On the morning of 7/2 I started having contractions while getting ready for my weekly ob visit. At first I blew it off until I realized that they were pretty continuous, so I started timing them with my app.

My appointment wasn't until 1 so I called into my dr around 9 a.m, just to see if I should wait it out or go into the office earlier, I wasn't really in pain or anything and the contractions were bearable. I finished getting myself and my 2 year old ready and left my house around 10, still no word from my Dr's office. I took my time driving while timing contractions, stopped at McDonald's (😂😂) got my son some lunch just in case I got admitted, and headed towards the office, a little while later I got the call, they told me to go straight to L&D!!! It was around 11:30 a.m, I was 3 1/2 cm dilated when I got there, and 75% effaced. My doctor didn't get to me until after 5, by then I was 4 cm, so I was set up in a delivery room around 6 pm.

She asked me if I'd like her to break my water to help speed things along, I opted out at least until I was 5 cm just because I remembered birth of my son & how bad the contractions got after my water was broken, around 8 pm my nurse came to check me and I was 5 cms dilated, 80% effaced, my dr came break my water. Now.. I can handle pain, but after about an hour and a half my contractions had gotten so intense, I couldn't see straight. They were every minute to 2 minutes and lasting almost a minute.. I couldn't breathe through them like I was before, I couldn't keep still, my husband buzzed the nurse and my only option was to get an epidural. No biggie, because I had one with my son, but I was trying so hard for a natural birth this time. I got my epidural around 10 p.m after my epidural, the nurse checked me, I was 6 1/2 cms, 90% effaced.. then its like everything kind of slowed down, I was able to get some rest, every now and again I would wake up, buzz the nurse to come check, I was progressing really nicely with the relaxation of the sleep I was getting. Around 3/3:30 am I buzzed the nurse again, she checked me and I was 9 1/2 cm, so we started practice pushing at around 4 am. At 5:13 a.m on July 3, our baby girl Aubri Elise was born weighing 7lbs 12 oz, 20 inches long😍 Sorry for such a long post.. but here are some of our birth pictures from the photographer we hired and my best

friend!!!