At 38 weeks (9/2) I had an appointment with my OB. While sitting there I heard a strange pop come from right above my left hip (baby was on the left side), it sounded like a ballon popping under a blanket or something. I thought that was strange but really never gave it a second thought. Hindsight, that was my water breaking! But my son must have sealed the hole because the water did not come out then. The OB checkede and I was at 3cm which was a suprise to me since I had only had mild BH that were few and far between. 

That night (well early morning) at 2:30 I started having bad cramps (like period cramps) and I got up to go to the bathroom. At that point I felt a small gush of fluid....maybe I peed myself I thought! 😅 Well since I was not due until 9/15 I wanted to be in denial do I went back to bed. More cramping....got up again and another gueh of fluid. So I tell my DH who is sound asleep "CRAP! I have to call L&D, my water just broke!" Since I was positive for strep B I was told when my water broke I needed to go in pretty quickly. So I took a shower, we got everything together and my contractions started coming on hard. From that point on they were no more than 2 min apart. I could not even track them...after a quick stent in triage I went to my labor room and got focused! At every point I knew where I was, I was able to tell the nurse that I was in transition and when she checked me sure enough I was at 9.5cm. I was on some variation of hands and knees the entire time. That's just what worked for me! I was able to tell the nurse/midwife when I was ready to push, I did have to move to a back/squat position to help get the baby under my pelvic bone. I then pushed for 4 hours.....at the end of that the midwife recommended an episiotomy which I declined at first. But after 20 min I went for it because I could feel the strength leaving my body. She gave me one tiny snip and Ethan came flying out! It scared all of us a little!! So I'm glad I did that....it was such a joy to meet my little guy. Made it all SOOO worth it. Unfortunately I stopped contracting entirely the second he was born and my placenta did not detach. Even after given several different things to try to get it out it would not budge and I started to bleed. So an hour after delivery they had to take me to the OR to have it removed. They gave me some spinal thing and went in vaginally. I lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion. Now that was scary! I was awake for the entire procedure, shaking really bad and there is nothing like listening to doctors talk about how you need blood and your blood pressure is too low....the Dr was able to extract the placenta (literally had a mans arm up my vagina to my rib area, YES LITERALLY) and I stopped bleeding. So it was unfortunate that after a 12 hour natural delivery this happened but me and the baby are both healthy and that's all that matters. I was able to meet back up with my husband and baby right when I got out of the OR. My poor husband had to sit there skin to skin with our baby ALONE in the labor room with my blood everywhere....he was terrified! Here is are some pics: 

Ethan Lee born 9/3 at 2:31pm, 8lbs 7oz, 20.5 inches long and just perfect!