Wednesday, November 14th, I was 40 weeks and 4 days. I had my last appointment with my midwife and was already dilated to 3cm and 60% effaced. So I asked her to strip my membranes to see if we could get things going. I had some bad cramping that afternoon and on and off Braxton Hicks but I’ve been having those symptoms for the past 4 weeks so wasn’t getting my hopes up.

That night we decide to go to the mall to walk and try and get something to happen. We’re at the mall and leave around 7pm. By 8pm, I just feel overly tired and ready for bed. I told my hubby I was going to bed early and asked if he could put our son to bed. So I’m lying in bed and the cramping comes back. Again I don’t think anything of it because I’ve been having these night cramps and contractions for weeks. So I don’t pay attention. 9:45pm and I notice there’s a rhythm to these cramps. It came on really fast. By 10pm I tell my husband I think I might be in early labor, I’m not sure. I don’t get my hopes up but start timing them and want to get some rest just in case. 20 minutes goes by and I’ve already had 4 contractions lasting 1 minute each and 4-5 minutes apart. It’s 10:20pm and I’m finally like ok I’m definitely in labor and text my midwife. By 10:35pm contractions were 3 minutes apart and so intense my whole body was uncontrollably shaking. I just then lose my mucus plug. By 11, I’m in full on labor land and stopped timing my contractions.

Everything came on so fast and was so intense. I turn to my husband and say I don’t know how to do this. He says he thinks I’m almost there. I tell him it’s only been an hour, I’m probably only like 4-5 centimeters dilated. I don’t know how I can keep this up for another 8-10 hours, I’m just scared at this point.

I’m fighting the urge to push because I assumed I wasn’t ready and my cervix would swell up (this is what happened during my first labor). 30 mins later the urge is too strong and I’m pushing. My midwife arrives at midnight. I tell her I can’t stop pushing and I don’t know what to do. She says that’s ok, to go ahead and push if I feel the urge to. So I go ahead and let the pushes come. She checks me and I’m thinking I’m gonna be a 5-6 and don’t know how I can keep going at this rate. She says I have a small lip and I’m a 9.5. I’m like whattt??????

On the next contraction she pushes the lip out of the way and we’re ready to rock and roll. I get back in the birth tub and start pushing. I’m surprised my neighbors didn’t call the cops because I was literally screaming so loud but 10 minutes later at 12:44am my son was born. I can’t even describe the feeling. Complete disbelief would be one. I couldn’t believe my baby was here, and in less than 3 hours.