Had been having irregular contractions for about a week. Around midnight on the 10th I started having regular contractions, which kept waking me but not quite enough where I realized I was in labor. At 4 am they became strong enough to make me more aware and I was no longer able to sleep. I labored at home until around 3pm when my contractions were about 5 mins part on average. At triage my midwife checked and said I was only 3cm and they wanted me to be at 5 before they would admit me to the birthing center. They let me walk around the triage floor for 2 hours, checked me, and I was 4cm but because my midwife is merciful she admitted me and didn't make us drive 30 min back home! I rested in the bed in my room for awhile before getting up to walk and use the birthing ball. I was getting more and more miserable (nausea and some vomiting) and quite discouraged, as it was now late in the evening and things were progressing slowly. I had a 40 hour nonmedicated labor with my first (in and out of the water) with a forceps assisted delivery because after 3 hours of pushing he was just too big, not in a great position, and I was too exhausted. So I was having flashbacks and scared I was headed down this road again. A woman from my church happened to text about 8:15pm just to check on me and I asked her to pray (she knew about my first l&d).

Finally around 8:45pm the midwife checked me and I was dilated to 5cm. They do not want you in the birthing tub until then as it can slow down labor. They prepared the tub and I got in around 9pm. My contractions slowed to about 3 min apart (it seemed) but the intensity really started picking up. The jets felt awesome in between contractions but I had them shut off during them as I hated the extra sensation on my body then. 

The midwife left to attend another laboring mom. Soon I felt I needed to push, but the nurse told me not to, thinking there was no way I was ready that soon. After a few more contractions with the urge getting stronger, I told her to get the midwife. She left and a couple more contractions passed, again trying not to push (the most awful feeling)! I told my hubby to go tell them I needed the midwife NOW and after that she came soon (turns out the other woman had JUST delivered). The midwife came and was speaking to the nurse as I had another contraction. I yelled that I was trying not to push and the midwife said to do it, the nurse said no, then the midwife said again to push as she reached down and confirmed my baby was already coming so I was obviously already fully dilated! I pushed 4 or 5 times in the squatting position and my hubby caught our son. Did some skin to skin in the tub before getting out to deliver the placenta and get stitched (2nd degree tear, which has so far been far faster to heal than my 3rd degree with my first). 

I honestly had felt, before I got in the tub, like I was at the end of my rope. If it weren't for the support of my husband and the midwife I do not know if I could have pushed through with the unmedicated delivery again. I also thanked the woman from my church for her prayers because I went from 5cm (about the time she started praying) to baby in my arms in about an hour...would have been less if not for that nurse who didn't believe I was ready! But he was born after about 17 hours of actual labor, in the water, and it had been everything I had originally wanted. 8lbs2oz and 21.25in.