When I gave birth to my first child, I had a really hard time telling I was in labor. I walked around for weeks contracting and dilating. I knew I was having cramps, but my menstrual cramps are usually really painful and these weren’t any worse. I just assumed I was having Braxton Hicks and let it be.

I made it to my 39 week appointment hoping I was even just a little dilated, and I ended up being 5 cm. They sent me straight to the hospital! I had an epidural fully expecting the pain to get much worse very quickly. Once I got the epidural, I couldn’t feel much of anything. I could still feel my legs, but I couldn’t feel when I was contracting. I already had a hard enough time telling I was contracting or not pre epidural.

When it came time to push, I struggled because I couldn’t feel myself pushing. I had no idea if I was pushing or just holding my breath. I have asthma, so at one point I coughed pretty hard trying to catch my breath. Suddenly, I heard my OB pipe up “do that again!!”

“Do what???”

“Cough!!”

I did, and out came my daughter’s head. My OB was ecstatic, and he told me she was almost here and to cough more. I legitimately thought he was joking, so I laughed kind of nervously. And there was baby!

From start to finish, I was in actively pushing for 5 minutes and baby was born. Has anyone else ever laughed/coughed out a baby? I’ve never heard of it, and I’m concerned labor with my second will be so much harder!