9 months to grow a baby and 8 hours to get him out!

Sorry this is a bit long!

At my 38 week appointment, Friday, my doctor checked me and said I was 3-4 cm dilated and 80% effaced and said I would most likely have the baby this weekend. I still felt like it wouldn't happen so I tried not to get my hopes up. I had been having contractions on and off since I was 35 weeks and they always stopped. Then Saturday morning I woke up super early and decided to exercise. Then about 10 AM I started having mild contractions but thought they would stop and they did on and off. About 3 PM I started getting pretty intense cramps and thought it might be it so I took a shower and tried to relax. About 4 PM I was dying and knew this had to be labor. We waited until my contractions were basically 2 minutes apart and then headed into the hospital. My plan through out my pregnancy was to labor at home until I felt like it could be any moment and when I got to the hospital be basically ready to push.

We got there at 4:30 and I was 7-8 dilated. Then they admitted me and everything was just so painful and kinda flew by. I had such intense pain and just wanted to die. They checked me again about 40 minutes later and I was 9 cm then my water broke a few minutes later. They checked me again and I was full dilated.

After my water broke my nurse said I needed to get on my side for baby. Then my other side, then all fours. She kept loving the monitor frantically and all the sudden tons of people rushed in. My doctor said I needed to push this baby out right now. I always thought pushing would be a relief but it really was just more painful. I pushed and started screaming. My doctor told me to stop using my energy to scream and push the baby out. My nurse got in my face and told me I didn't want surgery and so I needed to push. So my next contraction I closed my mouth and my eyes and pushed as hard as I could. Out came his head then the doctor pulled out the rest. He gave me an episiotomy, which we had discussed that I didn't want one at one of my appointments. My baby was in distress and needed to come out right then so I was happy he did it. Even though he had numbed me, it really hadn't taken affect and I felt the clip. Being in so much pain already though, it really didn't phase me. It's very odd what your body goes through during labor.

My baby boy was born at 6:16 PM on 9/02/17. He weighed 6 lbs and 15 oz. I did the whole thing naturally. I was ready to cave a couple times but it went by so quick and by the time I was 9 cm and they told me this was my final chance I figured that I would be done soon so I said no. And I was.

I have a lot stitches and pain down there but I am very happy that my baby and I got through that. His heart rate dropping the way it did was extremely scary but I knew he would be okay. I was praying through out and God gave me a peace to keep going.