At around 36 weeks I started having slight cramping everyday, I had had a routine OBGYN appointment and notified my doctor and he said it was normal and nothing to worry about since I was basically full term. On August 25th around 2pm the cramping started getting more intense, I was at work and would have to take a seat to get through them, I timed them (because why not) they occurred every 15-20mins and lasted 30secs. But I still never thought much of it, I’m a first time mom and my due date was September 13th, so this has to just be those Braxton Hicks contractions everyone is always talking about right? .... WRONG !

Contractions stayed pretty consistent for the next few hours, I attended my brothers football game and then went out to dinner but by that time everything had stopped and I didn’t begin feeling contractions again until 10:30p/11p as I was going to sleep. Again, I timed them they were about 7minutes apart at the time and more painful than before however me being me I forced myself to bed as I had work the next morning. Around 1am I was awaken by a small gush, I got up and went to the bathroom and then went back to lay down but again I felt a gush and at this point I woke up my boyfriend and called the hospital. After what seemed like forever on the phone the hospital finally told me to come in and at this point the pain was about a 6. I had to push through the pain(not literally) and pack my hospital bag(which I had planned to do the next day) and we rushed to the hospital.. thank goodness it’s only 8mins away. Once at the hospital we were forced to wait downstairs for the L&D staff to come get us for about 20mins and at this point I’m yelling through contracts. By the time we’re in the room it’s about 2:15a I’m checked and told I’m dilated to a 7... still yelling through the contractions they were able to put an IV in my hand but about 10mins later I was feeling so much pressure and was moving around from the pain so much the IV came out, blood everywhere and no time to get another one put in because IT.WAS.TIME! Nurses rushed to get everything set up and the Midwife came in only a few pushes and a total of 4mins and my sweet little baby girl was born at exactly 37weeks.

I had a 4 degree tear and had to be stitched up with absolutely no pain medication... I FELT EVERYTHING! I couldn’t believe I did gave birth completely natural (as I said through my whole pregnancy I would get all the pain meds I could and an epidural) it’s amazing what a women’s body has the absolutely ility to do.

Baby girl was small but healthy and we were able to go home the next evening.

Aziyla Briel S. born at 2:43a weighing 5lbs 12oz and measuring at 18.5in

She’s now 3.5 months 😍