~A labor of love~

So my labor was AWESOME! I know that sounds like crazy talk especially when I say that it was 13 hours long and all natural with no epidural. I am so proud of myself for concurring such a big hurtle! While I was pregnant and I would tell people that I was going to do an all natural labor they would give me this look or just laugh. I knew going in that I needed to stick to my guns about it or it would never happen. I educated myself as much as I could but honestly I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous! I went in for a checkup on Wednesday and found out that I was 1cm dilated and 30% effaced. I was so excited because something had happened! I had my midwife strip my membranes and off I went! My labor started Thursday night when I noticed I was waking up to "period like cramps". I guess you could say I woke up a good 8 times that night. The next morning I felt "off" and still crampy but nothing solid so I went to lunch with my friend Katie at Panera Bread. I remember saying to her "I just don't feel right". She is currently pregnant and we joke that all we have to do is go to lunch there to start her labor when she is ready! Well when I got home my "cramps" became stronger and more like contractions and so I started timing them. They were every 3 to 4 minutes apart but they didn't hurt like I thought they would. We ended up going to the hospital at 430 pm where they checked me and to my excitement I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced! They said they usually send people home when they are only 3cm but they said because I was handling the contractions so well that I would be that person having their baby in a car. They probably would have been right. I labored by walking around when I wasn't hooked up to the monitors and moving my hips. My nurse was awesome because she let me "go to the bathroom" for an hour and take a nice hot shower which felt amazing! At around 10ish she checked me and I was 6cm dilated so that was cool and I kept at it. I laid in the bed to rest for a bit but the contractions were so much worse so I got back out and knelled over the bed some more. By around 12 AM I was still at a 6 so I got a little discouraged. An hour or so later my contractions became back to back and so strong that my entire body was shaking from the pain. OUCH! I can see now why so many people ask for epidurals! I thought I still had 4 more cm's to go so I asked for the epidural to my dismay. All of a sudden I had the strongest urge to use the restroom so I did and my water broke on the toilet. Not even 5 minutes later I had the urge to push her out! It was so intense and scary but she was born 30 minutes later. I cant even begin to tell you how crazy it was to push her out! She came out and didn't even cry which I thought was strange but they put her right on me so I guess she was fine. Looking back that is just her personality which is very complacent and relaxed. I just love her and feel so blessed that she is perfectly healthy! The nurses couldn't stop talking about how crazy my labor was and how shocked they were that I didn't scream once! I thought it was going to be so much worse with me screaming my head off and crying from all the pain like you see on TV. It was nothing like that! It was such a calm environment and I felt totally at ease knowing that Brian was there and he was going to welcome our little girl into the world with me! I am so proud of myself for overcoming such a huge obstacle! I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to after giving birth with no drugs and I would do it again in a heartbeat!