The Days Leading Up to Labor

On December 17th, at exactly 37 weeks pregnant, I attended the very last birth I needed to complete for school. It was a long labor of 26 hours and looking back it was probably harder on my 37-week pregnant body than it should have been. But I was determined to finish before my own baby arrived, and the timing ended up being perfect.

Even though I know Sutton was ready, I can’t help but believe that birth helped start everything for me. The hormones from a laboring mom and the physical toll on my own body had to do something… right?

The very next day, December 18th, I began losing my mucus plug and having bloody show along with Braxton Hicks contractions all day long. I assumed it was just my body recovering from attending the birth and figured things would settle down for a few more weeks. The start-and-stop pattern continued until Sunday morning when I woke up feeling… different.

Early Signs…. Or So I Thought

On Sunday, December 21st, I woke up with what felt like gas pains and subtle cramps. All day long my Braxton Hicks felt slightly more intense than before, but I tried to ignore them and carry on as usual.

Honestly  my biggest piece of advice? Gaslight yourself into thinking you’re not in labor. Ignore, ignore, ignore… until you absolutely cannot anymore.

Thankfully, we had plans to go to Target that day to grab the remaining homebirth supplies we needed. We cut it very close 😅. I had a deep intuition that something was happening soon, but I didn’t say anything to Cam that would give it away.

By 5pm, the contractions settled down, and even though I had been “ignoring them,” I still felt a little discouraged when they stopped.

Around 8pm, I decided to check my own cervix just to see if all the uterine activity had done anything. To my surprise, I was already about 2cm dilated. After that, I sat with Cam and had a good cry, processing that these might be our final moments as just the two of us. I told him, “Okay… I think I’m ready. I’m ready to be a mom. I’m ready to have this baby.”

Labor Begins

At 9pm, the contractions returned and this time they felt real. Still in denial, we went to bed around 10pm hoping to get some sleep. I texted my midwife just in case, letting her know what was going on but that it could be nothing. I wasn’t officially timing contractions yet, but I noticed they were coming every 6–10 minutes. Sleep wasn’t happening.

By 11:30pm, Cam woke up and found me sitting backwards on the toilet, resting my head on a pillow between contractions. I told him what was happening and asked him to come hang out with me. I got into the shower while he timed a few contractions  some were 5 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds, others longer and inconsistent. We decided early labor wasn’t the time to obsessively time contractions, so we stopped and tried to distract ourselves. Cam even laid out a card game we never ended up playing.

I was fully convinced this was the start of weeks of prodromal labor since I was only 37 weeks and 4 days. But by 1am, contractions were stronger and closer together. By 2am they were consistently 3 minutes apart lasting about a minute each. I gave myself another cervical exam and knew I was definitely beyond 2cm, looking back I was probably around 5cm. During a phone call with my doula and midwife, I realized I could no longer talk through contractions. That was their cue & they were on their way!! Our doula Amy arrived around 3am and immediately helped me relax by gently rubbing my forehead and reminding me to release tension. Her presence changed everything. I needed Cam by my side for every contraction from that point forward.

The Power of Words and Faith During Labor

Throughout my entire labor, I talked to myself out loud  coaching myself and praying through every contraction.

I repeated phrases like:

    •    “You can do this.”

    •    “It’s okay, it’s just intense.”

    •    “I’ve got this.”

    •    “This is good.”

    •    “It’s not too much — I can handle this.”

I also recited scripture, including:

“The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind.”

Anything that helped keep me grounded, peaceful, and positive made a difference. Contractions are incredibly intense  fully body intense — but they are not more than your body can handle. Your body is working with you to bring your baby into the world.

Throughout my pregnancy, I prayed specifically to work through any fears ahead of labor, and the Lord was faithful in every detail.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Penny Simkin

• Evidence-based + super digestible.
• Strong explanations of stages of labor, hormones, and physiologic coping — but very parent-accessible.
• Great “bridge” book between medical and holistic perspectives.

Transition and the Birth Pool

At 4am, my midwife checked me and I was between 6–7cm dilated with baby girl at +1 station. I was already feeling strong pressure and the urge to push, which was slightly discouraging knowing I still had work to do.

After trying different positions, I got into the bath where I was finally able to relax even dozing between contractions. I stayed there about two hours as the urge to push increased.

At 6am we told the family I was in labor. My doula suggested getting out of the bath to help clear the remaining cervix, so I agreed even though the water felt amazing. After lunges and different positions, transition hit hard. Contractions stacked on top of each other, but I never felt out of control. I remember saying, “I don’t want to do this anymore,” but never that I couldn’t! Then my body bore down on its own and my water broke dramatically, just like the movies. It was an instant relief. I moved into the birth pool and began pushing around

7:30am….

Pushing and Meeting Sutton

Mentally, pushing felt like progress but physically it was the hardest part for me. As a first-time mom, I couldn’t just “breathe my baby out.” I had to truly push harder than I ever thought possible. The ring of fire was intense beyond anything I had experienced.

After her head emerged, I noticed a shift in my midwife’s voice. Calm but more urgent. I recognized the signs of a shoulder dystocia beginning. Instinctively, and with a bit of midwife knowledge, I quickly changed positions from reclining to hands and knees and then kneeling with one leg up.

Within minutes, her shoulders were delivered.

After 48 minutes of pushing, our perfect baby girl was finally in my arms.

The Golden Hour and Beyond

The relief and wave of hormones were indescribable. My life suddenly felt complete,  my husband, my baby, our little family together at last. About 10 minutes later, I delivered my placenta in the tub. Soon after, I was tucked into bed feeding my baby, eating a meal, getting stitched up, doing skin-to-skin, and resting.

Just three hours after birth, our birth team quietly left our home, leaving us cuddled together as a new family of three. I look back on this experience with so much peace and gratitude! I truly couldn’t have done it without Jesus answering every prayer, my incredible husband, our doula, midwife, birth assistant, and photographer.

Birth work is sacrificial and deeply meaningful, and I am eternally grateful for each person who walked this journey with us❤️

Begin Your Preparation with The Addice

At The Addice Birth Center, we believe preparation is an act of love, for yourself, your baby, and your birth experience. Our team of midwives and educators is here to walk alongside you with care that nurtures the whole person, mind, body, and spirit.

If you’re ready to begin your journey toward a confident, connected birth, we invite you to schedule a free consultation to learn more about our birth options and holistic care.

You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @theaddice for birth education, inspiration, and a glimpse into the community that makes The Addice so special.