Have some time to share my birth story while both my toddler and newborn are asleep.

On Oct 3rd, I was feeling crappy all afternoon. BH contractions were few and far between but I just felt crampy all day. I lost my mucous plug that evening but everyone told me it would be days to weeks until I went into labor.

Later than night, around 11:30pm, I had a contraction in bed and immediately felt water leaking out. It didn't stop for a good minute and I realized it was probably my water. As soon as I stood up it gushed out.

I started having contractions every 5 minutes so I called my OB and she sent me to L&D.

We got there about 12:30am and since it was my 2nd child they let me bypass triage and go straight into a room. Once I was all hooked up, they checked me and I was at 4cm dilated and 90% effaced.

For about 4 hours I labored as the contractions picked up. I walked around the hospital, swayed while holding my husband, and breathed through every contraction. They checked me twice in those few hours and I had no progress, but my contractions were picking up quickly.

I was doing it natural but they got so intense I was telling my husband I couldn't take much more. I "trained" him to encourage me to stay the natural course and he did an amazing job... even though I started begging. I dreaded every contraction and prayed to Jesus to get me through it.

Around 5:15 I told my family that I would need to push soon but when the nurse checked I was ONLY at 5cm and they whole room felt disappointed. The nurse told me not to push because it wasn't time but as soon as she left the room the contractions kicked into high gear and my body started pushing. I tried everything to stop it, which actually resulted in my having a bowel movement. It had only been about 20 minutes but my mom called the nurse back in and said we needed some help.

My husband told the nurse that I kept needing to push and when she simply looked between my legs she said "YUP! YOU'RE A 10! HE'S RIGHT THERE!" and called everyone in.

I went into a little shock because I had known it was happening and no one believed me.

The on-call doctor rushed in with the nurses and 3 pushes later my baby boy arrived.

6 hour labor and 3 pushes! Naturally, I couldn't believe I had done it!

His cord was wrapped around his body... he was blue and bruised from the shock of my body transitioning so fast, but they checked him out and he is perfect.

Jack Elliot

Born 5:48am

8lb 2oz 20.5in