This is my 3rd baby. So I’m pretty comfortable with my body and knowing what labor is. With that said, I’m very glad I trusted my instincts.

My labor wasn’t bad but leading up to it was horrible.

At 37 weeks I came down with the stomach flu. I went into labor with contractions 2-3 min apart. I was only 1 cm dilated but I’m so much pain. Found out baby was breech, my bp was up and babies heart rate was high. They started to prep me for a c-section. My doc decided to try morphine first and to everyone’s surprise, it worked and labor stopped. I was kept over night and sent home the next day.

For the next almost 2 weeks I had contractions on and off every 15 min or so. My doc decided that the Monday after I turned 39 weeks she would induce. Well, the Friday before it started in its own.

I woke up on the 26th at 430 am with contractions that hurt but not horribly. They were about 10 min apart all day, if I walked they would get to 6 min apart.

Never getting steady or regular, so I waited. By dinner they were so intense I couldn’t walk or talk through them. But still irregular.

By 9 pm I called l&d.; They said it wasn’t real labor but I could come in if I wanted. She really didn’t want me to.

I got in and they checked me and guess what!?!? I was at 7 cm already. I’m so glad I trusted myself.

Because my contractions were irregular, they gave me my epidural and started pitocin to even out my contractions. By now it was 1 am. Within an hour I was ready to push, but the nurse didn’t believe me because I was still at 7 only an hour before.

So I reached down and touched myself and said, the bag of water is sticking out of me. Sure enough it was and babies head was also right there too.

The doc came in, broke my water and told me to give a practice push. Out popped his head, one more push and out came his body.

There was some meconium but no issues from it.

He didn’t cry, he didn’t cry for shots, he didn’t cry for anything. He still doesn’t cry, he is so calm and easy.

7 lbs 4 oz.

Bryce Andrew