I'm sorry this is a long story. This was my 3rd pregnancy, so honestly I was expecting to have my boo before my due date. Each checkup I was only 1 cm dilated and she was still high. I was starting to lose hope at my 38 week checkup. My 39 week checkup I was 2-3 cm dilated. The doctor striped my membranes and we scheduled an Induction on my due date. That night I started to have contractions, but they were not consistent. They eventually stopped. The next day I started to have contractions again, but they still were not consistent. I wasn't very hopeful, I just KNEW we were going to have to make her come out. They were getting a little more painful around 10 pm, but still weren't consistent. So I took a shower and went to bed. I woke up around 11:30 while I was having another contraction. So I started to time them again and they were around 4.5 minutes apart. We started what would usually be an hour long ride to the hospital. My nervous husband was able to get us there in 30 minutes. By the time I got there, the contractions were 3 minutes apart. They took me back to a room to confirm I was actually in labor. I was changing into a gown so they could check my dilation and I had blood flowing down my legs. It was terrifying. So they had to get someone to come check me. I was already 7cm dialated. They wasn't sure why I was bleeding, but they thought my water had broke and that was making it look like I was bleeding more than I actually was. They admitted me and took me to a labor and delivery room. By now, my contractions were pretty painful. I was asking for an epidural. They told me the anesthesiologists was busy and would be there as soon as possible. My other two pregnancies, I had epidurals so I was REALLY looking forward to getting it! Haha! Unfortunately, my baby's heart rate kept dropping and they wasn't sure why. So they made me take off all my jewelry to prep me for having an emergency c-section, just in case. Which scared the shit out of me. They had to put a long tube inside of me in order to get a more definite heart rate from the baby. They determined that it was the contractions that was affecting her heart rate so they were comfortable with moving forward with a vaginal delivery. By now I was already an 8 and was screaming for an epidural. The anesthesiologists was still busy. Wow, I have never experienced pain like that. Makes me appreciate the epidural even more. A few minutes later, I felt pressure so I was screaming to the nurse that my body was ready to push. They told me to hold on so they could get the doctor in the room, but I couldnt. My body had already started. They had to YELL for the doctor. She came running in. The ring of fire is NO JOKE!! Especially without an epidural. I was bleeding like crazy, blood was everywhere! But my boo was born, perfectly healthy. We had arrived at the hospital at 1:30 am and my girl was delivered at 3:02 am. She was my first all natural delivery. And I thought I was going to die. I distinctly remember telling the nurses that I couldn't do it. But.. I did it! My body naturally knew what to do. The placenta delivery was horrific! My placenta was still attached at the top and wouldn't naturally deliver. They had to literally pull my placenta to detach it. All while I had no epidural. I literally almost kicked the doctor accidentally because of the pain. They also had to give me a shot in my leg to contract my uterus because I was bleeding so bad. This was the craziest delivery I've had so far, but it was completely worth it. My baby girl was born completely healthy and so beautiful! My heart is so full with love for this little being! Our bodies are so amazing! ❤