Well, it's been a while since we've had a crazy birth story, so I figure I should throw my hat in the ring.

TLDR: Baby girl #3 born into DH’s hands while I was on my knees on a wheelchair on the way into labor and delivery after 2 hours of labor and 20 minutes after my OB checked me at his office and I was at 4 cm.

Slightly longer story: a membrane sweep (didn’t even feel like anything!) did indeed send me into labor about 5 hours afterward (my OB guessed 4-6 hours and apparently he is known for his ability to jumpstart labor!). I was only at 1 cm at 9:30 am but he was convinced it would start. The OB suggested the membrane sweep as a possible controlled start to labor since DD1 was 5 hours active labor and DD2 was 4 hours. Both started with my waters breaking.

After the prior week of BH and me continuing to think something might start and then nothing did, I wasn't convinced when another round of BH started shortly after getting home. Around 2 pm though, my contractions turned into the real deal and were already 1.5-2 minutes apart and we went back to my OB’s office around 315 so he could check me (he suggested coming in if things hadn't started, so there were pluses and minuses to me going in then but at least i had called my mom to pick up our girls from school at 4 just in case we were either a) in the hospital or b) still at the OB). It was there that I really started having to breathe through them instead of just relying on counter pressure from DH. OB finally checked me at 345, said I was a 4 and fully effaced, and with my history of fast labors, he called over to the hospital 3 blocks away to let them know I was coming in. I told DH that I was glad we got to leisurely go to the hospital instead of having an awful car ride over and to have to rush (cue foreboding or comedic music depending on how you feel about irony).

I decided to pee at the office before we headed over and my water broke in there and I thought, I wish I could just have this baby here. I somehow got myself down the long parking lot to the car where DH was waiting for me. I started to shake and cry and freak out (cue transition) and DH booked it to the hospital (literally 1 minute away). By the time we got to valet, I was in animal mode and hopped out of the car walking as fast as I could to get to the hallway and elevator up to l&d.

We made it maybe halfway down the hallway (probably 50 yards) when I stopped and said, I have to push. I popped off my underwear under my dress to feel if the baby's head was right there or if i had a minute or two. i didn't feel her head and when I didn’t see anyone to help (probably scared an elderly couple half to death though!) basically yelled out that I was going to have this baby and needed help. Some ER nurses found a wheelchair, told me to get on my knees and they just started running. DH knew I was pushing, grabbed some gloves from a nurse because no one else seemed to be doing anything (he’s a firefighter/medic) and as he caught baby girl, he calmly voiced everything: she’s crowning, the head is delivered, she’s out. She had her cord wrapped around her neck and DH reduced it before the rest of her body was delivered (so thankful for his skills and him knowing me and how i deliver!). Then I could feel the baby on my back as they continued to run down the hallway! i asked them to stop running as they were running into DH and the wall. I basically had my butt out to the entire hallway with my baby on my back. It was absolutely insane and I absolutely didn’t care at all. I was so relieved she was out!!

The OB came in maybe 5-10 minutes later and was like, what happened?! 🤪All in all, 2 hours of labor, from 4 cm to delivery in less than 20 minutes.

Here's our sweet girl! She was just ready to join our crazy family!