My daughter came on 01/08/2020. Two days before her due date. 8 pounds & 1 oz.

2 AM: Woke up and could not sleep for some reason. Finally went back to sleep at 6:30 AM.

7 AM : Woke up to a strong contraction just as my husband came home from his graveyard shift. Got up to use the bathroom and had my bloody show. Contractions were pretty consistent 3-5 minutes apart from that point on.

9 AM : Contractions were still consistent. I had my 39 weeks appointment scheduled for 10:30 am that morning also. I called my doctor and was advised to head to L&D instead

10 AM : I’m 4 centimeters and fully effaced. I was admitted right away , yay!

From there on I lost track of time lol. I progressed to 6 cm in the next 2 hours. Then to 6 cm and 8 cm. I was stuck at 9 and a half centimeters for what felt like the longest time. My nurse would not let me push. Holding back the urge to push was more painful then the contractions itself.

I couldn’t hold back anymore at this point. My water was still intact and my doctor was in the next room delivering. I was in pain and could not hold it back anymore so I pushed with one of the contractions and my water broke. Just as my water broke the nurses changed shift. My next nurse felt I would be able to push if she helped push the last bit of cervix aside.

Finally it was time to push! 20 minutes later (7:43 pm) I had my daughter without an epidural. I was quite the entire time I was laboring up until that last push. I felt my labia tear and screamed my lungs out.

The real scare came when it was time to use the bathroom postpartum. The last time I had food was the night before. I labored on an empty stomach and I was dehydrated. I sat on the toilet. Couldn’t empty my bladder so the nurse said we’ll try later. Right as I got up from the toilet I felt extremely light headed and my hearing was going out. A few seconds later, 4-5 nurses came running in. They sat me down and gave me a whiff of ammonia. Boy did that choke the breath out of me and wake me up!

Postpartum recovery was very difficult the first week. It was hard to walk and let alone sit. That first bowel movement postpartum was probably the most difficult poop I’ve had my entire life. Everything is swollen and sore down there!

Right after birth I told myself never again. Now replay my birth experience and I’ll do it all over!