On June 25th I was 38 weeks and 1 day. I had my doctor appointment that morning. When he checked me he said that I was dilated to a 3 and about 80% effaced. He was leaving to go out of town on June 30th and I really wanted him to deliver my baby so I asked him if he thought I would go into labor before he left, he then told me that he had stripped my membranes so it is likely that I would go into labor within a week. I was shocked and excited that he had stripped my membranes. I called Nate on my way home from the doctor's office and told him the good news, that I was dilated to a 3 and he stripped my membranes. He was kind of nervous but I assured him that I wouldn't go into labor for at least a week or more. But I secretly hoped it would be sooner. After my appointment Brig and I went swimming with my sisters. After swimming I wanted to clean my house to see if it would induce labor. I did start to contract but when I stopped cleaning so did the contractions, so I figured it was false labor. Then when we were going to bed around 11:45 PM I started to feel them again. So Nate went to bed and I started to count the contractions. They were all about a minute long and 5-7 minutes apart. They were painful but only for the first 20 seconds of the contraction so I didn't feel an urgency to go in yet. So I called the hospital to talk to them about it and they advised to drink water and get in a warm tub and see if they continue. So that's what I did around 1:30 AM and they did continue but they weren't painful enough yet for me to say it was time yet. So I packed mine and Brigs bag and continued to count them. I woke Nate up around 2:30 AM to let him know that I was in labor and he said "Okay let me know when you think it's time to go in" and he went back to sleep. Then at 3 I woke him up again and asked him what he thought we should do because I knew I was in labor but I didn't know if it was time to go in yet. We layed in bed for a minute then Nate got a prompting that it was time to go in. So we did. It was around 3:20 AM. Luckily my little sister Kaytee was sleeping over so we were able to just leave Brig home with her and we left. As we were driving the contractions got extremely painful, and the drive became extremely long. When we got about 4 blocks from the hospital I started to feel a constant pain and pressure. I started to panic and told Nate to STEP ON IT! So he drove 75 mph the rest of the way to the hospital. ( it was 3:45 AM no one was on the roads, luckily) there was 1 red light and when he started to slow down I told him RUN IT! We don't have time to stop. I just wanted to get the epidural in me so the pain would stop. Nate passed the hospital entrance. I told him "YOU PASSED IT TURN AROUND!". So he flipped a U and when we parked that's we we noticed the police truck pull in behind us. Initially I was bugged and I didn't acknowledge him, I was thinking to myself "I'm in labor and I feel like death, leave us alone" Then when he asked if everything was ok and once I realized he wasn't going to try and give us a ticket, I was grateful. So then we finally got to the front desk of the hospital and even though I had pre-admitted they still had us fill out paper work. I felt like I was going to DIE! I was hunched over saying can you get me a room. And they did as quick as possible but it felt like forever. When I got to the room they had me put on a gown and a band around my belly, which at the time was like asking me to run a marathon. I was shaking so bad and was in so much pain. I told them I was strep positive and they called in the IV nurse. While waiting for the IV nurse, they checked me and I was dilated to an 8. They called my doctor and told me tat they were going to try and get the epidural in but since I was progressing so fast and I was so far along, that it may not kick in in time. I told them that I would like to try because I did not want to go natural, not today or ever. They got the IV in me for the antibiotic and I was so worried because I was supposed to have that in me 4 hours before I gave birth. And I knew that that wasn't going to happen. I asked a nurse if I waited too long, she hesitated, I could tell she didn't know how to respond then she said well its nothing to worry about now. I was starting to freak out. My body was shaking so bad. I was in so much pain and I was so worried for the babies health because I was strep positive. One of the nurses (at this point there were 5 in the room) stood at my feet and put pressure on my knees, I got some relief, it felt so good to have at least a little relief. After about 10 minutes they checked me again. I was at a 10. The nurse then looked me in the eye and said "You are progressed all the way, you are not going to be able to get an epidural, you are going to have this baby natural." Now I really started to panic. I asked if there was any other pain reliever I could be given they said no. I told them that I did not WANT to go natural and that I COULD not go natural. And they reassured me and told me that I could and that my body would do what it needed to to get the baby here. I started to hyperventilate. Nate turned white. They told me to control my breathing, so I did. It was so hard. I was so scared to what was about to come. I didn't want to feel him coming out of me. I was terrified for the pain. I asked what to expect, she told me that I will feel the need to push and a lot of pressure. Then she told me that I would feel a burning ring of fire and that would be the babies head coming out. I started to cry. Then the nurses said "dad how are you feeling, you're looking quite pale." Then Nate said yeah I'm not feeling too good I need to sit down. I was annoyed. I said "Really Nate?" but then thought its better that he sits rather than faint and crack his head or something. Then the nurses asked each other who wanted to deliver the baby because the doctor was still 15-20 minutes away. One of the nurses volunteered and I in panic asked her if she had ever delivered before, she assured me that she had. Then I felt the need to push but I didn't want to but I couldn't not push. So I did and thats when my water broke....or exploded all over the nurse's (who was now standing in for the doctor) scrubs. Then I felt the need to push again and again. Then I felt it... THE BURNING RING OF FIRE. Then with 2 more pushes he was out. At 4:38 AM, 7 lbs. 2 oz. I was so relieved but so physically and emotionally drained. And so was Nate, they asked him if he wanted to cut the cord and he said no. About 10 minutes later the doctor showed up and delivered my placenta and stitched me up. I was so glad and relieved that Max was here! He was perfect and we were in love.
