Contractions started at about 2am. My boyfriend was still asleep and I sat by the fireplace and timed them. I must admit, I was a little disappointed because it was the 22nd of January, which, if my baby was born on that day, would be considered on the cusp (Capricorn/Aquarius). I know it’s silly but me, my mom, my best friend, and my DOG are full on Aquarian ladies lol. Anyway, they started to come every 5 minutes and lasted for about a minute. Then they got a bit irregular. After my boyfriend woke up and we did some Hypnobirthing techniques we called the doula and she came right over. We spent 16 hours at the house with the contractions getting WORSE but not more REGULAR. She told me it was probably prodromal labor!!! 😭😭😭 All that time! All that pain!!! For NOTHING? I was buuuuumed. She went home and told me to call her if anything changed. Well, it did. Contractions got so bad that I couldn’t speak a word during them. Doula came back and after a few hours we made the (very uncomfortable) trip to the hospital. Luckily it’s only 10 minutes away. We get there and I get checked. I’m only... 3 FREAKING CENTIMETERS!!! How? Why?? They suggest I walk around to get things going. I do and it does. At 4cm I get admitted.

My contractions are getting worse and by the time I got to 5 cm I was headed to Epidural Land! Though it didn’t feel the way I’d imagined. Although it was better than having to experience contractions, I didn’t feel “awesome” like many women describe their epidural experience. I felt like I was on a weird trip. My body felt numb and uncontrollable. I hated it. HOWEVER, I felt no contractions... for a little while. After a few hours my whole left side stopped reacting to the medicine and I could feel everything. Throughout my almost 40 hours of labor I had to get topped off (more epidural medicine) THREE TIMES because pressing the button that gives you more wasn’t working for me (I’d pressed that about 7 times 😶).

My journey was hard, y’all. I started bawling several times, kicked my mom out of my room twice, and yelled at the nurse to stop rushing me and “give me one fucking minute” (she was giving me all these crazy instructions DURING a painful contraction 🙄). The contractions made me delirious at one point and I remember yelling “corn!” for no reason. I told my doula I couldn’t do it. She told me firmly that I COULD do it and that I WAS doing it. So I changed my language and started saying “I can do it” and that really helped me push through. Get a doula if you can, btw. They are the fucking bomb. Anyway, after 55 minutes of pushing through pain out popped my beautiful Elijah!!! Every stitch of the horrors I’d endured we’re worth it. As soon as they pulled him out I cried in disbelief and started shouting “My baby! My baby!” I’ve never been so happy in all my life. Hang in there, y’all. Birth will teach you something about yourself. It tought me that I can do ANYTHING.

This picture doesn’t even describe the joy and gratitude to God I felt...

His dad holding him for the first time 💕

Welcome Elijah Christopher! 6lbs 12oz and 21 inches of pure joy!

He loves Mommy’s boobies! Even though he bites them 😓 #learningcurve