The day I went into labor I was already 5cm dilated for about a week but no contractions except a few BH. Really no sign of labor at all. But on Friday I was home alone since my boyfriend was at work. Around 3:30 I started having consistent contractions 5 minutes apart but no pain at all. My boyfriend got home from work around 4:30 and he jumped in the shower while I kept timing. He asked me if I wanted to go and I said yes, even though they weren't painful I just had a feeling (TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS). So we loaded up the car and got to the hospital around 6 o'clock. Checked in to L&D. When I gave my urine sample I had high ketones So the on call doctor ordered IV fluids to see if that would stop my contractions since I was dehydrated appearantly. Even though I'd been drinking water like crazy, so I was irritated. 2 hours later he ordered ANOTHER liter of fluid. Nothing changed. Then he ordered ANOTHER freaking liter. So 3 liters in and no change I still wasn't admitted. We heard the nurse out in the hall say they were sending me home. My SO and I were furious. So when she came in to tell us she checked my cervix one last time and I was at a 7 (thank god) so she said you aren't going anywhere and I was finally admitted. This was around 10:30pm. My mom got there around 11pm and we were all just basically hanging out because I wasn't in any pain at all. My water never broke yet. So the doctor ordered pitocin and that kicked things up a little but not unbearable. I did not like the on call doctor. 7am on Saturday rolls around and it was shift change. My doctor was coming in as the on call doctor (I was so happy). He got there around 8am. I progressed to an 8 and still no pain. so he decided to break my water. I got a tiny bit of meds through my IV to take the edge off so I could sleep. So I was given a little bit Of stadol and I was so high 😂😂 my mom and Boyfriend we're dying. And I was able to sleep a little bit. Then it was like instant.. as soon as I woke up it was intense. I have no clue what time this was. Contractions were basically back to back and I started practice pushing eventually. They kept asking if I wanted an epidural, I kept denying because my plan was to go natural. Then the real pushing began around 10am. My mom had one leg and my boyfriend had the other. (They were so supportive). So every contraction I pushed 3 times for 10 seconds a piece. I was exhausted. I hadn't slept for over 24 hours and hadn't eaten for a day either. Everyone kept telling me how close I was. But I knew it was still going to be awhile because my doctor would just come in and say great progress then he'd leave. Then they made me get on all fours (I wanted to die). I pushed like that for probably 20 minutes or so. Then I flipped back over on my back because it was so much more comfortable. So more and more pushing. After every push id look at my mom and boyfriend and said I couldn't do it anymore. I wanted to give up soooo bad. I wanted all the pain meds in the world. But my Boyfriend helped me through it (a great support system is key). Then finally my doctor came in and started getting suited up. Such a relief to see. I pushed and pushed and pushed. It seemed like forever. I kept asking how close. Every second I was 1000x more exhausted. I really just wanted to give up. His head was halfway out and he was face up... so that was making it 10x harder.  I felt the perfect spot I needed to push. I was proud of myself for being such a good pusher. I was so close but I had no strength left in me. My doctor asked if I would like a little assistance and it would be over way quicker than it would if I didn't. So I agreed. I pushed 3 times with the vacuum and he was out. My first baby.. I did it naturally with a tiny bit of help. No medication. I pushed for 2 hours straight.  And I delivered a beautiful, BIG, 9lb face up baby boy. He arrived at 12:12pm on December 31st. 9lbs exactly and 20 3/4 inches long. Labor isn't glorious at all, they're right when they say you lose all dignity. I did end up with a 2nd degree tear but my doctor said it was exactly like an episiotomy so it wasn't that bad. I was really swollen with hemorrhoids from pushing. But it was all so worth it. Recovery is not fun but having my baby boy with me outweighs all the pain. Walker Ray 💙