Margo Fox shares her challenging vaginal birth, that included trying all the natural things to avoid a medical induction, navigating disappointing vaginal checks, reluctantly getting an epidural. And yet, she persisted. Check it out.
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What we talked about:
- Great feelings of having birth mentors
- Wanting an unmedicated hospital birth
- Staying super active during pregnancy and feeling great
- Doing all the “natural induction” things!
- The effects of shift change
- Feeling not well heard in the hospital
- Laboring on the toilet is not for everyone
- The dreaded words: “You are the same.”
- “Why are you against having an epidural?”
- Not getting a break during pushing
- Shoulder dystocia = baby is stuck
- The amazing weirdness of looking at your baby for the first time
- Importance of good communication with OB, and advocating for yourself
- It’s great to have a “dudela”!
- Preparing for postpartum is just as important
- “Don’t give up on your worst day.”
- Creating a stash with oversupply
Related resources*:
- Business of Being Born (movie)
- Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong–and What You Really Need to Know, by Emily Oster
- Laboring Well, A labor nurse shares insights from 10,000 births, by Elizabeth Allen
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin
- I Tried 7 Ways to Induce Labor… And I’m Still Pregnant, from ScaryMommy.com ( even if laughter doesn’t get things going, you’ll get a laugh!)
- Natural Labor Induction Series, by Rebecca Dekker at Evidence Based Birth
- All Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO)
- Nipple blanching and vasospasm, by Kelly Bonyata, BS, IBCLC
- La Leche League USA
- naturalbreastfeeding.com
- How to bottle feed the breastfed baby, by Eva Lyford
- The Boob Group, podcast
- The Birth Hour, podcast
- Breastfeeding Café (at Beautiful Birth Choices, in Rochester, NY!)
Related Birthful episodes:
- Choosing Your Care Provider, with Robin Elise Weiss
- The Induction Mind Game, with Candice Hodges (induction birth story)
All photos Courtesy of Margo Fox. At home newborn session photos by Alexandra Meseke Photography.
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About Margo Fox
Margo Fox is a full-time mama to son James, and part-time nanny to two little boys. She has always gravitated towards children; likely related to being one of 6 siblings and 20+ first cousins! This drove her to pursue a masters in social work. However, upon graduating, she couldn’t bring herself to leave nanny-life and was engaged to her soon- to-be husband Jeff. She always knew she wanted to be a mom and was thrilled to find out she was expecting her first baby just 3 months after getting married. After experiencing pregnancy and childbirth firsthand, Margo’s affinity for all things pregnancy, birth, and babies has grown into a borderline obsession. She’s excited to share her story with all the other birth story obsessed mamas and mamas-to-be!
Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).
Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).