Kylie Padilla opens up on struggles during labor

Over a week after giving birth to Baby Alas, Kylie Padilla shares her birthing story.

In an Instagram post, the new mother discussed that she originally planned to have a water birth, and took months to prepare for it with a doula, a trained labor coach.

I had to think about posting this one but since it was already out there I thought I would share abit about my birthing story. I had decided I was going to have a natural birthing experience with the help of a water bath which in other words is also called a water birth. My doula @irina_doula and I had done months of prep and I had done some on my own too. Early labor started slow for me which is normal, mine lasted 2 days, getting little sleep at night but I was excited that soon I would finally see my baby boy! So I was already running up and down stairs to get him in position. But somehow my body really was taking it’s time and baby’s head wouldn’t come down in my contractions. Active labor lasted 1 and a half days. I walked 6 hours or 2 hours in interval, experimented with different positions to get baby down and widen my cervix but it had gotten to a point that I had only dilated 1 cm in one day. By the fourth day I was exhuasted and feeling a little let down by my body. Contractions were unbearable, I would shake and sit in my own mess to get through my contractions, pushing nothing, because my poor baby was still pretty high up in my cervix. Still my contractions kept coming. The pain became too much, especially with no rest no sleep. I have never felt so out of control of my body, so I had to make a decision. No matter how much I wanted a natural water birth l, I had to think about the next best thing. For me and my baby. So I agreed to a medicated vaginal birth. After everything I’m still happy with my birthing story. My baby is healthy. Although it was a medicated birth, I’m thankful I still experienced all the natural hormones I did through those 4 transformative days. I learnt more about myself and still got to enjoy a few moments in the tub with my Partner. I want to thank everybody who was there for me through those 4 days. It wouldn’t have been bearable without you. Thank you.

A post shared by bulldog (@kylienicolepadilla) on Aug 11, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

The video shows the “Encantadia” actress doing assisted exercises on a fitness ball, receiving support from family and partner Aljur Abrenica, and visibly exhausted from labor. It also shows her attempts at a natural birth and eventually, being brought to the hospital, then finally at the happy moment when she first saw her baby boy.

Natural births are both safe and healthy for mothers and babies, given that pain medications entail risks, especially to a fetus. It is also a way for a woman to be attuned to her body in finding the best way to bring a baby into the world.

Padilla, 24, revealed that her early labor went on for two days, and despite exercises like “running up and down stairs to get him in position… the baby’s head wouldn’t come down in my contractions.”

She spent a day and a half in labor still attempting to have a successful natural birth: “I walked 6 hours or 2 hours in interval, experimented with different positions to get baby down and widen my cervix but it had gotten to a point that I had only dilated 1 cm in one day.”

When labor extended to day four, Padilla admitted, “I was exhuasted and feeling a little let down by my body. Contractions were unbearable, I would shake and sit in my own mess to get through my contractions, pushing nothing, because my poor baby was still pretty high up in my cervix.”

She eventually relented to a “medicated vaginal birth” when “the pain became too much, especially with no rest no sleep. I have never felt so out of control of my body, so I had to make a decision. No matter how much I wanted a natural water birth, I had to think about the next best thing.”

Padilla successfully delivered baby boy Alas Joaquin on August 4: “I’m thankful I still experienced all the natural hormones I did through those 4 transformative days. I learnt more about myself and still got to enjoy a few moments in the tub with my Partner [Aljur].”

Cant put into words how I feel. Going through so many happy emotions at one time… unexplainable.. theres just so much love…. ❤️♦️

A post shared by Aljur Abrenica (@ajabrenica) on Aug 4, 2017 at 11:56pm PDT

Padilla and Abrenica, 27, dated from 2011 to 2014. They rekindled their romance on September 2016. After finding out that Padilla was pregnant in January 2017, the couple announced their engagement. JB

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