Giving birth during a world pandemic... I honestly never was scared until it happened. I went into delivery cocky and excited. It was going to be just like Temperance’s (my youngest) 36 week delivery. Nothing bad would happen but it did. After about an hour or two on pitocin we found meconium in my fluid, Jewels pooped inside, ok no big deal it would be fine. As the night progressed she just was not a very responsive baby, heart rate didnt have accelerations and she was starting to have dips in her heart rate during contractions. Played up and down with the pitocin to keep her as happy as possible. Managed to get a bit of sleep to wake up in some of the worst pain possible, almost not able to handle contractions, how had it happened like that so quickly?! I worked through it for so long but finally around 7 am I just couldn’t handle the pain anymore, I was in transition, 6 cm and the contractions were just unbearable. I chose to get IV pain meds, THANK GOD. I was able to sleep, they only lasted about 35 minutes before I started feeling the pain a bit again, 45 minutes in I wanted another dose but had to wait 15 more minutes, contractions only 2 minutes apart so I was just counting down after each one, only x many more till relief. Second dose came, I decided that I was going to be in labor for a while longer so I wanted an epidural I couldn’t do another 12 hours in this much pain, they had to give me more fluids because my blood pressure was low and Jewels was still kinda lazy. It was going to be 30 minutes at least, then the OB and her medical student assistant came in because I was becoming very vocal and pushy during the contractions, they hurt so badly compared to Tempy or Thaddeus so they check me and I was complete but I had a cervical lip AND she was sunny side up.... explains the extreme pain right there. So the OB reached in (ohmyfuckinggoooddddd painful) and got rid of the lip as well as flipped her so I could push, I didn’t think I could do it. Finally I managed to push, I felt the extreme amount of pressure for the first time they call the ring of fire, yea thats an understatement my god!! They said she’s almost here I was in disbelief, I asked to feel her head, and there it was. Just about to crown. I have never experienced that, it was so surreal and a massive push to get her out! The next push I got her head out feeling the entire stretching as she slowly slid out was so intense. The next push and she was out! The set her right on my chest, she was brown, not breathing(Matt later told me all the fluid was a very dark brown color, it was terrifying because he thought we managed to loose her given the color of my water and her color) after just a few seconds that felt like an eternity she started to let out a few cries and pink up almost immediately. She pooped all over me again, and again twice. It was finally over. Thank god. She was looking better and better after every minute, so sleepy, we couldn’t really get her to stay awake, they assumed it was just the trauma of her birth. They then decided to start doing bloodwork where we found the infection, the nurse played it off that the infection wasn’t all that bad, when I asked if she may have to be flown out to a hospital with NICU3 hrs away; she said I don’t think she will but it is a big possibility, thats when the fear sunk in. Today they told me yea it was pretty darn bad so all I have to say is thank god shes ok. I am so thankful she is here and safe. No one 36 weeker to the next is going to be the same. Julianna was so bad off to begin with, but thank god shes ok now. I will never take this experience lightly.