Two days ago, I posted a TMI picture on here asking if what was on my panty liner seemed like normal discharge or the start of my mucus plug. I had not had much discharge during my pregnancy, let alone any with pink or brown color. I felt like I would leak a bunch of fluid every time I got up after sitting.

At 2:45 AM yesterday, I rolled over in bed and my water broke. If it has happened to you, it really is like the movies! Only a little bit got on the bed, a lot stayed in my underwear, and then most poured into the toilet after I sat down. I woke my husband up and let him know I was going to take a shower, but I wanted to head to the hospital since I had no sign of labor beforehand (I’m a FTM, I didn’t know if he would be inside okay with minimal water).

The hospital is 2 minutes away. We got there around 3:30 am and it turns out I was having contractions. No wonder my lower back was bothering me so much! The contractions were bearable at 2-4 minutes apart, but I was only 1 cm dilated. At 7:30 am, the doctor came in and ordered I start pitocin since my water was already broke. He asked if I wanted the epidural and I said I would wait to see how the contractions felt.

About an hour and a half in and the contraction pains were still bearable, but every time I had one, it felt like I had to poop and vomit at the same time. I was so nauseous and I couldn’t breathe through the contractions. What do you think I did? I asked for that epidural!

The nurses said they had to pump me up with fluids before the anesthesiologist could do the epidural so I went through about 45 more minutes of those awful poop vomit contractions (which is probably normal, but I didn’t know) before they came in with the epidural.

LET ME TELL YOU, the epidural was probably the most painful and scariest thing I have ever experienced! The numbing shot beforehand either didn’t work, or it would have been 10x worse without it. She stuck that needle in and I felt every bit of it! I screamed out in pain and I started crying so hard, I almost hyperventilated. She kept telling me to relax my shoulders more and roll forward, but it was so difficult with my huge belly and all the pain in my back. It took me a while to stop crying from it, but the relief was immediate. 10/10 would recommend for pain relief!

Around 1 pm, the doctor came in and said I was at 10 cm and ready to start pushing, even though I had no urge to do so. One nurse was in with my husband and me, so he held one leg while she held the other for a good hour or so while I pushed. She kept telling me to stop pushing on my feet and push on my bottom. It was hard to tell because of the epidural. She kept asking if I wanted her to turn it off! I said “No!”

Doctor came in at about an hour of pushing and kept telling me he’s right there, push harder, hold it, hold the air in, push and pull on your legs. It was so difficult for me to pull on my legs because my IV was attached to my right wrist and it had been giving me grief all day. So much pain when I used it.

After another half hour of pushing, he kept crowning, but he just wouldn’t pop out. Doctor asked for the vacuum and boy did I freak out! I started crying. I felt like I was failing my baby. But with my next push, he used it for a split second, my husband said, and Elijah’s head came out. The doctor asked me to stop pushing for a second and then continue. Soon after, I had a precious boy on my chest, I was crying my eyes out, he was crying a little bit, and my husband was crying!

All the nurses said he was so beautiful and they were impressed with all his hair! My husband cut the cord, the nurses cleaned him off right here in the room and dressed him and my husband got to hold him while they helped me clean my hands and change the pad on my chest.

The doctor ended up giving me an episiotomy (which is why he had me stop pushing for a second), which is a 2nd degree tear, but other than that, my blood pressure stayed around 125/70 and baby’s heart rate stayed 130-155 the entire time. The doctor said Elijah was a rockstar the entire time and didn’t seem unhappy.

He hardly cries, he looks exactly like his dad, and I’ve never seen someone so precious and cute!

My husband told me I did amazing and I “handled it like a champ.” He said he felt so bad for me when he watched the doctor cut me. 😔 Immediately after he was born, he started crying, kissed me and said “You did it! He’s here!” I have never loved him more than in that moment. ❤️ He has been so good with our son, he rocks him and stares at him in awe. 🥰😍🥺 He is so amazing! I just hope he keeps it up! 😂👌🏼

Elijah Michael,

July 16th, 2019,

3:19 PM,

7 pounds, 5 ounces,

19 1/2 inches long. 💙

Thank you for reading! (Sorry for any typos)