It was the day before my due date and I was convinced that she still wasn't ready to come meet us, especially since the day before I was checked--4cm and 50% effaced. Mina was also in a ROT position, which meant still not in optimal positioning...so I thought maybe another week or even a few more days...Well, I was wrong!

I had been feeling more Braxton hicks contractions than usual, but I didn't think much of it. We went to bed around 11 and even though I kept getting contractions--I was able to sleep through them...that was until about 1AM and I just couldn't lay there anymore. I went and started a bath, then started timing my contractions..they were about 3 minutes apart...so I timed them for an hour to make sure that this was the real deal (I was in denial!) throughout this time I also started having A LOT of discharge--so around 2 am, they were starting to get closer and I decided to wake up the husband. I told him I "thought" I was in labor and that he could go back to sleep if he wanted...LOL. Good thing he didn't listen to me! I called labor and delivery and told them that I was having contractions about 2-3 minutes apart..they asked me "how uncomfortable" they were-- I told her "they're kind of uncomfortable.." and to be honest, I imagined REAL labor contractions to be much worse than these were..hah! So I guess she didn't think I was that far into labor and she told us to "take our time, take a shower, head to labor and delivery--no rush! "🙄 

So here is when things got REAL...as soon as I hang up, I feel a wave of nausea hit me. Apparently this is common during transition phase of labor...you know, the very last stage of labor. No big deal. So I hop in the shower, have a few contractions, get dressed, have a few contractions and then finally make it into the car! And we are off! The hospital is about 20 minutes away, but I don't really remember too much of the car ride anyway. I do remember us getting to the parking deck and cursing those damn speed bumps. 

Here's the funny part of us getting to the hospital--I had planned to "fix up" our room to make it more comfortable during labor..so we have ALL of these things packed (Tibetan prayer flags, essential oil diffuser, yoga mat, pillows) and DH had packed his camping gear to sleep on in the hospital. So here we are--me waddling through the sky bridge in pain, and husband carrying two backpacks, my rolling suitcase, pillows and a yoga mat under his arms. We accidentally pass the elevators (we hadn't entered through the parking garage before) and as soon as we turn back around BOOM, my water breaks. Now, according to everything I read--your water breaking could just be a trickle, not like in the movies where it's "over dramatic" and gushes everywhere..HAH. Nope. Mine exploded. All over me. All over the carpet in the mezzanine...super dramatic..like in the movies! 

So we make it to the elevator, I waddle my way over to labor and delivery to check in and my contractions have officially kicked up a notch by this point. I remember one of the nurses asking if I needed a wheel chair and I refused...no way I could sit down during these contractions. I guess this made them think I wasn't that far into labor...so they send me to triage..and as soon as the lady checks me she has an "oh shit" face and realizes that I'm about to have this baby SOON. I'm complete. No cervix! So off I go into some room, not the nice labor and delivery room I toured--but some room they wheeled my bed into. Once I got in this room I start to feel really pushy. Keep in mind, we've only been at the hospital for about 10 minutes at this point--the doctor isn't even there yet and I get to the point where my body tells me I just have to start pushing, and sometime in there, the on call Doctor comes in and I just remember hearing her say "glad I'm only 15 minutes away!" and a few minutes later and a loud "I WAS F'N MADE FOR THIS" later, my Mina Josephine was here! And she is perfect! 8lbs, 5oz and 20 inches! 

So basically, I labored (what I count) probably about 2 hours and pushed a total of 15 minutes....

Since she came so fast, I did have a 2nd degree tear--but honestly it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I even had a small anterior tear (upward) but I didn't need stitches and its been healing nicely on its own. I would do it over and over again, just to see my girls beautiful face everyday ❤️