Marisa

After being 13 days over due, Monday was do or die day, well get into labor or go get induced the next day. Our plan was double dose of the herbal tincture then a nice long walk as long as I could handle (walks always ramped up the contractions), then another enema. After the enema contractions picked up so we went for another walk. Contractions were lasting much longer and getting closer together. WE DID IT!! Sadly I still tried to not get my hopes up. After timing them for a while my husband sent our midwife a screenshot and she said she would be heading over soon. She showed up around 2 and I opted to get checked since we were on a time limit. I was already a 5, it took me forever to get there with my first. Our birth photographer showed up and they hung out while joe and I labored together in our room. I was hopeful this labor would go much faster than my first. At 6 she checked me again, I was a 6. Progress, I’ll take it. I continued to labor, contractions were holding steady but the intensity we needed was not there. Took some more homeopathics and that ramped them up. We labored our room mostly, did get in the shower at one point. Come 3:00ish am I was checked again. Still at a 6. Pretty much no change. Exactly what happened with my first. My midwife looked at me and said I think it’s time to break your water, cause if there’s no change we’re heading to the hospital as a failure to progress. I said let’s do it. She broke my water and said that my cervix almost instantly melted away. I went to a 7 while she was still checking me. Immediately the contractions started coming on fast and furious. We labored in the room but soon I told joe we need to get in the shower. We got in the shower, and after each contraction I was shaking/shivering uncontrollably even with hot water running over me. After just a couple waves I told him he needed to get Christa, she was coming. I was in puppy pose on my shower floor while he left to get her. She thought nothing when he called her, then he said she thinks she’s coming and she’s like oh, let me grab gloves ????. She attempted to check me while I was in puppy pose but it wasn’t happening. She must have felt enough cause her next words were get her in the tub. We made our way to my MILs room where the tub was set up. Joe didn’t think I’d be able to get in the tub cause it was so tall and well, I’m short lol. I literally jumped over and into the tub. Nothing would have stopped me from getting in that water, nothing. Up until this point joe wasn’t sure if he’d get in the water but he didn’t have a choice. I needed him in there. He sat behind me. Within a surge or 2 I couldn’t stop my body. I remember during transition saying “why did I do this to myself?” Joe and Christa were quick to assure me that it was to meet my baby. I was lucky and got a nice break in between contractions to catch my breath, during they were double peaking so I was getting about 3 solid pushes per contraction. It was the craziest feeling, I would feel the contraction start, then it would intensify and there was no way I couldn’t not push. My body just did it. Once she started crowning, christa had me attempt to slow down, she was coming fast just like my first did. Unlike my first (and I didn’t know this till after) she was presenting with a posterior hand so Christa was trying to get her hand back before I ripped. I told her I couldn’t stop, she had me quick breathe through it. Next surge and her head was out. Oh sweet relief! The surge ended and I waited for the next contraction to bring her earth side. I remember at the end of the contraction Christa told me to reach down and feel my baby and I told her “no!” I was still working through the contraction. Once it ended I felt her head. Tons of hair. I just smiled, then came the last contraction and with a couple pushes she was earth side. “Grab your baby momma, grab your baby” I picked her up with Joe’s help and we placed her on my chest. Joe and I just smiled. I kept saying we did it! We did it! Joe kept following with no baby, you did it! Aurelia was earth side at 4:17 am weighing 7 lbs 3 oz.