On Saturday night, I kept having to get up to pee every 10 minutes while we were watching a movie and my husband suggested I bounce in my birth ball. I did for about half an hour and when I went to the bathroom again, I had my bloody show and lost part of my mucus plug. I figured I still had awhile so I took some Tylenol PM and did my best to sleep through contractions that night.

In the morning, they were irregular and anywhere from 5-20 minutes apart so I texted my Doula just to let her know. I figured it was just pre-labor so I told my husband to go ahead and play volleyball with our friends.

My mom and I alternated between resting and walking through the contractions. They were getting closer together and double-peaking to the point where I'd have to stop walking.

My husband came back home and said, "The hardest part is just kinda waiting around for labor to start,huh?" I looked at him and was like, "Um, I'm in ACTIVE labor." That kicked his butt into gear and, before I knew it, he had dinner cooked and the car packed up. 

Everything continued to get more intense to the point where I was dropping on all fours and having to breathe through each set of contractions. My husband and mom watched me anxiously and convinced me to have my Doula come over. Apparently, I down played the situation because while she was in her way over, I realized I needed to go to the hospital NOW!

My husband helped me to the car and then proceeded to go 90 mph with his emergency flashers on, running stoplights the whole way. 

When we got to the hospital, my husband helped me up to L&D, pausing to let me lean against the wall and labor with each contraction. They immediately admitted me and I found out I was dilated to a five already. 

My Doula showed up and for the next three hours, I alternated between the toilet and standing bent over the bed. The nurses allowed me to do intermittent monitoring with a saline lock but I still had to lay on my back for that time period which was the most painful position for me. By 10:30 pm I was a 9 but my water still hadn't broken and my daughter was a zero station. My Doula had me sit on the birth ball which hurt like hell but my water broke soon after. They put the squat bar up in the bed and I worked in moving my daughter down. What I didn't know is there was meconium in my amniotic fluid and everyone was concerned for my daughter.

I could feel her dropping down and I felt myself pushing involuntarily with each contraction. The nurse had me move into my back and do a practice push but she was already bulging. The on-call doctor showed up and I pushed her out in four pushes.

They laid my daughter on my chest but she had aspirated her amniotic fluid and they had to take her and suction her. My husband got confrontational with the doctor when the doctor tried to have my husband cut the cord before it stopped pulsating.

I had a second degree tear that had to be stitched and they put my daughter (now pinked up and breathing) on my chest. They left us alone and My husband got to do skin-to-skin. I was an amazing birth experience and I am so glad I went the natural route even though there were multiple times I doubted I could do it. Having a solid support system made all of the difference for me and my Doula was worth every penny.

Ophelia Rose born 11/14 at 00:41 weighing 7 lbs 6 oz and measuring 22 3/4 inches