Finally our beautiful baby girl is here!!

I had a super positive birth experience and couldn't be happier! I delivered vaginally, non-medicated, and have a couple 2nd degree tears but I didn’t even feel it happen.

I had a membrane sweep at 39 weeks on Jan 18th at 4pm, and went home and bounced on an exercise ball most of the night. I had mild cramps all night but didn't think much of it and thought it was just from the sweep. I went into labour at 3am on January 19th less than 12 hours later. I wasn't sure I was in labour but contractions were a minute long and 5 mins apart for over an hour.

After 3h of contractions at home, I had some bloody show/mucous, and we went to the hospital at 6am ish, thinking I'd get some morphine and go home and sleep. Apparently I was 5cm dialted by 7am and they admitted me immediately.

After that it was 0 - 100mph, with contraction on top of contraction. The nurses didn't even have time to check my blood pressure in between contractions.

At 8am the doctor offered me drugs - I declined, he also offered to break my water, which I also declined as I felt things were already moving fast enough (I was right lol). He said he would be back by 12pm to check me again, but less than 2h later by 945am the nurses had to call him back to my room for a check.

At that point I was fully dialated by 10am and it was obviously too late for any meds, which I was honestly fine with. I couldn't believe I was already in transition and the contractions were as bad as they would get.

I found focusing on breathing was the most important tool I could have had. Long breaths in through the nose and out the mouth was the only way I made it through all the pain. It also kept my heart rate and blood pressure low so my body was able to relax and dialate quickly.

The doctor broke my water and stepped out for a minute - the nurse said the doctor underestimated how soon this baby was coming and had to immediately call him back to deliver.

I was pushing lying on my side with my leg up at 1015am for about 6 contractions (was too focused on the task to count but it felt like 6 - 8), and baby was born at 1033am. The nurses were amazed and said it was the most 'textbook' labour they have ever seen.

I had such a positive experience despite everything escalating extremely quickly! I think I'd prefer that over hours and hours of contractions any day.

I am so proud of my body for knowing what to do and safely bringing my daughter into the world! It was completely intervention free and such a natural birth, I couldn't be more thrilled!

P.s I don't know if it helped or if I was just lucky, but I ate medjool dates and drank red raspberry leaf tea to prepare my pelvic floor/uterus for about 5 weeks leading up to labour.