My first daughter was five days early and fast! It’s silly, but I was half expecting my second baby to be no different. My daughter turned a year on the first, so I planned her party for Memorial Day weekend. Hoping and praying baby number two wouldn’t come early. We made it through the party with just the one, and needless to say I was relieved. Now fast forward to the 8th. My due date.

I took off that day bc I wasn’t feeling too hot. Plus, God forbid I go into labor at work, my ride to the hospital took off. Considering this and the fact that the kids (I teach) wouldn’t have actual classes that day, but would have end of year activities, including a dance, it’s probably best if I stayed home. Just in case.

I waited patiently for my contractions to do something. Get consistent. Get more intense. Nothing. I was doing everything I could think of to try to get this baby out! Nothing made a difference. Finally the next morning my contractions felt a little more painful and were ten minutes apart. I told my husband that I wanted to go to the hospital. I knew for sure they would send me home, but I still wanted to see what was going on.

We get to the hospital, and I tell them what’s happening. In addition to this, I tell them I lost my plug on Wednesday. Thursday more came out and it had a bright red stripe. Yesterday and today I’m seeing brown mucus. I’m concerned about having a slow leak in fluid because my mom mentioned that happening to friend of hers and now it’s in my head. They brushed off my concern, but said they would check anyway just in case since I am now officially past my due date.

They check out everything and were just about ready to send me home. Baby is fine. Contractions are not progressing for labor. Then they do a sono to check my fluid. I’m too low, and while baby isn’t in distress we also don’t wait to wait until they are. I’m getting induced. Now I’m scared. I don’t want to go zero to 100. My labor with my first was FAST. But I was ok. Despite me telling my mom to not come to the hospital yet, she did anyway. She was next to me for it all.

And of course, I did end up going zero to 100 FAST. My mom calls my husband and tells him to come back after stepping out to check on our daughter. At one point near the end, one of the nurses didn’t think I really was as far as I was. I’m asking for an epi repeatedly and I still didn’t get it. I told her, I slept through most of my labor with my first bc I didn’t know I was in labor. She turned around and said, “I don’t know how you slept with the way you’re acting now...” Well. That’s nice. Let’s check and see how far I am. Oh! 9 cm. That’s why I’m screaming. I said to my mom I don’t want to do this without an epidural again! She said I’m going to have to. Right then my water broke. I’m still in triage.

They get me into a delivery room as quickly as they can basically running over people in the hallway. Got into the room and two pushes later, Lia Rose was born. She pooped on the way out and was still in the sac. What an entrance!