Birth story

October 27th, Due Date! This morning I had woken up with some period like cramps but had brushed them off. It didn’t hit me until 11 that I was having some dull contractions here and there. I started timing and they were about 10mins apart. I decided to walk around my neighborhood to see if they continued, bounced on my ball, sat on the couch then went in the bath tub. They weren’t too painful but they were still there. About 2pm and I am still having the contractions every 10 mins lasting 30 seconds and I knew I was in early labor. Around 3 is when they get closer together so around 5-7mins lasting for one min. I called my midwife she said it sounds like early labor and can stay home until I feel I need to come in.

Fast forward to 8:30 my contractions are now every 4 mins lasting 1 min and we decided to head to the hospital around 9:30

Once we got to the hospital it was crazy busy, they got us in a labor room but made it a triage room because the triage room was full. The nurse checked me and I was 3 cm dilated 90% effaced, her and the doc agreed to have me walk for an hour and then come back. Got checked again and was 4cm, she said to go walk around for another hour and come back. By this time my contractions were stopping me completely in my tracks. We went back to get checked and I was 5! They weren’t convinced I was in labor still but decided to admit me anyway. Since I wanted an unmedicated birth I had to wait for the house keepers to clean my room so she said to go walk some more by this time it was 1:15am she said to come back around 2. So I didn’t want to exactly walk because they were so painful. So I decided to sit in a chair and it was every other contraction that was SUPER painful. While breathing through one super painful contraction I was about to stand up and that’s when I heard a “pop” and then my water was all over the ground, seat and my legs. For some reason it really scared me and I started crying historically and I didn’t know what to do. We headed back to our floor. The room wasnt ready quite yet so I went back to my “triage room” I had my first contraction after my water broke on the birthing ball and it was so hard to control but it felt so comfortable to be on the birth ball. And bless me for having such a wondering boyfriend and my nurse helped me breathe through it. Jacob was being so wonderful through all of this and helping my back with applying pressure and just being there. Finally my delivery room was ready and they filled the birth tub so that’s the first thing I got in. I didn’t know how to control my contractions in the tub so I spent probably from 2:10 till about 2:20 in the tub because I couldn’t handle it. I went back on the ball and birthed there most the time. I had an urge to push and so my midwife had me get in the bed and check me. I was 8cm 100% at 3am. I decided to get on the birthing ball in the shower. That lasted probably like 10 mins. It was so painful and I literally had to push. I told them this baby is coming!! They rush me to the bed where I get on my hands and knees and with each contraction start pushing. I had to turn around due to his shoulder being stuck and so a bunch of nurses came in to help with that but at 3:33am my son Orion was born!! Weight 8lbs 2oz and 20 inches!!

We did skin to skin for about two and a half hours, and he latched on perfectly. We’ve been in love ever since.

The nurses and staff didn’t believe that I was in actual labor when I came in because of how well and happy I was handling my contractions. It’s honestly all about mind control and breathing through the contractions. And definitely having a great support system my midwife nurses and boyfriend kept telling me how wonderful I was doing and that I CAN do it. I’m beyond proud of myself for having natural labor, especially when all my family and friends told me I was crazy and that there’s always the option for an epidural.