From the start of my pregnancy I was convinced I would have my baby before her due date. Isla came a week early, so of course the second baby would come even earlier. As soon as December hit I was looking out for any signs at all that labor was starting. But each day passed with no baby. The only contractions I ever had were Braxton Hicks, I lost bits of my mucus plug almost every day, we tried so many things to start labor ourselves, and I even had my membranes swept at 39 weeks. Nothing happened. I kept saying she will be here before Christmas, but Christmas came and went. Then came her due date, December 27.

I woke up around 2:30 AM to go pee like usual. When I got back in bed I started having mild contractions and for the first time they were actually consistently coming. I laid there for 30 minutes thinking they would stop but they didn't. I decided to get up to hang out in the bathroom and time them. I didn't want to wake Robby if it wasn't the real thing. Sure enough when I started timing them they were 5 minutes or less apart and lasting for a minute. They were very manageable pain wise, so I thought we had a long road ahead of us.

I woke Robby to let him know that I was having contractions, and I was going to hop into the shower. He said ok and went back to sleep. I thought the shower would take the edge of or atleast slow down the contractions. They were actually getting stronger. When I got out I texted my parents to let them know what was going on and that I would let them know when they should come get Isla. Well the contractions only grew in intensity, so I started to get things ready.

Isla woke up around 5 probably because I was being pretty vocal about the contractions at this point. She was upset because she heard I was in pain and kept trying to comfort me. Robby got her distracted with something on tv and a bag of Cheerios. I called my dad to let him know that he should go ahead and come over (only 20 minutes after the original text).

At this point the contractions were really hurting, and I was seriously regretting not telling my dad to leave sooner. We continued to get things ready between contractions. Looking back now I bet all of the walking around only progressed my labor faster and sitting on the birthing ball during contractions brought her down quicker. It was pretty funny how Robby would rush the birthing ball over to me every time he saw me starting to wither in pain from the oncoming contraction. The ball just seemed to help manage the pain the tiniest bit.

Robby and I were putting everything we needed to take with us in the front room. I was walking Isla's bag over to the couch when a contraction brought me to my knees. I was holding onto the coffee table with one arm and the couch with the other. I started to think we weren't going to make it to the hospital. At that moment a felt a pop and a small gush of water. My water broke. I freaked because I knew the contractions were going to get way more painful. I cried into Robby's shirt saying I didn't want to do this anymore.

The next contraction that came I felt so much pressure I couldn't stand it. I told Robby I was going to have the baby here. He said no we're not get up your dad is here to get Isla. My dad walks in, takes one look at me and starts rushing everything to the car. Isla came into the front room and hugs me from behind as I'm still on my hands and knees. She's patting me on my back saying it's alright mama. I give her a kiss as my dad picks her up to put her in the car.

With the next contraction I started screaming because of the intense pressure and pain. I told Robby to call 911 and to take my pants off. The urge to push was unreal. The EMT on the phone began to direct Robby on what to do. He made me lay on my back, which I didn't want to do. I laid still for a second in disbelief and having an out of body experience. I thought I might actually black out. I don't want to do this! I started pushing, feeling the ring of fire, and almost certain I was ripping in every direction. Robby said the head was out to the person on the phone, which made me so happy because I knew that was the hard part. I pushed her little body out in two small pushed and felt all of the fluids gushing out. That was literally this biggest relief of my life. The pressure was gone. Did I really just give birth at home?

My dad was running back and fourth between his car, where Isla was in her carseat eating pretzels, and the house, where he was trying to help Robby. He got towels while Robby was holding Jade level with my bottom as the EMT instructed. I heard Robby say the umbilical cord was not wrapped around her neck, which put me at ease a little bit. But Jade's cries were muffled by all of the fluid in her lungs and was really concerning me.  My dad took her from Robby, turned her over and patted her on her back until she coughed some of the fluid out. A minute or two later the ambulance showed up. I swear five to six men walked in while I was laying half naked on the floor. One EMT took Jade and used a bulb aspirator to get the rest of the fluid out, while another used a scalpel to cut the cord. Jade's cry was loud and clear now.

