Over the next few days I started dealing with false labor... constantly. After two trips to L&D for regular contractions I began to get frustrated. I couldn't sleep, I was constantly in pain and could hardly handle anything anymore. My midwife checked me at my 36 week appointment and I was almost at 2cm and about 65% effaced, my baby girl was down in -1 station. She explained to me that it could mean labor was approaching, considering the contractions I was having. I knew deep down it meant nothing and it was gonna be a long few weeks. I lost my mucus plug a few days later... nothing changed.

I walked into my 39 week appointment I was completely exhausted all over again and severely discouraged. I was beyond done with my pregnancy. I legitimately could not handle it anymore. My blood pressure went down a little, 135/88. Baby's heartbeat was good and she was obviously content in my belly. She checked me, 3cm 80% effaced and almost at station 0.

My midwife told me to get dressed and she would come back. I was confused but obliges with no questions. Usually the check wrapped up my appointment and I went on my way. She came back in the room with a smile on her face, she offered to induce me. I remember the words, "my team and I have discussed this quite deeply and decided it would be best to bring your princess into this world a little early. We don't do this often, but we agreed that this pregnancy has become too much for your body." 

My original birth plan went out the window right then. I agreed to the induction and set the date, taking home another prescription of ambien. I was told to rest up for two nights and check into the hospital at 8pm march 8th, two days before my due date. I arrived to the hospital that night feeling optimistic. She inserted a pill into my cervix, gave me an ambien and told me to rest. The nurse gave me the oral version of the same medication a few hours later. I went back to sleep and nothing too interesting happened. 

At 8am the next morning the other midwife arrived, checked me and said she would be back in a few hours and if there wasn't any change we would go from there. She came back a little after noon, my contractions were steady at three minutes apart and I was almost to 4cm and at 90% effaced. The contractions were too close to do another dose over the cervical pill so we decided to start pitocin. 

After three failed IV attempts the pitocin was started at 1:45pm. They increased the dose every half hour until the midwife came back at 6:30pm. There was no change in my cervix other than it was more stretchy. I was beyond frustrated. She decided to increase the pitocin every twenty minutes and check me in a hour and a half. If I made it to 5cm she would consider breaking my water. 8pm came and I was at 4cm, 95% effaced and baby was low. We decided to stay on the pitocin and see what happened, but she wouldn't break my water yet. 

Disappointed, I decided to take a shower. I sat on the toilet to use the bathroom and get undressed. I reached around to wipe myself and felt a very weird pop followed by a huge gush. I yelled for my mom. The nurse came in and confirmed that it was my water and within ten minutes my contractions were back to back, and extremely painful. They don't lie when they say they are hard to talk and breathe through. My contractions felt like they were overlapping each other at this point. My SO, his mom and his grandmother arrived within ten minutes. He was doing an amazing job at holding my hand and helping me breathe through the contractions. 

I handled myself well for just over an hour, but I began to feel exhausted. I couldn't relax in between contractions and was having trouble breathing through them. I was fading quickly. It was then that I looked at my nurse, my mom (birth coach) and SO and begged them to go get the midwife. I needed the epidural. The midwife checked me and I was a stretchy 4cm. She said she would get ahold of the epidural guy and left the room. He arrived thirty minutes later. Half an hour and two failed attempts later I was finally lying in bed relaxing. My best friend arrived finally and we visited for a few minutes and I decided to take a nap. It was around 11pm at this point and my mother in law and her mother left to their hotel room five minutes away. 

I woke up about an hour and a half later to the nurse fidgeting with the monitors on my belly. I asked her to help me get up to use the bathroom (I had the "walking epidural" and could get up with assistance). I felt a ton of pressure in my tail bone at this point and after she got me back into bed she went and woke up my midwife. Ten minutes later she walked in and checked me. Her eyes got wide and she said, "you are at 10cm, baby is dropped way low, please don't push just yet." She hurriedly got up and practically ran out of my room. The nurse woke my mom, SO and best friend up and they called my MIL. 

Ten minutes later I was getting into position on my side with two new nurses. I tried to push that way for about fifteen minutes, and got no where. We raised my bed and I got into position more on my back, my mom holding one leg and a nurse holding the other. With my SO cheering me on I barreled down and pushed with all my might for three contractions and my sweet little princess came into this world at 2am exactly on her due date. They placed her directly on my chest and I instantly burst into tears. She was perfect. I had two very minor tears and didn't even notice as I delivered the placenta and the midwife stitched me up. I was too focused on her sweet little face. 

I would go through all of that again in a heartbeat just to relive the moment of meeting her for the first time. Welcome to the world my princess Khaleesi Jade Larsen born at 2am, March 10th of 2017. Six pounds and eight ounces of pure perfection. 💕