We are a week in! Baby Audrey was born Sunday July 1 at 11:40 p.m.

Mild contractions started Friday the 29, they were getting regular and were annoying but manageable so I watched a movie while the husband slept. We went into the hospital the next morning when they were 4 mins apart and becoming more uncomfortable. We got checked and I was at 3 cm, they told me to go walking and come back later.

We went and met friends for breakfast and went on a beautiful loooooooong walk with our two year old. Had lunch. Things started to get more painful and were holding stready at 4 mins so we went back to the hospital around 5 pm. I had dilated to a 4. They had us walk and checked again in an hour... up to 5 so we were admitted.

I had a looooong and very intervention filled labor with my son, water broke first then needed all the drugs to get him out... I was so excited my body was doing it on its own!

We labored through the night, when they checked on Sunday morning I was up to a 6. My ob asked if she could break my waters as I had been having contractions for a while. I agreed. The contractions got closer together. Every 2-3 mins, but didn’t seem to be getting stronger. Soooo ob who I very much trust wanted to start some Pitocin. This was around 9. We got up and walked and walked, things got crazy around 4 where I no longer felt in control of my breathing through contractions so I went for the epidural.

I wanted to do it without medication, but again my dilation has stopped because I couldn’t relax into th contractions. For me the epidural is what let me dilated the last few cm.

I could still feel contractions and my legs, just back to a manageable level. At 11 I asked nursing yo check because I was feeling deep pressure and the urge to push. She did and told me “your daughter had lots of hair” they called the doc who was there and ready at 11:30. Four pushed and a few tears later she was born with eyes wide open!

My husband was a rock star and I’m so thankful that my ob included me in all decision making and helped me achieve another healthy birth! Baby is nursing like a champ and big brother is adjusting well!