baby Jules' birth story

[IndiaInk]

For background, I had a 26 hour labor with DD and though I was hoping it would be shorter this time, I never dared to guess it would be so quick!

I'd been having early labor signs since about 38.5 weeks - lots of cramping and Braxton Hicks, but nothing that progressed.  By my due date, I was very uncomfortable and tired and spend the whole day feeling like a "walking contraction" but not significantly different from the past.  I went and got a manicure, took a long nap, had an acupuncture appointment to try to induce labor and then went grocery shopping.  I got DD from daycare at 4 and we played for a bit.  Around 5 pm, I was feeling enough light contractions that I thought maybe I should see if they were timeable.  So I started hitting the contraction timer app as I played with DD and read her books.  They were all over the map duration and spacing-wise, so I didn't think too much of it.  
Around 6 pm, they started settling into more of a consistent pattern while we ate dinner - around 3 or 4 minutes apart and 40 second long.  
After dinner I went and took a shower because I was feeling uncomfortable.  I lost most of my mucus plug and then things started really picking up.  In the shower, I was having to sing to get through the contractions.  By the time I got out of the shower, DH was putting DD to bed and running around putting our bags in the pickup.  We decided to call my mom but she wouldn't arrive for an hour and a half, so we called our neighbor to come over and watch our daughter "just in case we needed to head for the birth center in the next hour or so". I was still in a bit of denial; it didn't seem like I could possibly be progressing THAT quickly.  
I started doing my hair and make up for distraction and by the time I was about halfway through, I was in such agony almost couldn't continue.  My contractions were 3 minutes apart and a minute long and I was starting to feeling a bit panicky at the pain. We called the midwife and she said we probably better head in.  
The 15 minute drive to the birth center was agony.  We arrived at 9:15 pm, got settled into a birthing suite and my midwife started my antibiotic IV.  My sister showed up to start taking pictures, and I labored for a few more minutes and then started feeling pushing sensations!  I still thought it was way too early, and almost didn't say anything, but then suddenly I was like, "I think I have to pusshhhhhhhh!" and the midwife goes, "Take off her pants and underwear! I love a woman who knows when to push!" and I got down on my knees beside the bed and 20 minutes later at 10:24 pm, DS was born!  
He was born entirely in the bag of waters (en caul), and burst through it on his own with his little hand after he emerged. Most of the photos I have show too much nudity for my comfort but I'll include one here of him breaking out of the amniotic sack.  The other picture I love - the look of elation on my face when I held him for the first time!   PDQ pictures.  

[brandienee]

That's incredible! What a great story. Congratulations! He is perfect. I hope recovery is going well.

[shauni27]

finally! I come back to check for a birth report from you like every 30 minutes!

What a great delivery experience and my god, those shots are incredible. Thank you SO much for sharing!

[tiki]

I am in awe of your pictures - the first is simply amazing, and in the second you look so, so happy, and the third is just beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing :-)

[lucybrown]

How wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing.

[mbcdefg]

Congrats! Great pics.

[ashap]

Incredible photos and what an experience for you!! Congratulations, he is absolutely perfect!

[Blue Moon]

Wow, what an awesome birth experience. Those are some amazing photos! Congrats again.

[jene]

Congratulations! The look of sheer joy on your face is amazing.

[redpenmama]

Oh my gosh, those pictures are incredible, and you look so happy. Congrats!

[duff]

Oh my gosh, those photos! I absolutely love them!

Congrats again, what an amazing story!

[springlover84]

This made me tear up! Absolutely incredible pictures, thank you for sharing!

[jorja]

Those pictures are incredible! Congratulations!

[PatBenatar]

I love reading birth stories -thanks for sharing!!!

[pennylane]

The photos are incredible! Congrats!

[sunshine608]

Wow! Those are amazing and beautiful photos. Congratulations!

[MrsMB]

OMG, That is amazing!!! Those pictures gave me the feels as well!!! Congratulations!!!

[mpc]

that is amazing. thank you for sharing the pictures. I can see how incredibly special they must be to you. Congratulations!

[glauren]

Amazing story and great photos!!