I actually wrote my birth story about a month ago and accidentally hit the back button and lost it all, and I had spent too much time to rewrite it then. So here goes another attempt.

Im going to start off by saying im a labor and delivery nurse, and I had already set myself up for having the longest hardest labor because us l&d nurses usually end up having a bad experience.

I was diagnosed gestational diabetic at 28 weeks so started having twice weekly testing and afi ultrasounds. Also I consistently measured a couple weeks behind starting at 30 weeks with my fundal height. Other than having an anaphylactic reaction to a food at 6 weeks and almost dying, I had an uneventful pregnancy.

So I go in for my 36 week visit for cultures and NST. My baby always looked amazing and passed with flying colors but have to stay on monitor a minimum of 20 minutes. Of course the nurse in me watched the tracing and noticed I was consistently having contractions every 2-3 minutes. I did feel them but I described them as lower abdominal pressure and some tightening but nothing uncomfortable or painful. Fast forward to the end of my nst, my favorite midwife/ friend comes in to get cultures and check me for my baseline cervical exam and we both hope that I will at least be 1 or so, which would potentially lead to a less stressful induction process at 39 weeks since I would need you be induced due to insulin control at night for fasting numbers.

To our huge surprise I was 4cm and 80%effaced. Because I was still considered preterm, exactly 36 weeks, she advised that I go be monitored for a couple hours. BUT of course, my coworkers were actually throwing my shower that day at work. She said I could attend the shower and just hop on over to a bed once it was over.

So, during my baby shower im still having contractions, but now they are feeling like very mild menstrual cramps. I am able to enjoy it and eventually my coworkers insist I go get checked in because they can start to see my face change when I'm having one.

Got checked at appt around 1030, shower started at 11, got checked in around 1230. My favorite midwife who checked me actually made plans to deliver my baby whether she was actually on call or not. So she gets to hospital around 100. She rechecks, still a 4 but water is bulging so she wants me to go back to shower and enjoy it with the providers and wants to recheck in 2 hours. During this time, contractions get a little more intense but still would only rate 3/10. I was actually thinking I would go home. She comes back around 300, this time im 5cm. She said if I changed any at all she was admitting me. There was my admission order. Nurse practitioner for nicu wanted me to get a dose of steroids and because my cultures were just done,I needed to get antibiotics for my unknown gbs status before breaking my water. I tell midwife to go get dinner with her family and she can do all that once she gets back. Fast forward to 6pm, midwife returns, not quite time for second dose of antibiotics but none the less we decide to break water, I was 6-7cm when she checks before breaking water. Im ecstatic since im progressing on my own, no intervention and the contractions are so mild still. Im thinking is this seriously how labor feels, I could do this a hundred times. I know how my patients come feeling and I wasn't presenting that way so I didn't think I had progressed that far. I prepared myself for all hell to start once she broke water because I know it intensifies contractions. I get on the birthing ball, walk around, use the peanut ball. Contractions still mid level, maybe pain 5/10.

10pm rolls around, ive progressed to 9cm. Pain starts to intensify, but nothing I want pain relief for. But around 11,I start feeling pressure, so she checks, still 9, baby just a little lower. When she checks, I have a forebag of water (another bag that comes around the babies head) that breaks and it's a HUGE amount. After that... that's when then 20/10 pain began. I do not wish that pain on my worst enemy. I tried to tolerate it since I was so close to delivery, but I couldn't. They gave me a dose of fentanyl in my IV, but that was like putting water in my iv. 15 minutes after fentanyl dose, I'm begging for the epidural.

Epidural is placed close to midnight and oh sweet sweet relief. For 2 hours, I was in heaven. But then the pain came back with a vengeance and the pressure came with it. There's no way to explain that feeling. For 45 minutes I tolerated it because I knew the more I let my body push him down with contractions, the less I had to push. And first time moms can push forever, I didn't want to do that.

My sweet nurse knew by my expression that at around 245am she better find my midwife. She had just left to get a nap. She gets there at 3. She said I could start pushing. Started pushing at 302, and I felt every entire thing. I lost my control towards the end. Hated my coworkers seen that side of me. 37 minutes of pushing and my sweet little Kolton was born on 8/31/19 at 3:39am at 36weeks1day. He was perfect even tho I measured behind, at 6lbs6oz and 19 3/4in long. His first blood sugar was low, but after successfully breastfeeding for 45 minutes, the rest were perfect.

During recovery, I went to scratch my back, and realized the epidural catheter had come out, hence the reason I felt everything. However, I wouldn't change a thing and I'd do it all over again:)

We got to go home at 36 hours and life has been grand ever since. I love my new life!

Sorry for the long birth story, but I know I thoroughly enjoyed reading others while I was anxiously anticipating my little ones arrival.

Here's some pics to enjoy as well:)

My dad passed away 3 years ago, photographer added him in the photo:)

Now my chunky monkey is 7 weeks old and weighs 10lb10oz:)