I wasn’t going to post my story (thought it would take too long), but I figured this may be a source of inspiration or support for someone so here it goes.

11/13 (Tuesday) - I went for my scheduled appointment on my due date with zero signs of labor. I had not been checked for dilation at any point, so I had no idea where I stood. However, when I got home, I lost a huge portion of my plug, and kept losing it through the following day as well. I was shocked by how much there was!

11/15 (Thursday - 40+2) - I had been feeling period like cramps throughout the day, but nothing serious. I had spent the last few weeks taking EPO, drinking raspberry leaf tea, eating dates, having sex, bouncing on the ball, the whole 9...haha. That night my mom, my husband and I went for a walk to try and get my mind off things and as soon as I got home around 7:30pm, things started to feel different. At about 8:30pm I started to feel different, but took a shower and layed down to try and get some sleep...my midwife had told me to ignore the first contractions and keep busy. I layed down around 10:30pm, and the contractions were hard to ignore, but not super intense. As a FTM though I was worried about timing and started noticing they were getting closer and closer together.

11/16 (Friday - 40+3) - at about 12:30am, contractions were less than 4 minutes apart, but I was still in bed. I decided if they were like that for more than an hour, I’d wake my husband. At 1:30am I woke him up and moved to the living room to move around on my ball. I also started a breathing routine (breathing for four counts in, and breathing for four counts out). They stayed consistent, but not super intense. I had some softer stools and definitely felt like by body was trying to empty out. I called my midwife at 4:30am, and she told me to meet her at birth center at 8:00am for a dilation check.

When we arrived at 8, contractions were still consistent and she told me I was 4-5cm dilated. She sent me to walk around and have some breakfast, and asked me to come back 2 hours later. At 10:30am, contractions were getting stronger, but I hadn’t dilated any further, so she told me to go home try and get some rest and to keep her updated. We were home a few hours, and concerned about Friday afternoon traffic, so we asked to meet her back at the center and arrived at 4:45pm.

When we arrived, she told me she wasn’t going to check dilation immediately, and that we were going to do some work and that she’d check me at 8. In hindsight I’m glad this was the case so I wouldn’t feel defeated or discouraged. She had me walk around the building, up and down stairs while lunging, squatting, moving and bouncing on the ball, etc. I tried to remain hydrated and had some small foods. At 7:30pm or so, without warning, I threw EVERYTHING up. She then checked me, and I was 7-8cm and she told me I was ready to get into the water.

I presume I must have gotten into the water around 8:00 or so. It was SO relaxing that I was falling sleep in the water between contractions. My doula was pouring water over my shoulders and my husband was holding my hand firmly. It was dim with candles and had some relaxing music playing. Around 10:30pm, my water finally broke! It felt like such a relief. My husband says he saw the bag come out, but I couldn’t see it. A short while after I moved to the squatting position and started to push during contractions. The contractions were incredibly strong, but my breathing helped.

I pushed for an hour and 20 minutes. The ring of Fire was no joke, but it was incredibly brief. At 12:13 on Saturday 11/17, my little girl was born. I pulled her out of the water myself and my husband and I cried like babies! She weighed 9lbs 3oz.

My LO layed on me until her cord stopped pulsating and my husband cut her cord. Her than layed with her skin to skin on the bed while I pushed the placenta out. It was uncomfortable, but not painful compared to pushing out Baby. I had quite some large clots, so they gave me a shot of pitocin in my thigh.

I then moved to the bed with my husband, and they stitched me up as I had some first degree tears and my LO nurses immediately for over an hour! My birth team made me a spinach omelet and it was the best thing ever 😂 after all vitals were checked and paperwork was completed, were headed home at 4:30am with our perfect baby.

My suggestions;

-Move as much as you can in labor

- start a breathing routine early on

- try and relax, it will happen much quicker

- know that recovery is difficult, and accept all help from others

- get a Boppy or donut to sit on

- get a Sitz bath (use Epsom salt, lavender oil, camomile oil, olive oil, and witch hazel)

- make padsicles ahead of time (with aloe, witch hazel, and lavender oil)

- a peri bottle is amazing when using the bathroom (the mom washer is my fave)

- you’ll probably need a stool softener because those first poops will be scary!

- make things easy...keep Baby in sleepers with zippers, and keep some diapers and wipes in your room so you’re not moving around too much