11 days overdue and worth the wait 😍

Megan
After weeks of false labor and numerous membrane sweeps, I stopped progressing beyond 4cm and was scheduled to be induced at 41+3. I chose Cervidil because it worked so well when I was induced with my son. After having the Cervidil in for 7 hours I was barely contracting and still hadn't progressed past 4cm. My doctor suggested a low dose of pitocin, hoping that it would give my body the nudge it needed to start labor. I agreed, but by the time I was moved to a new room in labor & delivery and hooked up to a pitocin drip, it was after midnight and I was getting tired. I delivered my first without an epidural and planned on doing so again this time, but began wondering how I was going to find the energy to get through it without sleep. The drip started and within a few hours I was having some strong contractions that required me to breathe through them. My doctor checked my dilation and I was 5cm. She told me that she had a feeling I would go fast once the contractions picked up, and she was right! I found that kneeling on the bed, gripping onto the inclined back and swaying my hips really helped me through each contraction and before long I was making some rather primal noises 😂. After a particularly gnarly contraction I chuckled and said to my husband "well, I'm not tired anymore. Contractions are better than caffeine!" I knew I could do it sans epidural at that point. 
I started to feel increasing pressure in my tailbone with each contraction (which were less than a minute apart now) and knew I was getting close to pushing. Suddenly I had a bearing down contraction, so I rang for the nurse and asked to be checked because I was feeling pushy. A doctor came in and was able to check me in my kneeling position thankfully, and said that I was almost 9cm and my water bag was bulging, so my water would probably break soon. She left to get my doctor from the on call room and with the next contraction I heard a loud pop and water gushed all over my feet and bed. Once the contraction was over, my husband and I started laughing and he said that it sounded just like someone getting hit by a water balloon. We laughed until the next contraction hit and from there on it was intense bearing down contractions until my doctor came into the room, the "stage lighting" was turned on, and the warming bed was prepped for the baby. It was go time! 
At that point I could feel the exhaustion setting in because I could really only give a couple of good pushes toward the end of each contraction's peak. Crowning inspired me to give it every ounce of energy though! 😳 I ended up pushing for about 30 minutes and then my little girl was on my chest!! Such a surreal and incredible moment. ❤️
Start to finish, I delivered within 6 hours of starting the pitocin. I only needed two tiny stitches, so recovery has been phenomenal, especially since I have a toddler to keep up with! 
Welcome to the world, baby Cora 😍 Fashionably late and worth the wait!