So let me just start by saying, looking back on my experience now, I would do it all again in a heart beat! Although at the time I was questioning my life decisions, why no one ever tells you about early labor, and if this baby was ever going to make an appearance!
It was 4:00am on Saturday October 7, 2017, my little bean’s due date. I get up to go pee (surprise surprise) and started feeling some light cramping in my lower belly. As I was crawling back into bed half asleep, I had a slight thought questioning if this was the beginning of labor? I giggled to myself and thought of course this kid would get the party started at 4:00am on his due date. He is scheduled just like his momma and got up with me at 4:00am throughout my entire pregnancy to train clients.
I figured if this was really labor my body would wake me up before the baby came right? So needless to say, I went right back to sleep.
When I woke up again around 8:00am I was experiencing full blown contractions, which were between 6 and 10 minutes apart. Being little miss prepared, I had already downloaded the contraction timer app on my smartphone and put it to good use. I was so excited that this baby was actually going to arrive on his due date!
Little did I know what was in store for me……..let’s just say he didn’t arrive on his due date as I thought he would.
By about 10:00pm on Saturday night I was still having painful contractions and was trying to cope with them by taking warm showers, walking around my condo, doing squats, and walking the stairs in my condo building with my hubby.
I was told by my midwife that I’m not allowed to go to the hospital until my contractions are 4 minutes apart, lasting at least 1 minute each, for an entire hour. With this in mind, I was still timing my contractions hoping they would get closer together so I could finally get this process started and meet my little man.
Throughout the night my body was toying with my emotions, with my contractions speeding up to 3-4 minutes apart for a little bit, and then slowing back down again to 10 minutes apart! This had me very frustrated and I eventually stopped timing them because I just got mad! I broke down around midnight and called my midwife to ask what was happening? She informed me I was still in early labor, it was far to early to go to the hospital, and to just try to “relax”. My thoughts…..”Sure I can relax for about 6 minutes until I get beat up by another contraction!”
Back in the shower and back to walking and squatting I go. By about 4:00am I had not slept and was pretty much over this whole situation. My main concern was having this baby at home because no one told me about this early labor business and that it could be this intense! Soooooo I called my midwife again LOL! (Yes at 4:00am – I’m sure she loved me!) She again informed me I’m still in early labor and I’m not having this baby tonight, but to call her if my contractions get closer together.
Note: If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant and have never been before, prepare yourself for early labor! I know it doesn’t happen with everyone and maybe I’m being a little bit dramatic; however, I have a very high pain tolerance, a strong mind, and I was still getting my a** kicked!
Sunday rolls around and I’m still fighting these contractions. My midwife called, said she wanted to come to the house to check on me, and told me to keep walking. My thoughts “really? I’ve been walking and moving all freaken night and this baby is not here yet!” Since walking did make me feel better, hubby and I went outside for some fresh air and literally walked in circles around my townhouse complex for about 45 minutes. I’m sure the neighbours were well aware that I was in labor because every few steps my walk would turn into a slow zombie-like stagger and my face would cringe. I must say my husband was a good coach through this whole process, even though he was sweating harder than I was through our stair walking!
We are now at 4:00pm on Sunday
If you can calculate, I started contractions at 4:00am Saturday morning…..yup that’s a long time!
My midwife came for a visit and checked me, after all that I was 5cm dilated. Praise the lord all of that walking and squatting was paying off, but still not far enough along to go to the hospital or have this baby. She told me to “hang in there and try to rest” and keep doing what I’m doing. My response “I can’t have another night like last night, I wont survive!” — Yes I know I’m very dramatic, but at this point I did not care! LOL. After she left I did all I could do, put my game face on to face these contractions for another night.
Jump to 11:00pm Sunday night
My contractions were finally getting closer together and much more intense, as much as this sucked, I was happy that it was progressing. I called the midwife and she told me to come to the hospital so she could check on me.
WAHOOOOOOO FINALLY!!! Hubby was jumping for joy and went into full blown panic mode! Hahaha…. We grabbed our bags, hopped in the car, and made the 5 minute drive to the hospital. I was so scared and excited at the same time, I was finally going to have this baby!!!
We parked at the hospital, paid for 24 hours of parking (because we thought we were staying and having this baby), and took all of our bags inside (by all, I mean a bag for me, a bag for baby, a bag for hubby – yes we didn’t pack light!). They checked us in and then sent me into triage to monitor my contractions for a bit. Not long after the midwife informed me that I was not far enough along and they had to send me home again.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!!!
Not only were we mad that it wasn’t time to have the baby yet, but we already paid for 24 hours of parking!!!! LOL
They said they were going to shoot me with morphine and gravol in my butt before leaving “to help me relax”.
Sidenote: When nurse was giving me the needle in my butt her comment was “dang this is rock hard, so much muscle!” LOL – My response “yeah I don’t skip leg day, and i’ve been walking stairs and squatting for the last 24 hours!!!”
