I wanted to start by saying that this is my second baby and I was terrified of not being able to get the epidural. I got the epidural with my first and I kept saying that I couldn't have done it without it. I also screamed through every contraction the first time and I swore I wasn't going to do it again.

I had contractions for several weeks before I delivered and I was nervous that I wouldn't know when to go the hospital because of all of the false labor . My due date, October 14th came and went. I so wanted this baby out. So the next day I went for a walk with my husband and children hoping to start labor before I had to go to work. It didn't and off to work I went. After work I went home defeated. I went to bed early thinking that I still had a few days before my son was going to get here. Wouldn't you know it I went into labor that night. I woke up at 1:30 in the morning with contractions and I just knew this was it. I woke my husband and told him we should start packing (yes I had not packed our hospital bags yet). During this time my contractions got all the way down to 3 minutes apart and they were about a minute long. By the time we finished packing my contractions had spaced out again to about 5 to 7 minutes apart so I told my husband to go back to bed. I had not had any bloody show and I had not noticed my mucus plug so I started thinking that maybe I wasn't really in labor. I laid back down and tried to sleep but I couldn't. After a while I got too uncomfortable laying down so I got up and went to the restroom. In the bathroom I started to shake (known as labor quakes), I remembered having this with my first when I was farther along so I decided we should work on heading to the hospital. I woke my husband and told him to call my best friend and tell her to come to the house. She was watching my daughter and stepson while I was at the hospital. My husband called her at 4:30 and she finally arrived at 5:30. After my husband took forever loading the car seats in her car we left for the hospital. We also stopped at the gas station to get him energy drinks. I thought we had all the time in the world. We arrived at the hospital close to 6am. Let me tell you if your husband offers to get you a wheelchair to take you in, do it. I didn't and it was a long way from where we parked and I had the worst contraction that I had to stop for and I just wanted to get inside but I couldn't move. On the way to the hospital I had complained to my husband that we were probably too early and they were going to make me walk around and I didn't want to do that. Lol. I was a bit whiny. At triage they checked me. I was 7cm! I didn't have to walk around. Its thr little victories. :) They took me back to labor and delivery and informed me that the anesthesiologist was on another case so they had to call the on call guy. They told me not to worry though because they have to live within 10 minutes of the hospital. A little while later tbey checked me again and I was 8cm. I kept getting the urge to push and they told me it was ok to push a little. So I was doing that when I felt the urge. Finally after a good 30 to 40 minutes in walks the anesthesiologist. Up to this point I had not screamed once. They told my husband to walk to the other side of the bed so he could hold me while I got the epidural. At the same time they were saying this I got a contraction and told him not to move (I was holding his hand). Another contraction hit right after this one and I pushed a little and bam my water broke. I told the nurses I think my water broke and they started to look and another gush came spraying out, I almost got the nurses. After the second gush it became evident that I needed to push, he was coming. The nurse jumped on the bed and held my legs closed while somebody else ran to get the doctor. I begged the nurse to let me push but she made me wait. This part sucked. My doctor was about to start her shift but was not going to make it so they got the on call doctor. When he got there the nurse let my legs go and told me I could push. I immediately said I didn't want to anymore. Lol I was so scarred of doing this without the epidural. I pushed his head out and then his shoulders and then his body. Let me tell you I screamed through each of those pushes. So much for not screaming this time. Maybe next time, if there is one. His sister came out in one push he couldn't be that simple. ;) After all the pushing they laid him on me and I would love to say I immediately held him and kissed him. Nope he just laid there. I was still in pain as they delivered the placenta and sewed me up. After they finished that though I held him and lived on him.

Caleb Edward was born October 16th at 6:53am. He weighed 7lbs 10 oz and was 20in long. Labor lasted 5 hours, compared to the 32 hours with my first.

I wanted to say to those mamas that are scared, you can do it! If you want to go natural do it, you are awesome. To the mama that wants the epidural, me to girl, you are awesome. To the mama who has to or is choosing to get a c section, you are awesome. Through not being able to get the epidural I learned how strong I am and believe me if I can do it so can you.