So this might be boring but I’d just like to write out my birth story. I’m mostly writing it for me, to try and put my memories all in order

I woke up February 1st feeling pretty nauseous. After seeing Akay and A out the door I went back to bed a slept most of the morning, I think 😂 woke up around noon or so and eventually made my way out to buy groceries. Prepared supper when I got home and cleaned the kitchen, ended up eating supper right after my guys got home because I was ahead of the game 😛 Nausea was completely gone. Akay was really good that night albeit tired, but no tantrums or meltdowns (thank god). A and I watched Zoolander after Akay fell asleep (I hadn’t seen it before), I ate some pineapple while watching, not because I was thinking of induction but it was really ripe/juicy and the craving was strooong. During/after the movie my tummy was upset and I ended up in the bathroom quite a bit, didn’t strike me as weird due to the nausea earlier. A and I ended up having a shower together with the intention of getting ‘it’ on but we both were too tired afterwards 😂 parent life, man. A went to bed around 11 and I stayed up a bit to watch Legend of Korra. I was tired but not fall asleep tired, ya get me? What else was I gonna do at 11 o'clock anyway? Around 11:30 I started getting cramps that hurt a bit but didn’t really think they were a big deal. I started timing what I assumed were Braxton hicks anyway, at that point they were about 30 seconds and 5 to 10 minutes apart - at the time I didn’t think it was going to amount to much. Another 30 minutes pass and suddenly the ‘Braxton hicks’ really freaking hurt. Like I stopped watching LoK to breath through contractions/think… being the turd I am I decided to wait and see if the contractions stopped/slowed when I got up and moved. No such luck. I waited another 30 minutes before deciding it might be baby time 😅 by this time it was 12:30 and instead of getting A up right away I decided to make the guest bed because someone would need to come over for Akay. After making the bed I went to get A. Walked into the room and he woke up: Him: “Hey what’s up?” Me: “I think I might be in labour.” Him: “What??” Me: “We might have a baby tonight.” He stared at me for like 20 seconds before getting up and walking upstairs. Why did he go upstairs? To get me 😂😂 then walked back downstairs and said, “It guess we should call your parents?” And again walked upstairs. Lmao he seemed so lost. I was still timing contractions at this point which were still 30 seconds but consistently 5 to 8 minutes apart. Called mum and she was so out of it too! Granted it was close to 1 am… she wanted to know how far apart/how long contractions were and if it was a ‘come over right now’ scenario, in fact she almost sounded like she wanted me to wait. Nah, dad got in his truck and got to us a little bit before 1:30. We ended up leaving a bit after 1:30 for a drive that takes around 15 to 20 minutes 😐 By the time we got to the hospital it was close to 2 am and by that time I sure as shit wasn’t closely timing contractions, they sucked! They were still 30 seconds but more often 4 minutes apart. Getting through emergency was easy enough, took about 5 minutes and then it was a 5 minute walk up to the Labour and Delivery ward… now where it got fun. Admitting in L&D took at least 5 minutes, they’re super chill and take their time presumably because they’ve seen it all before. I got into triage pretty fast but had to wait for a doctor. A nurse came in to monitor baby and me and kept asking the exact same questions the admitting nurse asked (annoying af). Mid shitty contractions she kept asking me to lie down or hold still, I did my best but Jesus Christ it sucked. No damn way was I timing contractions anymore, I was just getting through them as each one came. Great, so triage nurse leaves to get a medical student and check my cervix, which took them I dunno, 10 minutes? Felt like an hour of course. By that time I’m standing, rocking against A, and making tons of noise through contractions. I felt like such a turd making all that noise but it seemed to help a bit… Eventually triage nurse and medical student come in the check my cervix. I asked if the anesthiologist is busy which she wasn’t, “awesome!!” I’m thinking; I lie down, nurse sticks her hand up there and just goes wide eyed. The medical student then double checks my cervix and they both run out after mumbling something about needing a room. I’m lying on the bed contracting like, “the fuck is going on?” 😮 right away an L&D nurse with a wheelchair comes in and basically shoves me into it. She literally took off running and called over her shoulder to A that we were in room 1. We arrive in the delivery room and right away about 3 nurses are talking to me, telling me my doctor has been called, asking if I need to poop 😅, a million questions… they wanted me to lie down but I kept contracting and asking for a minute (late sorry ladies!). I then asked if there was still time for an epidural to which one nurse said, “Oh hell no, you’re 10 cm. Baby is coming right away.” I was kind of shocked at that point to be honest. My doctor had mentioned labour would be faster this time but this much faster?? Not my proudest moment but I panicked at that point, I kept telling A I couldn’t do it, wasn’t ready, etc. He was really supportive and encouraging though, despite it falling on deaf ears 😊 I got maybe 2 minutes of nitrous oxide before my doctor came in and I wasn’t allowed that good stuff anymore 😜 my doctor checked my cervix right away (I was already lying down) when I felt a warm gush. I sat up and exclaimed, “Oh my God did I pee on you or was that my water?” Not sure if they laughed but it was definitely my waters breaking. Thinking back on it I laugh, but I’m sure they hear it all the time… I was then instructed to push, which I thought I was doing for some reason but my doctor told me I was just making noise 😅 hah oops. A told me to relax and 'grunt it out’ (exact words), which surprisingly helped. One contraction and I hear my doctor say, “Whoa okay slow down…” next contraction comes right away and my doctor is telling me not to push as hard. I heard that last time with Akay but it still sounds baffling in the moment! From start to finish pushing time was less than 5 minutes. Isla’s head popped out and she screeched at my doctor! She was so tiny and perfect, she came out easily and was put on my chest, the official birth time was 2:27 am! I was so shocked by how tiny she was, not that she was below average but I definitely thought I was having a bigger baby. She was 6 lbs 11 oz to be exact, Akay was a week earlier than she was at 6 lbs 12 oz. A then started to cry 😊 which he did off and on all day. Everything was presumably smooth sailing after that but I won’t lie, as corny as it was I was too entranced by my tiny, gorgeous girl. She kept crying in spurts and eventually I got to feed her. A got to cut the umbilical cord and she wasn’t taken from me for about an hour after she was born, which was much different from Akay. Isla was literally perfect in every way, especially to us. Her apgar scores were 7, 8, and 9; an hour and a half after delivery my doctor asked if I wanted to go home that day 😀 we got home by around lunch!

Now, I know for a fact I pooed on the bed right before I started pushing 🙈 it just kind of came out…I know they say “you won’t care in the moment” but holy I am still embarrassed. Yeah I’m sure they’ve seen it all before but uuuugh so gross. I’ve contemplated sending L&D and my doctor a thank you card that says something to the effect of, “Thanks for delivering my baby! Sorry about the poo… shit happens” 😂😂 everyone keeps telling me to stop worrying but aaaaahhhh. Yes I worry about dumb things.

So to recap, contractions started at 11:30, I got to the hospital by around 2 or shortly before, baby Isla was born at 2:27. 😁 we sure cut it close. If I were to have a third would I even bother going to the hospital? Haha

P.S. 'the ring of fire’ is no goddamm joke. I had an epidural with Akay and stupidly did not expect it to hurt so much without.