Birth story.

On June 5th (37 weeks exactly) I had a doctor's appointment. I was 3-4 cm dilated and 60% effaced. I told my doctor about losing my mucus plug, constant contractions, pressure. He stripped my membranes.

Then he told me if I had more contractions that were 3 minutes apart like I had been, to go to Labor & Delivery. Not to wait. So, that night when my contractions were again 3 minutes apart, we went. I was 3 cm dilated still, and hadn't changed in the hour I was there so we were sent home.

The next day, I just had a feeling. So, we went to the mall to walk around and then to a friend's house. We didn't want to stay home because we live 45 minutes from the hospital. So, we went to our friend Justin's house who lives 5 minutes from the hospital.

We went to dinner around 7:30. While we were there I lost a huge amount of mucus plug.

10 PM. --- I started having contractions. They were different though. They weren't like the previous ones. They were in my back. And, they hurt! So, we called the on call doctor (who was also the one who stripped my membranes.) He told us to go to the hospital.

11:30 PM.-- We got to the hospital. The nurses were a little.. unfriendly when they saw us. Brian heard one say "Wasn't she just here last night?"

12 AM. ---When they came and checked me at I was 5 cms dilated. She said she would check again in an hour, but that I was probably staying because I was already a 5.

1 AM. ----- I was 6. So, we were admitted and I went to my room.

1:30 AM. --I got all settled into my room around. Brian's sister and my mom both got there around this time. Right around this time, the nurse told me I could get in the shower and then they would check me at 2.

2 AM.---- The nurse checked and I was at 7 cms. She told me to sit on the exercise ball to try to get the baby to drop.

3AM.--- The nurse checked and I hadn't dilated, but I was completely effaced and baby had dropped.

4AM.--- 8 cms dilated.

4:22 am.--- Doctor broke my water.

The next 2 hours are a little blurry. The nurse was AMAZING. She showed and helped Brian to apply pressure to certain places to help with the pain. She also had me get on my hands and knees to help the baby turn. THAT HURT.

I swear.. Having to push and not being able to, is the worst pain EVER. Seriously. I HAD to push. They wouldn't let me. I wasn't complete yet. The back labor was pretty bad. I couldn't not push.

Then, all the sudden the nurse checks me, and rushes out of the room. The doctor comes in and gets his stuff on in like 3 minutes. Then they tell me to get on my back, put my legs in the stirrups, and push. I pushed through 2 contractions.. 4 minutes total. Aaralyn was born at 6:37 AM.  All natural. :)

It's so weird, but even though pushing her out hurt, it felt good. It felt so much better then trying not to push. I can't even explain it!!

The hospital I delivered at is mommy/baby bonding friendly. So, I got to do skin to skin for over an hour before they even took Aaralyn away to weigh her. The only time she even left my room was to get her hearing done and to get blood drawn to check her jaundice level. She even got her first 'bath' in the room!

37 weeks 1 day.. The day I went into labor.

In labor. Lol.

Doing some skin to skin

Kayelynn meeting her baby sister for the first time.