So it's almost been a full day since my beautiful little girl made her arrival, I decided it's time to write my birth story while she's asleep snuggled beside me.

Tuesday, July 25, my baby girl was 2 days overdue and it looked like it was going to be a while longer still. 8pm rolls around and I start getting very irregular pains/contractions that continue and stop all night long. There's some blood in my urine so I contact her and let her know and we decide to check for a UTI the next morning. I'm finally able to get about 2 hours of interrupted sleep 😴 by morning time.

Wednesday July 26, I feel like death from lack of sleep and can barely make it through the morning. Irvine sample was positive for a UTI and I'm given medication which I take a dose of at 1pm. Still incredibly tired and uncomfortable, my nana leaves my place so I can rest. 3pm rolls around and I'm feeling HORRENDOUS. I decide a nap is my best bet and my bed is the place to be. I lay in bed and start to get even more uncomfortable as time goes on. By 5:30, I can't move an inch from bed because my backs is so cramped and BURNS. I call my midwife and tell her the antibiotics haven't kicked in, let her know my pain and ask her to meet me at the hospital for some pain relief. We meet around 6:30 and she's almost certain I've started contracting but waters haven't broken yet. She confers with the OB present for their hospital regulations and they decide to do a cervical exam. 10pm - they check my cervix and out gushes my water! Contractions start getting closer together but same intensity. They keep me overnight for observation because of the UTI.

Thursday July 27, I've laboured most of the day and there are no changes. Around 3pm my contractions are getting far more intense and my body gets so tired after two hours of horrendous back labor I can't make it to the washroom and back. We decide on an epidural. I continue to have contractions (which I can wonderfully no longer say we're horrendous!) but still no change in dilation. The day goes on long and after impatiently waiting I slowly dilate to 6cm around 6pm (yay!). By 8 pm my contractions have gotten longer apart, they check me again, and I'm back down to 4cm. I'm so heartbroken after all of my hard work. They start me on oxytocin in the hopes that I can dilate. I dilate up to 5cm

Friday July 28, by 12am I've dilated back to 6cm and we are hopeful! By 3am however I'm stuck at an iffy 7cm and there has been no more changes even with an increase of oxytocin. 4am rolls around and it's decided a cesarean is necessary as I've laboured steadily for 2 days (at least) with no end in sight. I was terrified and hubby was as well, but it had to be done. I had major shakes in my upper body from the drugs and hormones on top of the infections and the push to get the baby out did NOT feel good. I cried and whimpered while they told me to keep breathing (easier said than done when someone puts a huge amount of pressure on your diaphragm!). As soon as the baby is out they wail nice and loud and I can't help but cry at hearing her so soon, it's such a relief. They got our baby out and took her to get cleaned up, etc and hubby goes with them. He comes back out holding her and brings her to my chest, uncovers her, and shows/tells me it's a girl. And she is BEAUTIFUL, with darker blue eyes than his and a great set of dark locks! I'm still crying at this point while he holds her skin to skin with me because I am so overwhelmed with joy. IT WAS WORTH EVERY SECOND OF PAIN AND COMPLICATIONS!

Our little Luna Grace was born at 4:34am on July 28. It was the most terrifying, anxious, and most beautiful experience I have ever gone through. Hubby still falls asleep in the chair holding her and refuses to have the side of my bed up as he can't see me. I'm totally okay with it all 💕