Yes, we had to do the walk of shame out of the hospital with all of our bags and head back home. By the time we got home the morphine had kicked in and I did not feel any decrease in pain, I just felt like I had a few glasses of wine (something I hadn’t felt for a very long time!).
We are now at about midnight on Sunday night —- yes remember this has been going on since 4:00am Saturday morning. You can imagine my thoughts! LOL
We get home and I laid down to try and get some sleep, as I hadn’t had any sleep over the past 2 days. This was practically impossible, as once I would finally fall asleep another contraction would come and kick my a**! They continued to get stronger and stronger and closer together, so again I called my midwife around 3:00am and she informed us to come back to the hospital. Again we hopped in the car and made the 5 minute drive back to the hospital. I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen my husband drive this fast ever (he’s a “strictly drive the speed limit and nothing over” kind of guy lol) and I’m pretty sure he was freaking out more than I was. I had to quickly remind him who was the one in labor (nicely of course ;)) LOL.
BONUS: The same parking spot we had paid for last time we came to the hospital was still open, so we didn’t have to pay again!!! Everything was looking up!
We went through the same process of going into triage to monitor my contractions for an hour. At this point I was talking to my body and praying for these contractions to come! I was 6 cm dilated and the midwife informed us we finally get to stay and will be taken to our room soon!
HALELUYAH!!!
5:00am Monday morning — Yup 48 hours later….
I’m in the hospital room, bouncing on the ball and wondering how much longer before I get to meet my little man. I channelled my inner beastmode by this point and was fighting these contractions with all I had. I tried laughing gas, which didn’t work and tasted disgusting! I tried a warm shower, which helped for a little bit, but then I got really hot and light headed and had to get out of there quick.
7:00am
I decided it was time for an epidural and both the nurse and midwife agreed, because they did not see this little guy making an exit anytime soon. Of course he would put me through a 2 1/2 day workout before he came out. My muscles were getting tired because my way of coping with contractions (instead of screaming like most women) was to go silent and contract every muscle in my body.
My saviour, the epidural guy (aka anesthesiologist) showed up and gave me the epidural. I was immediately relieved of all pain and was able to sleep for about 3 hours!!!!
NOTE: My plan was to try my best to have the baby naturally, but I informed my midwife that if they saw that this was going to be a long process to let me know when it might be a good idea to get an epidural. Being flexible is the best thing because no one can predict what is going to happen and I just wanted to enjoy this labor as much as I could. No one could have predicted 2 full days of early labor before getting to the hospital.
12:00pm on Monday
I am very relaxed and what I would say “chillin’”. No pain, can’t feel the contractions, and was able to really take it all in. I was able to enjoy the experience and get excited that I was so close to meeting my son!!
My midwife checked and I was 9cm dilated!! ALMOST TIME!!!
1 hour later, she checked me again – 10cm dilated!!! IT’S GO TIME!!!
Here is the exact conversation that happened:
Me: “Yes, finally!! This is my time to shine! I have been training my whole life for this – game face on!!”
Midwife: “Ok Michelle it’s time to push, now because you have had an epidural it normally takes about an hour to push the baby out”
Me: “Ok sure, just tell me which muscles to use”
Midwife explains to me which muscles to use and how I should be pushing
Midwife: “Ok Michelle, we are going to do a practice push on the next contraction”
Next contraction comes…..
Midwife: “Ok Michelle PUSH! Whoa and there’s the head! Wow, no more practice needed this baby is coming!! Wow you are so strong!”
I start laughing because I know how strong my core is and numb or not, I was getting this baby out ASAP!
Well, 3 Pushes later and this little man was out and resting on my chest!!
The most amazing experience ever! It happened just like you see on TV! I could have watched him come out and then be placed right on my chest! The most surreal, liberating, exciting, emotional thing I have ever experienced in my life!
This was me an hour after giving birth and showered
Pushing was just how I thought it would be, a solid core workout. They tell you to push as hard as you can and then hold it until the next contraction comes. Meaning you have to hold the muscle contraction in your core, I would describe it as the same way you squeeze during a plank. So I just pretended I was planking until they told me to push again. Numb or not, I could actually still feel my core muscles working and was able to completely isolate them to use them as needed to get this little guy out in 3 pushes.
Now looking back at the 2 1/2 days of labor was nothing! I would do it all again in a heartbeat because nothing compares to hugging, holding, and kissing my little baby!
It was quite the 9 month journey and I can honestly say I enjoyed the whole process (maybe the first 2 days of early labor were pretty rough, but looking back it wasn’t that bad lol). I feel very blessed to have had such a smooth pregnancy, which resulted in a healthy beautiful baby boy.
I truly believe that staying active and strength training throughout my entire pregnancy played a huge role in feeling so great for 9 months, in my ability to survive 2 1/2 days of labor, and to push him out so quickly.
Now bring on the next amazing chapter of my life…….I am so ready and stoked to be a Mom!
Stay tuned for mother-son workout videos 😉 hahahaha… Poor kid has no idea the training that he is in for!
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