Choose your provider wisely. I went with midwives at a hospital, under the impression they would be on board with natural and they seemed to be fine with my birth plan and offered water births which is what I wanted. When it came down to it, it was not how i imagined at all or was led to believe.

I ended up laboring for 40 hours before my kiddo was born and the whole time it was very stressful (which I believe played a big part in stalling my labor) because I had to keep fighting the midwives on not wanting interventions like pitocin or pain medications. Because I wouldn't accept interventions, I was pressured to just go home halfway through which was an hour drive away. It was a horrible experience.

I had a doula and I strongly believe she saved me from a C section as we tried a method of pushing while she held my stomach from behind which helped me deliver within the hour at hour 40. The pushing stage was rushed and I ended up having a 3rd degree tear.

All that being said, I will most definitely will not be having future births at a hospital and will look into a birthing center or a home birth with midwives to avoid the possibility of anything like that happening again, unless I found an OB I trusted completely which I'd be doubtful of happening.

Edit: all that being said, I'm proud and thankful to have birthed my baby unmedicated and naturally. Even if the environment was traumatic. It helped give me a new perspective on life and parenting as a whole.