Finally sharing 10/25/18

Here's my long ass story:

I was 39 weeks and 3 days when I woke up in the morning like any other typical Thursday. I live in Austin, TX and we happened to be under a water boil due to our water filtration being contaminated from excessive rain. Meaning we had to boil all water for cooking or consumption. So I got the pot of water on the stove at about 8:30am and stood there while my coffee brewed. All of the sudden I heard a pop and thought hm, was that my hip just randomly popping? Then I had an urge to go to the bathroom. Went to sit down on the toilet and all of the sudden, liquid came gushing out and I couldn't stop it. I thought...ooookaaay perhaps this is my water breaking? I was really shocked since everyone said, and statistics show, that most women's water doesn't break until they're well into active labor. And I hadn't started having an contractions (that I could feel).

I call my husband who doesn't answer (of course the one time) and then I call the hospital and they say yeah you should probably come in. Husband finally calls back and I say "Hi. I think my water broke. You should come home."

While I wait for him to come home, I do what any sane woman in labor does and start cleaning the house bc I have no idea what to do. All the while soaking through maxi pads.

We get to the hospital and I get out of the car and another huge gush of water soaks my pants and flip flops. I'm walking to L&D with squishy squeaky wet shoes and thinking holy shit how is there this much liquid inside of me.

The woman at the front desk asks if I'm sure my water broke. Two nurses standing behind me reply "oh honey, her water definitely broke."

So I get to the room and start the labor process. It's about noon when I start feeling some contractions but they're manageable. I'm walking around and bouncing on a yoga ball. My birth plan was to see how long I could go without the epidural but I had the intention to eventually ask for it. The contractions get worse, a few make me cry, but I keep going. Eventually, my husband asks for the millionth time, do you want the epidural now? I finally don't say no.

Well I waited too long bc by the time they were getting everything ready, the pain was immense. Unreal. Unlike anything I've felt or prepared for. I had not prepared for a natural birth and started to panic, which made it worse. It was like having to take the largest shit with the worst period pains. At this point, I went into a different world. I just kept begging them to let me push. I had to get him out now. The nurse checked me and I had gone from 6cm to 9cm in like 15 minutes. They called the doctor and it was time.

It was painful. I couldn't breathe and thought I couldn't do it. On my third contraction, I heard that they were getting a vacuum bc his heart rate was dropping. I knew I had to push with everything to save my son, even though I felt like I had nothing left. But on that last push as I screamed and dug my nails into the nurse and my husband, he came out with a ring of fire. I did it. He was perfectly healthy and here at 4:42pm.

I tore in two spots but nothing too bad. They stitched me up and despite using a numbing medication I felt the whole thing . It was torturous but I had my son.

Moral of the story, ask for the epidural before you're crying lol. Or prepare mentally during pregnancy for a natural birth.