UPDATE:

Today is April 24th, a Sun. and I'm 39.2. On Friday I was trying to naturally induce labor so I did about 30 minutes of power walking and 40 minutes of spinning on my gym ball. Yesterday me and my SO had intercourse and I propped up my pelvis with pillows underneath for 10 min. I opted out of the membrane sweeping until 40 weeks (because I wanna see what my body does on its own). So last night I had what seemed to be like menstrual like cramps all night. To be honest, I just felt really gassy. Lol. Then today my midwife asked to check me so she recommended I power walked for 20 minutes with 10 squats (squatting for 45 sec. Each) before and after. I went in and I'm dilated to about a 2 and a half. She also said I was having a contraction when she checked me which I could feel the mild menstrual like pain. She recommended more power walking, squats and sex ;) so after that I've had sex, and did a little walking and contractions (when they come) seem to be more intense, but nothing is steady so its been hard for me to time them. Oh and BH like CRAZY!! So the point is I hope something happens tonight, I will definitely keep updating as it happens :) oh and has anyone experienced the painful part in the lower abdomen without being in actually labor? Just kind of in denial. Lol. :)

Labor was indeed imminent when i posted this. At 12:00 am, Monday April 25th, contractions started coming 5 minutes apart lasting 45 seconds and for over an hour and I could no longer sleep through them. I went in to triage and my midwife sent me home because I was only dilated to a 3. Came home, got in the bath for about an hour, took a benadryl and tried to sleep. I slept until 8:30 and my midwife asked to see me to sweep my membranes and check me, she said I was dilated to a 4, and told me to go home and try and get some sleep, no benedryl this time :) I got home at around 9:30 ate and feel asleep around 10:30. I woke up at 11:45 and as I was standing up, a contraction hit and my water broke. Contractions were coming 3 minutes apart and lasting about 45 seconds. I texted my midwife and she said to go ahead and go to triage and she'd meet me there. The rushes (contractions) weren't too bad, just intense. I made it up to the hospital, they knew I was coming in and still didn't have a room ready. Lol. So I was laboring in the lobby and needed to pee. I went to the restroom and my midwife checked me, I was dilated to a 5/6, she said. My doula showed up and I started feeling nauseous. They brought a trash can over and I threw up everything I had in me. My midwife told them if they didn't get a room, we were about to deliver in the lobby. Lol. They rushed us to a room and I was able to get in the shower, which really helped. My doula brought in a birthing ball on a stool that I used to sit on and my SO sprayed the water down my back and through contractions he put pressure on my tailbone (which was really relieving.) My midwife checked me in the shower and stated I was at a 8/9. The only thing that helped at this point was my breathing. Taking long deep breaths in and letting them out slowly, I overcame each rush and the pain was almost unbearable. During the transition phase I yelled out that I couldn't do it, then my doula said "Amanda, look at me. Do you really believe you can't do it? Because I believe you can." After that something snapped in me and each rush wasn't as bad. I finally told them I feel like I need to poop, and my midwife said that the hospital isn't equipped to deliver a baby in the shower so I needed to get out. As I walked out of the shower room, the nurse stated I need to get on the bed and I nearly cried out that I didn't want to!! :( my midwife said that I could do hands and knees on the bed, which was the best position. I felt the urge to push through my rushes at this point and with the ok from my midwife, every breath out I was pushing and moaning (like a wild animal). The nurse needed to monitor the baby so my midwife asked if I could lay on my side in between contractions. And I did until I couldn't get back on my hands and knees because she was coming. One nurse grabbed my left leg and held it up while I was laying on my right side and pushing through my rushes. Each break I got I got the chance to look up at my SO who couldn't stop crying. First and last time I've ever seen him cry, lol. Each rush she got closer and closer to being out and about 6 or 7 rushes later, Alayna Danielle Ward was born at 2:25pm. I knew that something would come of it when I posted the early labor post the day before. It was as natural as it could get with the help of my midwife, doula, and SO. I was very grateful to be given the chance to do things the way that I wanted and be as in control as I could. Alayna weighed 7lb 5oz and was 20 in. Long. I was 39.3 weeks when she came out and she tore me a little but to be honest I didn't even feel it compared to the ring of fire you feel when she was coming out :) I was up walking around within a an hour a half and she is the most perfect thing I have ever seen.