"And then at around 2 PM, the greatest show of my life has begun. Curtains were pulled up, oxytocin had done its job. I have finally entered active labor with strong and steady contractions. My birth preferences and the whole plan of moving around, trying different positions and “riding the wave” of each contraction were quickly thrown out of the window because the pain and the pulling were extremely intense. I couldn’t breathe or walk or sit “through” it. It was really something I have never experienced before. I am not even sure how to describe it. It felt like bones and pelvis coming apart squeezing and pulling. Every time a contraction started I would make a deep grunting noise and String would immediately start pushing really hard on my ankles — the acupressure points. It really did help. For a while. When you’re in pain, there is that specific moment when you think you can’t do it, but you actually can. And that blurry line is infinitely expandable. It’s all in your mind. Well, my mind gave up. Or I gave up on it. It was too much. As soon as I pulled the gas mask on my face and started taking deep breaths in and out, I was chained to the bed. I felt that the gas helped ease the intense sensations but only for a while. — “I can’t do it.” — “Yes, you can.” — “No, no, I can’t.” — “Yes, you can.”" Listen to the rest on the podcast >>>  It took me three full months to come to terms with my birth story. It feels like it's been ages since a human came out of my body. I was quite traumatized by all of it weeks after. It took me talks, debrief sessions and tears to understand that it actually wasn't that bad. That I am more powerful than I ever knew and that what I went through was an incredible experience. Enjoy!