December 29th, 2022, we checked into Family Beginnings Birth Center. I was 12 days past my due date and we were going to try a few noninvasive induction methods. I checked into triage around 8:30 am. I was still dilated to about 1-2 cm and 50-70% effaced. We started with the foley balloon. This falls out around 3-4 cm.

We got into our room around 10:00 am - we got the princess room again (we had this same room with Hope - it’s the biggest room they have there). We walked the halls and pumped while the balloon was in. I was having what felt like Braxton Hicks contractions pretty consistently, but no pain with them. I went to the bathroom around 11:45 am and the balloon fell out, which means I was at least 3-4 cm. We continued the walking/pumping game until my midwife, Andrea, (who you’ll be familiar with if you’ve read my other birth stories) came to check my progress to see about possibly breaking my water. This was about 2:30 pm. I was still have BH contractions with lots of pressure, but not pain (which kind discouraged me…since it didn’t feel like real labor).

At this point, I was 5 cm 80-90% effaced. Which was great news in my mind. Real progress and no pain yet (AND I was definitely staying and not going home, because that was always a possibility if nothing got moving). We weren’t leaving without a baby!

She went ahead and broke my water.

4 pm - Our moms and my sister showed up. Kept us company while I sat on the birthing ball. It was very chill and the contractions were still very mild, but consistent. Still felt like BH’s contractions.

4:30 pm - Reed went on a walk, since everything was still very mild and going slow.

5 pm - I pumped one more time while he was gone and the contractions picked up and got painful/felt them in my back and what you’d expect from being in labor.

5:51 pm - I texted for Reed to come back.

6:15 pm - We decided to walk the hall one more time….this was a very painful walk and we didn’t make it very far. We got back to the room and labored some more. I was still a little bit in denial that we’d have a baby anytime soon. I just couldn’t go there yet, since it could literally be hours and hours longer.

7 pm - They offered/started the tub for whenever I needed it. I wanted to be checked before I got into the tub, so Andrea came in and I was 7 cm ish 90% effaced. I didn’t want to get into the tub till I knew I was in transition or close to it. 7 was close enough to it. From my history, I usually move pretty quick from 7-10 cm. I was starting to feel a lot of pressure on my tail bone (though it hurt all day). It felt like baby was really move down.

7:45 pm ish - got into tub everything was very foggy and painful. Back labor was intense! I labored mostly on my knees while leaning on the side and holding onto Reed. This was the point where I started wondering if I could do this anymore. I knew I was close, because I had these same thoughts and feelings right before I gave birth to my other babies. Each contraction I kept thinking of my three kids at home. How much I loved them and would do anything for them and that this was a worthy cause. They were my motivation.

8:30 ish - I asked for Andrea to come in. She checked me and I was 9 cm with a little lip of effacement left. A few more contractions went by and I told her I was scared to push. I was scared of the pain that was going to come with it. She told me it was ok and to only push if it feels goods to push against the contraction.

Another two contractions and the urge to push came on really strong and it actually felt better to push then not too…the next contraction I pushed and could feel him moving down so I kept pushing. I told her the baby was coming!!!! I was shocked he was actually coming over…I thought it would be much longer. So this gave me the adrenaline I needed to get through the next few minutes. She asked me if I wanted to flip to my back to deliver and I did.

The baby was crowning, but the contraction stopped so I stopped pushing and felt alllllll the burning sensation while waiting for the next contraction (a very intense moment I’ve never experienced before this birth). I was a little panicy at this point. I kept saying “I can’t tell if I’m having a contraction”…”I don’t know when I should push again!?” Meanwhile, she saw his little hand by his face while he was crowning and tucked it back in so I wouldn’t tear. Andrea reassured me that “You’ll know when!”. On the next contraction, which I did feel and she was right…I knew “when”. I reached down and pushed, along with that mighty mama lion roar, and he was out. She helped me bring him to my chest. 8:55 pm he was here!