At 40+3 I had my second membrane sweep. I was already 4cm and 70%. (I had been like that about a week).

I also had prodromal labor since about 37 weeks. (Always in the middle of the night too. Felt like bad period cramps). This is my second baby and with my first I barely felt any Braxton Hicks!

So anyway I get home from my appointment and not 30 minutes later contractions are coming at me hard. First 10 minutes apart, then 7, then 5, then 3. We get our on-call nanny over, I kiss my two year old goodbye, and we drive the ten minutes to the hospital. (I’m a VBAC so I needed to get there pronto).

They check me and I’m 5cm. Give me a Covid test, IV, gown, etc.

My plan for no epidural goes out the damn window. I’m about 7cm when I get it.

After the epidural, I relax on my side with a peanut ball and let little babe work her way down a little bit. At 9cm they break my water and again let her kinda work her way down. I started to feel everything again to they wanted to top me off before I started pushing which I gladly agreed to! Just enough so I could still push but wouldn’t be in so much pain. After exactly one hour of pushing Mallory was born! 8 lb 4 oz.

I had a second degree perineal tear but healing hasn’t been bad at all so far! I’m amazed at how much better I’ve felt in comparison to a c-section.

5 days old