The day before my scheduled induction (which was scheduled at 46 weeks and 6 days) I started to have what I perceived to be contrations. I'm a first time mom so I didn't know what to expect. They felt like a wave of menstrual cramps and came every 10 minutes. A few hours later they were coming every 4 to 6 minutes. This lasted all night. By the morning they increased to every 8 minutes. I was so concerned I wasn't progressing (and still a bit in denial I was in labor). I had my doula come to give emotional support. My husband was also took off work to support me. The whole time I kept thinking contractions would feel unbearable, particularly once I reached the active phase of labor, but I was still managing just fine. My husband and I went into labor and delivery at our scheduled induction time that Friday evening, and when they checked men I was already 6 cm dilated. I was shocked. I spent the next 12 hours laboring. No meds, just the support of my midwife, nurse, doulas and husband. Never had I experienced such a grueling, intensive, transformative experience as labor and birth. By far, the most challenging part was the pushing. I didn't feel the urge to push, despite not being under the influence of meds, so I had to rely on touching my belly to feel for contractions. After 3 hour of pushing and being at my wits end, the head finally emerged. The "ring of fire" you hear of the head emerging from the vagina is real! I've never experienced a pain quite like that. Once the head came out, the rest of his body shot out. I still can't believe I was able to endure such an intense experience and labor and birth, and that my body was able to perform to such a capacity. What a life changing experience!