First time mom both story (positive, Unmedicated )

Baby due date was 8/07 , but everyone thought baby was going to be a late arrival lol

On 7/31 I started to experience cramping and light contractions that was associated with some pink discharge . The cramping was kind of inconstant, so I originally put it off as false labor because it never picked up. That was a roughish night of sleeping . I got woken up in the middle of the night 3-4 times from a contraction , but the pain was bearable . Again the contractions weren’t following any kind of pattern , so I still assumed early or fake labor still… mind you this is my first full term pregnancy so I had no idea what to expect !!

The next day 8/01 my husband went to work and I had the intense urge to just rest so I laid in bed pretty much all day , tried to do some of babies laundry, and was watching documentaries . My cramping has actually subsided quite significantly from the night before !! I felt

So disappointed like “wow so all the contractions yesterday weren’t real?!”

They came back around 9am, then subsided around 12pm and pretty much stopped . I called labor and delivery around 2pm, and they said I could come in to get checked but they didn’t seem too adamant about it .. plus hubby wasn’t home and I wasn’t going alone

Around 6pm hubby returned with some lunch , I ate , and tried to relax , but contractions were coming back , but still not as strong as the day prior

Around 9pm texted my mom “This is for sure one of the most painful things I've been through “ Here’s the funny part .. at this point because they hadn’t followed any type of pattern, I was CERTAIN that my pain was a mix of early labor and indigestion / gastritis . I had been to the er before for gastritis pain, and the contractions I was feeling felt soooo similar to that .

I tried to sleep through the contractions but it was impossible . I spent time on my pregnancy ball, and walking back and forth in the room. At this point I’m still dealing with all the pain by myself because again.. was convinced this was indigestion . Made myself some peppermint / chamomile tea , and tried to lay down. Things were getting so intense, and my husband suggested we go to the hospital just to see what was going on ..

Mind you one of the things stopping me from going was that I didn’t want to get sent home , but I also expressed to my mom that I had read stories were first time moms waited , then went into the hospital and were already 9cm !! ( see text pics for giggles , because that’s exactly what happened )

So on hubbys advice we drive to hospital. Pain was like a 7.5 out of ten.

Once we got there I went to triage, and they cheeked me .. while I was waiting to hear disappointing news and get home , the nurses told me “get the room ready, yea she’s being admitted tonight “ They told me I was already DILATED at 9cm AND 100% effaced and had a bulging bag !! (my water bag was bulging through my cervix , but hadn’t popped yet)

I was like .. wait … so I’m staying ? And the nurse responded “yes your having this baby tonight “ . Called my doula , and got sent to the labor room.

This is when things got intense.. maybe because now that my mind was catching up with my body and knew we were in labor , I couldn’t put the earlier pain off as something else. My husband was my rock in all this , holding me , swaying , reminding me to breath , and just all around comforting !

I spent 3 hours trying to allow my waters to break on their own, but the pain was becoming unbearable . I had been silent almost the whole time, but was now literally groaning and starting to get vocal about the contractions , and doubting my ability to do it .

When the doctor was able to come I asked her about risks vs benefits about breaking the water bag. They explained both, and I decided to let them break it based on them saying as soon as it’s broken I could start pushing .

After they broke my water bag I tried pushing on my hands and knees but it just wasn’t working for me as I kept getting leg cramps / Charlie horse cramps so I asked to try the stirrups and push on my back.

Within 45 minutes baby boy was here weighing 8lbs 7oz!!!! 2nd degree tear .

Honestly , pushing and labor didn’t hurt much as I thought it would !! The contractions were way worse , for me .

Baby had risk of shoulder dystocia. It was hooking under my pelvis , so the doctors had to get really physical opening my vagina wider and guiding him out . I think that’s why I tore . Wasn’t able to get extended chord clamping delay , because there was a risk of hemorrhage for me .

I actually lost quite a bit of blood and was having tachycardia in the hospital for the whole next day . That was the only bad side effect .. and passing HUGE blood clots (like the size of a fist )

All in all, it was a pretty great birth experience and I’m very proud of myself for being able to push through!!!

I’m so in love with being a mommy