It all started on August 24th, I was 36 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I woke up early to a contraction it was virtually painless and I didn’t even think twice about it. Hubby and I had made a list of several things we needed to get done before my mother arrived in 2 weeks and Bella in a month. We all got ready and headed to the local bakery for breakfast l, another contraction which I thought nothing of. We went to ikea to get the things we needed to prepare the guest room. A couple more contractions while shopping getting a little painful but sporadic and still not thinking twice about it. We come home and we put Emma down for a nap and start putting things together a few more contractions within the same hour, it’s 430 in the afternoon now and I’m starting to wonder what is going on the contractions are stronger and coming more often. I finally admit to my husband what may be happening and we decide I should lay down for a little bit so the contractions will go away. It doesn’t work. I remember that if you are in real labor walking will make it worse but if it’s false labor it will stop so we walk down to the shoppette, the contractions get worse we buy water and head home. The contractions are bad, I can’t walk through them anymore and I’m starting to do the deep breathing through them without even thinking. We see a double rainbow on the way home. 3 contractions in the 20 minute walk home. We come through the door to the stairwell of our home and I realize this is the real thing. I cry. We are supposed to have at least 4 weeks left. I’m not convinced she will be healthy or strong enough. We are not ready. Hubby is still in denial so I decide to get in the tub at home and we will time the contractions. I’m feeling very scared. I’m in a lot of pain with every contraction. Emma throws a tantrum because she wants to get in the tub, I tell hubby not to fight her just let her get in the tub. We time the contractions for an hour they are coming every 4-5 minutes and lasting at least a minute. Hubby is still in denial. Emma is still playing in the tub with me. She touches my tummy with every contraction. Finally the pain is almost unbearable and I decide we need to go to the hospital only my mom won’t be here for 2 weeks and our backup is in the states for an emergency. We call our close friends and pack Emma an overnight bag. We pack our own backs still believing that we will probably get sent home. Finally we head to the hospital it’s a little after 10 PM. We get into a room for triage and I’m still having contractions the nurse checks me I’m only 1 CM. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? All this and still only 1 CM, they tell me I will probably be sent home but do an ultrasound first to make sure everything is okay since it’s so early and I’m clearly in labor. The contractions get worse but the ultrasound is good. I get back to the room and walk around and labor for a little. I hold the labor rope and it helps the contractions hurt along my c section scar and my lower back. The nurse checks me again 2 CM well at least there is progress. I feel something wet between my legs and I think it maybe my mucus plug but when I look its blood hubby and I freak out but turns out it’s ok and normal it just looks like so much because my water probably broke too. She is really coming we are definitely not going home. They will only let me out of bed to use the bathroom which is shared with the other patients. I have no idea what time it is. They notice my contractions are not registering on the monitors but Bella’s heart rate is dropping into the 90s with every contraction so they can tell when they are happening. They are also having a hard time keeping the monitor on her heart rate. I ask for an epidural but the midwife thinks it’s too early thankfully the nurse convinced her because I don’t know how much longer I can stand the pain. Finally I get the epidural only it’s not like the one I had in the states, I can still feel everything. I can still walk, every fifteen minutes I can push a button to get some meds, I think its a narcotic but I really don’t know. Unknown amount of time passes the nurse checks me but there is no progress. They want to start whatever version of pitocin they use here I think she called it oxytocin. I cry. With every intervention I know my chances for a VBAC go down but I let them start the oxytocin is they will make my epidural actually work so I can’t feel anything. The anesthesiologist comes back and ups the epidural, I can’t feel my legs the relief is amazing. Her heart rate continues to drop with every contraction and they are beginning to worry, she may not be getting enough oxygen. They want to use an internal fetal monitor. I remember seeing one in centering when I was pregnant with Emma. I don’t want it, they would screw it into her head but they need to make sure she is ok that she is getting enough oxygen. It’s the fetal monitor or a c-section. I choose the fetal monitor and then I cry some more. I think it’s about 4 AM and I’m about 3CM. At least I’m not in pain and hopefully my baby is ok. The midwife can’t get the monitor into her head for now we will just keep going as is. After another period of unknown time I’m 4 CM but the midwife says we need a blood sample from Bella’s head to check the oxygen to keep going. I cry because they have to stick things into my babies head again. She tries multiple times but she can’t get it it’s around 7 now and they can’t get the blood I’m being prepped for a c-section. Consent forms are signed, the epidural and IV are checked and I’ve been shaved. It’s shift change but the doctor has been paged to give the ok. We message everyone back in the states to let them know we will be having surgery. Around 8 the doctor comes in and is able to get the blood, no c-section for now. We let everyone know that it’s not a c section for now. Her blood oxygen is good so they turn up the oxytocin. The epidural is starting to wear off so the anesthesiologist comes back and gives me more. By 10 AM I’m 5 CM another blood sample comes back good so we keep going. It’s probably almost 11 we are between 6 and 7 CM and for the fist time the staff is optimistic about a VBAC. At about noon the nurse comes in and is going to check she thinks I may be complete, I laugh. (With Emma I got to 9.5 and was in excruciating pain) She checks me and announces I’m complete. I can’t believe it especially since I’m not in any pain. She says we need to let her head come down and I should lay on my left side. The midwife explains to me that we still have a 50/50 chance that we will need a c section. I start to feel more pressure with every contraction but it doesn’t hurt. The nurse comes to check at about 1230 to see if she has descended. I laugh again because it can’t be possible. She says we are ready to push and she can see her head. My husband and I can’t believe it. We are elated. We look at each other and the excitement runs through my veins. I can also tell he is proud of me for doing this. The nurse wants me to push with the next contraction. I can feel Bella coming down the nurse says I’m pushing great. I’m holding hubby’s hand and the nurse is getting things ready. Another contraction she tells me to keep pushing. She checks and can see the head, another contraction I can fell my pushes moving her further down, my husband looks and sees her head I can see the pride and emotion in his eyes. With the 4th contraction the midwife comes into the room and is getting ready while I push out her head. With the fifth contraction I push her out. It’s 1258. I’m elated, excited and scared she is so early all I can ask is if she’s okay. They have set her on my belly by now and are reassuring me she is okay. We are crying. She is here and she is tiny but she is healthy. Hubby cuts the cord and we can’t stop smiling its an amazing feeling. They deliver the placenta and I can tell something is wrong. There is lots of blood and they take Bella from me and give her to her dad. I start to feel weak and nauseous. There is a ringing in my ears and the bleeding isn’t stopping. They are taking about a blood transfusion when the bleeding finally starts to slow down. I’m allowed to hold her again. She’s beautiful and perfect. Eventually she is weighed at 5lbs 8oz and almost 19 inches long. She is perfect.

Double Rainbow while in labor.