April 27th started with some major excitement. 37 weeks 5 days pregnant and it was my last day at work before my maternity leave began!! I woke up liesurely with my DH who gave me the biggest kiss. Finishing up work was a huge milestone I was anxiously awaiting. I got up and started my morning routine when I felt something almost loosen. I sat on the toilet and then lost with a huge splash my mucous plug!! I yelled out to DH excitedly and then got this bizarre huge rush of energy. I lost my appetite and began excitedly cleaning my kitchen. DH works from home on Friday he asked if he should drive me to work but I was insistent that losing my plug could mean labor could still be days away. I was already 80-90% effaced and 1-1.5cm dilated according to my cervical check the day before but all that means nothing right?

I hopped in the car and headed to my last day! My co workers had a small breakfast for me and everyone talked about how they wished I would get my full 2 weeks before my due date. Our maternity leave is kinda crap in that all expectant moms get 2 weeks before their due dates and 6 weeks post delivery regardless if by vaginal or c section. However, if your baby is early you loose that time and if you're late you get additional. My motherly instinct knew I wasnt getting my 2 weeks before and I proclaimed that in my meeting. This baby was coming soon!

I headed back to my desk and worked finishing up final emails, getting my desk packed up and chatting with my DH in IM (we work for the same company with IM). Around 2:15 or so I had to pee AGAIN! I headed to the bathroom and did the deed bemusing to myself that itd be hilarious if my water broke at work. I chuckled, returned to my cube and my water promptly broke....EVERYWHERE! I was shocked, they tell you only 10%of waters break....and its my last day!! Drats my 2 weeks was gone. I quickly IMed DH who excitedly logged off and made he commute to pick me up. This slightly complicated matters because we had an extra car. Luckily, Im paranoid by nature and had our hospital bags packed and in my car for a few weeks. Despite the odds we were totally prepared.

Contractions didnt start right away, and people at work kept me distracted/quiet. Company policy for liability purposes is to call an ambulence for anyone in labor so they kept me hush hush till my husband arrived. I made calls to all our family and hopped in the car with DH. Holy crap I was in labor and so friggen excited.

By the time we got to the hospial (20 minutes) or so the contractions began. They werent horrible but they werent fun and they were all in my back. I literally had no tummy or period like cramping. This made tracking my contractions apparently difficult. We were admitted and then the doctors came to see me and gave me some terrifying news. The fern test for amniotic fluid was negatve and I still had tons of fluid. They werent sure they were keeping me as they claimed my water hadnt broken. They proclaimed this after using a speculm on me for an internal. I cannot tell you how painful this part was I was so upset and at that point petrified of being sent home. MynDH was so supportive and kept saying therr was no way they were sending us home he wouldnt allow it. My contractions had started picking up as did some bloody discharge and I began ti labor some on the toilet/while walking around. They put me on observation to see if id progress. After an hour or two they checked me again and id dilated! Yay labor! I was formally admitted and then began the longest IV process ever. None of the nurses could stick me right. At this point the back labor was unbearable in bed (where the nurses kept telling me to sit) I finally asked for the epidural but had to wait till I was over 7cm dilated with contractions ontop of one another because of he IV issues, having to clear 1 bag of fluid and then delays with anesthesia. Back labor is excruciating!! I was in a zen deep breathing place and begging for relief. Once anesthisia showed up more fun! They had to stick me more than once and deemed me a "hard" patient. They warned me I would likely suffer a spinal headache but the relief was amazing. It was another 2-3 hours before it was time to push. DH and I took a nap to prepare for the marathon of pushing. And marathon it was. I pushed for almost 3hours and was exhausted. The baby stopped coming down and they called it. C section. I honestly wasnt sad, I was relieved. I tried so hard to have the baby naturally and my narrow birth canal was preventing it. DH suited up and Abbey Marie was born on April 28th at 6:47am weighing 7lbs 2oz. Turns out she was posterior the entire time and the doctor said she was shocked I got as far as I did pushing. She had a full cone head of red hair and as soon as they put her in my husbands arm and near my face I loved her more than anything. DH and I sung her happy birthday as they stitched me up. Our enormous family camped out in the waiting room from 4:30pm on the 27th till nearly 10am when they each got to hold her.

She is the absolute light of our lives!! C Section recovery has been amazing. I did suffer from that spinal headache which was the worst part of my recovery. We muscled through though and are now a happy new family of 3!!