day of your life full of confidence and without fear!

Full details can be found here!

I got you,

Katelyn