So my son is two months old now, time is going by so fast so I thought it was about time to share the story, because reading birth stories kept me sane when I was pregnant. Especially I was nervous about becoming a new mom and single mom all at once.

I honestly could not have imagined a better experience. The nurses in L&D; and Postpartum were so incredible. Thank the universe for private hospitals, because I was one of three women in labor at that time in that hospital.

So, I went to my 40 week appointment at 1pm on my due date, feeling discouraged like my son was planning on living in there forever. The tech took my blood pressure and though it had been perfect my entire pregnancy, it was slightly elevated. Not scary at all, but she said to be safe she wanted to take me next door to be monitored.

I called my parents just to let them know, fully expecting to be checked and sent home. They hooked me up to the monitors and within an hour the nurse and doctor concurred that inducing me would be in my best interest so since I was only 2cm dilated, they started with the Foley Bulb at 3pm, something they put up in there to speed up the dilation. Which worked. My parents got there a little while after and we started watching Harry Potter and waiting waiting waiting. By 6pm I was 4cm and contracting a little, nothing too serious but I was getting BAD back labor. Puking from the pain. They gave me Fentanyl and let me tell you, it is MAGIC. They started my Pitocin at 9pm after I ate a grilled cheese and some tomato soup, pushing Fentanyl every three to four hours depending on my pain level. I slept on and off through the night, contractions getting worse but still not unbearable. UNTIL 6am when they starting HITTING ME LIKE A MACK TRUCK and I was dilated to 5.

I was begging for an epidural, my mom made them bring in a fan because I was burning up and they had to stop giving me Fentanyl so the epidural would take. I was miserable. The anesthesiologist finally came in closer to 8, when I was ready to strangle someone with my bare hands, and aside from a slight bee sting-like feeling, it was a breeze. Immediate relief. I told my mom my legs felt like the purple Pokemon from the original 150. Muk. 🤣

I slept a few more hours, drank Sprite, watched more Harry Potter (thank you ABC Family). The nurse checked me at 1:30pm and I was 9cm dilated so she said she was going to go pump, then check me again. But "not to get too excited because sometimes the last cm takes a while to progress." HA! By 2pm when she got back I was 10cm and ready to push. She was shocked, and she and the other floor nurses rushed to get all the stuff set up for delivery. (Since I was the only one delivering so most of the nurses were in and out to help.)

Annnd the pushing commenced. My mom and 16 year old sister held my legs (she was the real MVP) and it was not fun. Even though the epidural was wonderful and I wasn't in pain, the pressure was intense and the pushing was exhausting. 2 and 1/2 hours of pushing, switching from laying on my back to hands and knees back to laying on my back. He was NOT COMING OUT. I was ready to give up, punch my nurse in the face, anything but push a minute longer. That's when another nurse on the floor came in, tossed me a sheet and said "let's play tug-a-war and get this boy out of there!" I didn't think twice, I grabbed the sheet and pulled myself up and pushed for 15 more minutes. My son was born at 4:44pm on June 9th 2017 weighs 6lb 15oz and 21 inches long. (With a bit of a cone-head from being in the birth canal so long) at this point my mom is crying, my sister is wide-eyed but determined and I am just exhausted. They put Elliot on my chest for skin to skin but whisked him away shortly after because they were worried about his squeaking and grunting (which we know now is just his sweet little grumpy old man personality). They did his tests and weighed him and everything while my doctor stitched up my 2nd degree tear I didn't even feel.

Finally they gave him back and we did two hours of skin to skin with him wide awake and looking around all alert. He was the most perfect thing I had ever felt, and as tired as I was I could've stayed awake and holding him forever.

This got a little long so thanks y'all for sticking with it.

His birthday:

And at two months:

💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙💚💙