I woke up Sunday morning 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant with the doctors words still ringing in my ears: “If you haven’t gone into labor by Monday we are going to start talking induction.” As a first-time-mom the wait was hard enough then for an ObGyn to put a time table on spontaneous labor!? In addition I planned to labor “naturally” or without pain medication. I was doing everything I could think of to start contracting; walking, cleaning the house, vacuuming, even eating spicy food (BAD idea!). I honestly think none of them helped, my body started when it was time.

At 8 AM Sunday morning I sat on the couch to watch some Netflix and resign myself to being pregnant forever when the impossible happened. I contracted, I think. Of course Hubs had work this particular weekend so I was alone trying to figure out if I was contacting. I decided resting was a good way to tell, so I watched my TV show and waited. Roughly five minute after my first “contraction” another one hit. Que my water breaking, the baby coming, and the glorious end to my pregnancy…or at least that’s what I though. NOPE! *Newsflash Hollywood lies about labor and delivery*

By 10 AM I knew I was in labor. I texted Hubs and asked him to head home when he could; he was over an hour away. Hubs arrived at 1 PM and we went for a walk. The contractions were no 1 minute long and coming ever 5 minutes but the pain was tolerable. I started swaying my hips while resting on my hands and knees to help relieve my back labor and potentially flip Destructo from face up to face down. I took a shower to try and relax hoping that would increase the contraction’s intensity because at this point each one was still manageable. Hubs and I ate dinner and watched some TV and around 6 PM I called the ObGyn to let them know I was laboring. My Ob listened to me through a contraction and suggested I call back in an hour. So at 7 we packed the car, ate some more, and called to Ob to let them know  I wanted to come in.

We arrived to a completely empty Labor and Delivery hall which meant I went straight to my delivery room (yeah No Triage!) When my nurse checked me in I could tell she didn’t think I was in labor; apparently if a women isn’t screaming and cursing she isn’t in labor. She took my vitals and watched me labor for about 15 minutes before she offered to check me. She looked over my gown with a huge smile and told me I was 6 cms. YEAH!!!

I labored for the next 5 hours between the bed and the shower. Hubs and I watched the Super Bowl and Grey’s Anatomy. I texted my brother and friends between contractions and walked the hallway a few times. I was checked every hour for progress and fetal monitoring. Around 3 AM in the morning I entered “transition”.

A friend warned me about transition. She told me it would be the worst part and I would want to give up but that also meant it was almost over. My contractions were now 90 seconds long and coming ever 1-2 minutes. I remember telling Hubs that I now understood why women ask for pain medication but I had my friends words ringing in my ears; I knew we were almost done! By 4 AM I was done being pregnant and DONE being in labor! My sweet nurse came in for the hourly check, and said the last thing I wanted to hear, “you are almost at 10 cms.” ALMOST!? She offered to rupture my membrane to encourage dilation and I agreed, although in hindsight I wish I hadn’t (Destructo most likely would have been born in her membrane!) Almost doesn’t count in labor and it sure as hell doesn’t count for pushing. She then told me I would be pushing “soon” and to hit the call button when I “felt the urge”; then she left the room.

At 4:02 a contraction hit and I told Hubs to call her back into the room. I didn’t care what my cervix was measuring I was pushing this baby out! I never felt the “urge to push” but I pushed anyway. I focused so hard on pushing that I couldn’t feel the contractions anymore. I pushed so hard my legs started to cramp up, and every time I pushed the ObGyn would say “almost”. Almost became my least favorite word in the English language. It was quickly replaced with “crowning” because apparently a baby can be “crowing” for 90% of the pushing phase! It didn’t matter through because I was done and this baby was coming out! At 4:43 AM my little Destrcuto was laid on my belly.

All told I labored for 20 hours and pushed for 45 minutes. I was thrilled I started labor naturally and managed my pain without medical intervention. She was bright eyed and so alert it made everything worth it in the end.

This month I celebrated Destructo’s Third Birthday! It is mind blowing how quickly the time passes!