I wasn’t going to post this because I figured really who would want to read it, but then I realized how many other mama’s stories I read on this app while pregnant and how helpful they were so I wanted to share mine too to hopefully help out someone else(:

This is my second baby, but my first is almost 7, so it’s been a little while! I was due on May 30th, but was scheduled to be induced on the 23rd at 39 weeks for personal reasons. Well little man had other plans and decided to come on his own at 38 weeks on the 16th!!

I started slightly dilating back at week 34 and was 1cm. We were concerned about preterm labor so I was put on restrictions until 36weeks. At my 37 week appt I was dilated to a 3. Over the weekend I had almost constant Braxton Hicks contractions but they weren’t regular or painful. I took my dogs on long walks all weekend, took EPO orally (this I started back at week 36), bounced on an exercise ball, did nipple stimulation, and had sex with the hubby every night! At my 38 week appt on Tuesday, May 15th I was dilated to a 4 and my doc stripped my membranes around 11am. He told me if my contractions got regular at all or began to feel painful to come in ASAP because my labor was going to go fast. I continued to go on walks, bounce on the ball, and that night my hubs and I had sex again. About 1:30am Wednesday morning I woke up and my contractions were mildly painful and seemingly somewhat more regular, I guessed they were coming every 7-10 mins and lasting about 30 seconds. I went in to labor and delivery and they hooked me up to the monitors and I was actually contracting every 2-4 mins and they were lasting 1 min! Even though they still weren’t super painful, but I could tell they were getting more uncomfortable. At around 7:30am my doc came in to check me and I was at a 5! By 8:30am I had an epidural in and by 9:30am my doc broke my water. After the epidural was put in my contractions went down to every 4-5 mins so they started a low dose of pitocin. My contractions started to get incredibly frequent and painful and I was feeling everything on the left side because my epidural was only working on the right. My nurse called anesthesia to come fix my epidural but then she checked me and said there was no time because I was ready to push! I started bawling because I didn’t think I could handle it with only half an epidural. Doc came in and I pushed for TEN MINUTES and my baby boy made his arrival at 12:39pm! He was 7lbs 3oz, and 21 inches long! He was also in a posterior position and made a complete 180 while I was pushing to come out in the anterior position (my doc said some women even have to have a c section when their baby is in that position so I was very happy he turned and cooperated!!) Even with my quick 10min delivery I only had “skid mark” tearing and didn’t need any stitches! (I had to have an episiotomy with my first) I also got to reach down once his shoulders were out and help deliver my own baby😍 Everything went absolutely perfect and I wouldn’t change a single thing (even my half epidural)

Praying for safe and healthy deliveries for all of you mamas who are still waiting for their little May babies to arrive!