I felt like I laid on the floor for several minutes alone while they checked on Jade. I was still having contractions because I hadn't delivered the placenta yet. Eventually someone gave me something to cover up with, and two men helped me get to my feet and onto the gurney. I felt someone squeeze my hand, and I look up to see Robby. He gives me a kiss and tells me he'll be right behind us. I asked where Jade was and an EMT informed me the Captain had her in the ambulance.

I started to have a breakdown on the way to the ambulance covering my face as I bawled my eyes out. How did I let this happen? This was not the way it was supposed to go. Does everyone think I intentionally did this? I hope I didn't wake the whole neighborhood up with the ambulance and firetruck. Is Robby now traumatized by what I just put him through?

Once in the ambulance they stuck me with an IV, taped several monitors to me and asked a bunch of questions. When they finally left me alone I asked if I could finally hold Jade. They had her wrapped up with one of those foil-like warming blankets. They wouldn't let me take her out of it, so I couldn't do skin to skin or breastfeed because it was in the way. The ride to the hospital was bumpy and painful. I remember hearing the Captain say that this was his first time delivering a baby in his 15 years as an EMT. All I could really think about was the fact that I still hadn't delivered the placenta and how much pain I was in.

We finally made it to the hospital. I saw Robby when they opened the ambulance doors, but they told him to go park the car and meet us in labor and delivery. As they were wheeling me through the ER a woman asked if I had a nurse yet. I didn't, so she decided to go with us up to labor and delivery. She helped me get Jade latched for the first time, and I felt at ease for the first time.

I'm wheeled into a labor and delivery room where they begin an Apgar test on Jade and ask me more questions. I think they weighed her around this time and she was 7 pounds 5 ounces. Before the EMTs left the nurse asked for the estimated time of birth and they responded with 5:32 AM. I didn't even think about looking at the clock with everything that was going on.


One question I was asked several times was if I was negative for GBS (Group B Strep). I didn't think about this at all up until this point. When I was pregnant with Isla I tested positive, so I was given antibiotics to insure the baby didn't get it. But with Jade I tested negative, and I could not be more thankful that I did.

Robby was in the room at this point. He checked on Jade and then came to my side to comfort me.

They gave me Pitocin through my IV to help my uterus contract more, and it must have worked because the contractions were stronger. I was finally able to push the placenta out while they were waiting for the doctor to come and deliver it. I was really starting to calm down at this point because baby was healthy, I got the placenta out, Robby was with me and I was feeling ok. At some point he was able to cut what was left of the umbilical cord.


A doctor I never met comes in. She wanted to check to see if I had any tears that needed stitches. I told her I'm sure I do because I felt like I ripped in every direction when she came out. As she was looking I couldn't lay still because of the pain. But to my surprise she said I only had one small tear that didn't need stitches. I couldn't believe it.

From here everything kind of died down. Up to this point it felt like everything was going 100 miles a minute. I could barely think straight.



While we were still in the delivery room the pediatrician came to check on Jade. He seemed shocked by our story and wanted to know all the details. To be honest, I didn't know this kind of thing didn't happen that often. I've read and heard several stories of this happening to other women, so I assumed it wasn't so out of the ordinary. Granted I never thought it would happen to me. It's not like fast labors run in my family.

He checked on Jade and said she looked perfect. He pointed out that she had an angel kiss (birthmark) right between her eyebrows. He also mentioned that they want her to stay in the hospital for 48 hours because she was born in an unsterile environment. This was a tad disappointing because we really just wanted to go home as soon as possible.


I must say that recovery this time was much easier than the first. I didn't have to wait for all of the drugs to wear off before I got out of bed. The first pee didn't hurt like hell because I didn't need stitches or a catheter. I knew to expect the afterbirth cramps as my uterus started shrinking back to it's normal size, but those suckers still had me rolling in bed.

To be honest I always wanted to have a natural birth. I was too afraid of the pain. In this instance I didn't really have a choice. From the moment I realized I was having contractions (2:30 AM) to the moment she was born (5:32 AM) it was three hours. I'm not sure if we will have more kids in the future, but if we do, I will definitely be using a birthing center or having an intentional home birth. Although it scared me like hell, moved fast as hell, and hurt like hell, I now know I can do it and the pain is only temporary.