I had my 2nd baby in August but realized it is a fun story to tell so thought I would share here. My first baby was a pre term water break that resulted in pitocin injection. So I really never experienced natural labor or the last month of pregnancy (which sucked).

My 2nd little was born at 40w4d. At 37 weeks I started getting podromal labor that would last 1-2 days, then braxton hicks for 1-2 days then okay then repeat. Every time I got contractions the kiddo would scoot up into my ribs. They DID NOT want to come out. What is worse is they are a crazy kicker/wiggly baby. By 40wks I was done done done with getting kicked and going through contractions that didnt progress all the time. At 40w2d I felt a rare burst of energy and was able to weed my garden a bit (nesting), at 40w3d I did a "get out baby" dance with a drum with my toddler. At 40w4d I got a morning massage, got home and took a bath then took an hour nap. I woke up in some moisture but it wasnt a water break and started feeling ye old Braxton hicks. Then they got regular so I called a midwife at my birth center. They told me the timing wasnt where they like to see it but to take my time and come in just in case, get a lunch, etc...etc...then I started pacing with my contractions and I was kind of like "are these more intense than the last month? I cant tell!". Then my water broke when I leaned on the couch during a contraction. Because I had an early water break with #1 I figured I still had some time. I told my husband to wake the toddler from their nap and that I was going out to the car between contractions.

I made it into the car then had to push, shat myself and all. I felt something pressing but was in disbelief. The push was so sudden and not nearly as painful as I remembered from #1. So I crawled out of the car and leaned against the passenger seat when I had to push again, which is right when hubby came out with our toddler. He checked my underwear, only saw poop and got some tissues and wiped some away only to feel the baby crowning and me saying "I think I feel something". He went into crazy adrenalin mode, threw toddler into carseat strapped in, started clearing out the back of the car to toss me in when he peered back at me and saw baby from nose up. I pushed one more time and baby was out and hubby caught her before she hit pavement. I was cramping (pesky placenta) but called 911 and hubby called midwives. We were stuck with him against the wall of the house, umbilical from baby to me and me leaning against car. EMTs guided hubby with cutting the cord, dispatch was really unhelpful on the phone and midwives showed up just before EMTs carted me off and convinced me to finish labor on my couch. So I held my baby while I delivered my placenta on my couch and people made me dinner in my own kitchen. Highly recommend a home birth (but planned). Based on our phone call times labor was 40min.....🤯😬🥴