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My (very quick for a FTM) birth story

HN • Tue, Jun 20

Wednesday, June 14 about 06:40 — 39 weeks exactly and had been dilated to 3 cm for a few days by this time. Before I began getting ready for my workday, I decided to try out rolling my hips on the exercise ball. I've heard about doing that from a few girlfriends who have sworn by it but I wasn't so sure since I had been bouncing for a couple days now with little sign of progression. Who would have known what was to come in the next few hours?? Almost immediately, I started to get a dull ache in the lower region of my abdomen. I got off of the ball and began getting ready for work.

Just before leaving for work at 07:30, the dull aches were coming back every 5-10 minutes. I had never felt a contraction before and figured this might be what I've heard so often of - false labor. Nonetheless, I made sure my boyfriend had his phone on him and on loud "JUST IN CASE." I went to work. Clocked in at 08:00 and realized the dull aches were turning into slightly less dull pains. By 08:40, I clocked out. Let my boyfriend know I was heading home so he ended up going home too after his first break at 09:30. He got home to me pacing around the living room at 10:00 because although still VERY manageable, I was getting uncomfortable and I knew for sure what was happing at this point! My contractions were about 30 seconds long with about 4-5 minutes in between. He knew it too, cause he immediately went and changed into the shirt he wears to ALL of our daughter's appointments! So cute.

The pain was really starting to set in shortly after, so I decided to take a shower and get ready for what was to come! Mid shower though, the contractions really stepped up and that is when I started to get vocal. The low moaning started. That was an oh shit moment for me so I got out and resumed timing my contractions. I was waiting on the 5-1-1 rule because I didn't want to be turned away when I showed up at the triage.

This is how I knew it was the real deal; IT WAS TIME to leave. Fuck the 5-1-1 rule, this was close enough!! Sure as shit, a contraction hit and I felt her head so deep in my cervix, I was afraid we weren't going to make it to the hospital.

I can't believe how calm my boyfriend was as he drove us (so calm, so cool-like) to the hospital. I don't think he really knew how fast this was happening, just like I didn't until I felt the awful urge to push on out way there. I held it together, I was NOT going to make a mess in my truck! 😂 As we pulled up (conveniently next to a wheel chair), I was a fucking wreck. I was crying so hard, these contractions were no joke!!

We were checked in at 11:49. They took me back to a room to check my cervix and my god, they couldn't have moved any slower through this! I kept telling them if I stand up, this baby is going to pop right out of me. Lol They should have listened. I had to go pee but wasn't able before we left and wasn't able at that moment either so they went ahead and just stuck their fingers up inside me to check. With barely any time to feel anything, she widened her eyes and immediately said, "This baby is coming, let's get her into a delivery room." I had so many emotions course through me at that moment. I was scared, but so relieved! My baby is coming! She's coming!

We got into the delivery room and I scoot onto the next bed. My ob was just upstairs, but it felt like time couldn't move any faster. I was miserable. My boyfriend held my hand so tight, tears swelling in his eyes. Finally my ob came in and got set up. The very first contraction after she broke my water, it was game time! I beared down and things started moving. Contraction stopped, small puffs, another reassuring look at my boyfriend, he looked so proud! Contraction started, BIG push. Contraction stopped, small puffs. I knew the next contraction was the one. Contraction started, I dug so deep inside of myself and pushed so hard, small puffs, and one more push!

12:09 (yes, 20 minutes from check in!) She was here! After a moment that lasted forever, she finally let out her cry. She was so beautiful. Just so much more perfect than I ever could have imagined! My boyfriend was such an amazing support for me, I fell so deeply in love with him all over again.

I held her against my breasts while my ob delivered my placenta. The placenta was the hard part. It wasn't detaching from my uterus, so she had to pull it out in sections. Wrist deep inside of my uterus pulling an organ out of me while I lay there unmedicated (they kept asking, I kept refusing lol). I didn't know how much my body was truly capable of until the day my daughter was born. I wouldn't have done it any other way either!

My sweet girl, Ellie Mae.

June 14, 7 lbs 13 oz, 20 inches.