Sat. June 12th – 10 days past my Estimated Due Date
The day started just like any other. But by my toddler’s nap time at noon, I was so dang tired, I could cry.
We go to bed that night, and everything still felt normal. While lying in bed, I start to feel what I thiiiiink are contractions, but I’m not sure if they’re real or Braxton Hicks. Around 10pm, I get out of bed to use the bathroom. I move around a little bit and feel confident that this is the real deal. I also know I won’t be having the baby tonight, so I decide not to wake my husband, so he can be rested when it is time. I do my best to get as much sleep between contractions as I can.
Contractions feel just uncomfortable. And the discomfort is in my lower abdomen only, which is similar to what I remember with my first pregnancy (for anyone wondering what contractions might feel like)!

Sun. June 13th – 11 days past my Estimated Due Date
In the morning I wake up and let Kris know that I’ve been having contractions. So, we let our families know. His parents have already come to visit and returned to Vegas. My parents are on vacation that they thought would happen after I’d had the baby. The contractions are intermittent all day, no rhyme or reason. They’re different lengths, and different times between contractions. Contractions were irregular in my first pregnancy, and it’s comforting that everything feels so similar. I remember feeling calm, and confident this time around. Later that evening, my Aunt comes over to stay with my daughter Eva and my brother in case we need to go to the hospital that night. Just for fun, we decided to grill out and roast s’mores over the campfire. By this time in the evening contractions are a little more uncomfortable but they still feel manageable. We all go to bed early in anticipation of waking early to go to the Hospital. It feels waaaay harder to sleep between contractions than the night before!

Mon. June 14th – 12 days past my Estimated Due Date Like the night before, I get as much sleep as I can between contractions. I recall waking up around 1:45 and feeling pretty awake. By 3am, I realize I’m not going back to sleep, so I wake my husband. I’m beginning to get uncomfortable enough that I need to move around or squat to help alleviate some of the pain. The contractions still aren’t consistent in duration or length of time in between. We get ready slowly, since we don’t want to arrive at the hospital too soon. I know I’ll need energy to make it through delivery well, so I ask Kris to make me a bagel and egg Sandwich. It’s the same thing I ate the morning I delivered my older daughter Eva, so it feels nostalgic for me. After eating, I get back in bed because I want to snuggle my toddler one last time before we go.

After heading back upstairs I use the bathroom and notice some blood (from cervical dilation). It’s a great sign that labor is moving along, so we decide it’s time to head to the Hospital. In the car, I leave a voicemail for my Midwife to let her know that we are on our way. Next, I text our Birth Photographer to give her a heads up. Around 6am we arrive at the Hospital and check-in. Then, we head upstairs to triage and find out I’m already 7cm dilated. The nurses go through the normal procedures and after about another hour or so, we head to the delivery room. They offered to let me sit in a wheelchair, but I ask to walk, since I know that movement can only help labor progress. Contractions are now so uncomfortable that I have to stop talking and moving until they pass.

Within minutes of arriving in the delivery room, I start to feel pushing contractions. My Midwife arrives within minutes of getting to the room. I ask the hospital staff a couple times if my COVID test results came back yet so I can remove my mask. I’ve only pushed a few times, so I assumed I still had a long way to go. I had pushing contractions for quite a while with my first labor. So when I tell them I need to use the restroom, I’m pretty sure it’s nowhere near time to have my baby yet. My Midwife and the Nurse know better, and coax me onto the bed. Breathing through contractions feels most comfortable on my knees with my hands on the back of the bed. And I’m once again reminded of my first birth experience. I feel confident, and in control. Almost peaceful, which sounds wild considering I’m about to pop a baby out! I hear the Midwife say that she can see the baby’s head, which is a welcome surprise! After just 2-3 more pushing contractions, I deliver my sweet baby girl earth side. Things went so quickly, that our birth photographer doesn’t make it in time for the delivery. But I’ll always be thankful that my husband had the presence of mind to capture the moment for me!