So happy......
To see that they made this board! Before DS was born we (other au natural bumpies) were trying to get the bump gods to make a Natural Birth board, and I am glad to see that they made it 
I wish you all the best in your quest for a natural birth. I had a natural labor at a birth center, pushed for 6hrs, and had to be an emergency transport to the hospital for a c/s delivery. Don't be afraid, I am the rare case.
But do know that labor and birthing is a journey into the unexpected, so be prepared for anything. But by being prepared, you will be calm and relaxed and in charge or your birth, no matter what happens.
Also, from my own experience, the methods I studied did not help me anywhere near as much as my team helped me. I had three midwives and my DH. Without them I don't think I would have made it as far as I did. I love them for making my natural labor and attempt possible.
Good luck everyone!!!
Re: So happy......
obviously i wasn't at your birth but it sounds crazy to me that you would push for 6 hrs. for a first time mom after 3 hrs of pushing i know something is wrong and we need more help. why wait until 6 to make that call? by then the mom and the mw are exhausted.
was that a typo??
not necessarily. depends on what stage of labor mom is in, position of baby, whether the pushing is productive or not, how baby is tolerating the pushing stage, etc.
i pushed for 8 hours after reaching 10cm. but i only had a dozen or so surges during that time. i pushed a few times without a surge, but mostly waited for 10-20-45 minutes for a surge so that i could push. i never thought something was "wrong" but i was curious why my baby wasn't descending. turns out, nothing was wrong, he just wasn't in an optimal position for birth. some women learn that after a couple hours of pushing, others not until much longer.
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to the OP - isn't it wonderful! it's such a happy place and i find that i almost never post on the tri boards anymore, as i find the language and aura there to be so commercial birth. this board just has a different feel and it's so nice to be able to chat about common issues with women who are of a like mind and aren't going to think we are nuts or soley glory hounds b/c we don't want to drug ourselves during our labors.