FTM 8.5 hour labor 15 minutes of pushing! Honestly, I couldn't have dreamt for better nurses and my midwife was amazing! Helped me so much in trying to go all natural. My contractions started around 3 am and water broke at home around 4:45 am at home. I knew instantly that my contractions started to get slightly more intense so We rushed to the hospital and was admitted immediately. There were signs of meconium in my af but the nurses never made me worry one bit, his heart beat was strong! As my contractions increased they really helped me breath and relax but everyone's bodies different and my pain tolerance left shortly after reaching 7 cm. I asked about an epidural and they tried to convince me to stick with my birth plan which I really appreciated but knowing how much more was to come and knowing they would only get stronger, I found it a better option to be able to relax and let my body recover before delivery. The anesthesiologist came in shortly after and I had no doubt in my mind that this man was sent from heaven. My only method before was bending over the side of the bed and breathing in my nose out my mouth was now subsided to holding my fiancés  hands as he entered the local while going through a contraction. Sitting on the edge of the bed there was No way out of that one but just breathing and before I knew it I had a shock on my left leg so strong my reflexes gave him a pretty good sign that it was working. After he finished the epidural, I was laying back, he said what's your pain from 1-10 I said 3 and he came back with fentanyl and said you'll be texting in about 10 minutes😂. My pain went from a 10 to a 0 and I could only feel smaller contractions in my lower belly and rear. The nurses told me I was text book and that I made a great decision on progressing so far naturally and then allowing my body to take a break. The hard part was done! Then 30 minutes later I was putting on makeup, we were all laughing and dad poked my doctor in the forehead😳 ---he has this joke about a baby popping his head out of the mother. Asking if your my father. The dad says yes son it's me! And the baby pokes him in the head and asks how do you like it! I was mortified! I yelled to my dad just before the punchline "no dad poke me poke me!" But it was too late. Best part mid delivery, I apologized to my midwife and she said--- it's ok it was just his finger, not with what he was implying!!! Haha

Then about 3 hours after my epidural I started to feel pressure (no pain, baby was ready to meet the world!) the midwife came and checked me and what do you know! She could see hair! I had about 5 good intervals of pushing. 3-6 pushes in each and before the last one I was balling my eyes in the excitement knowing he would soon be in my arms! *tearing right now thinking about it*

After 15 minutes of pushing he was out but the nurses took him to check his lungs because of the meconium. The NICU was waiting in my room to take him... then we heard this tiny little screech and he was perfectly fine! 

He was then back in my arms and I haven't stopped looking at him since. It's our 4th day together and he eats sleeps and poops (much like me when I was a baby) 

He passed all his tests and we came home Friday! It was the best day of my life. 

Not to mention it was Inauguration Day! Then later that night me and my fiancé got married!