Marley Willow being born was seriously the most beautiful day of my life and I want to share her birth story because I love talking about it and I also think moms should share their birth stories as much as they can since no one has the same story. A birth story is unique to all of us. Sharing with each other is a great way to bond, share tips and relive these amazing experiences.

I was sleeping on the couch in the living room because the couch was just way more comfortable for me. It has always been more comfortable for me but during pregnancy the bed just did not do it for me. I started to get these dull sharp pains in my back around four in the morning that made it impossible to sleep. I kept flipping from my right side to my left side, but nothing felt right. The hours were passing, and I was just laying there thinking about how I would be shocked if it were time because it was my mother’s birthday. It was also eight days before my due date. The pain level I would say was at like a six. It was just shooting up my back and my pelvic felt heavy. I could feel her pressing on it. I woke up my significant other a few times so he could comfort me a bit but for the most part I just took the pain and did some deep breathes in and out. I just tried to relax as best as possible.

Before I knew it, it was time for me to get ready for work. I made it to the bathroom, and I was standing at the bathroom sink feeling overly exhausted. By now the pains were at an eight and so I called my job and told them I wasn’t going to be able to make it in and made myself back over to the couch. I called my doctors and they told me to come in if my contractions reached a certain time between each other. I honestly don’t remember how far apart they said. The pain was getting worse and the pressure on my pelvic area was insane. I was using my phone to log the times and basically crying and taking deep breaths. After a few hours of this, I was not exactly where they said I should be with times, but I just knew. I told my significant other we needed to go to the hospital. He was like “are you sure you don’t want to wait another hour or so just to be sure?” and I was like “No, we need to leave now”. Its amazing how my body just knew it was time to go. I could barely stand up straight I was sort of hunched over after getting dressed.

The car ride to the hospital I was very quiet, just taking deep breathes. I could remember the whole ride, the weather that day, what the air felt like and what was going through my mind. I was scared but I was also super excited because I knew I was about to meet our baby girl. We had already knew exactly where to go at the hospital because we had done a tour of the maternity floor and preregistered and everything.

When we got upstairs to the maternity floor, I was literally leaning over their desk telling them I was about to have the baby. My pains were like nothing I had ever felt, I just felt like my body wanted to push. The pain was not unbearable though. They put me in a room and checked me to see how many centimeters I was, and I was at eight and to give birth they want you at ten. I was in shock I busted out laughing in shock that I had already did most of my contractions on the couch at my house. They then said lets get you to your room and have this baby!

By the time I got up to the room I was so tired of having the contractions since I had been having them since four in the morning and by now it was around 1pm so I asked for an epidural. I needed a break. My mom and significant other were comforting me and then the guy came in to do the epidural and to me the worst part about it is the fact that you are still getting contractions but having to stay completely still. It was in that moment that I realized how amazing and strong I was, I felt like a superhuman. The epidural started to kick in and it felt amazing, it gave me a chance to just enjoy the moment and not be screaming in agony. I could not feel anything like literally my legs felt nonexistent. My mom and significant other are with me in the room and we were just cracking jokes and then my water breaks. It just made like a pop sound and I felt like I peed myself. After a little bit longer, they said it was time to start pushing. I was pushing but when I tell you I had no idea what I was pushing or doing I mean I was totally lost. I would recommend pregnant women look up breathing techniques and tips on how to push. For me that did not come naturally. They decided to stop my epidural so I could get some feeling back to help me figure out what I was doing. They waited a while and then came back to start pushing again. My mom and significant other cheered me on the whole time telling me I got it and I did I pushed out our beautiful baby girl. The pushing wasn’t that awful to me once I got the hang of it, for me it was more painful when they pushed on my stomach afterwards. That part hurt like crazy! It was all so worth it though.

She was so beautiful when she came out like I mean breath taking. She was six pounds thirteen ounces and 20 inches long. I cried and cried and we were just so in love. Her grandparents and aunt and uncle came up to meet her and the whole time was just beautiful. I could not believe that this beautiful human came out of me! We were so proud of our little creation and could not wait to take her home!

To any women that are pregnant for the first time reading this I want to tell you to not be afraid, your body is going to do what it needs to and you are going to do great. You were made for this and you are amazing! Giving birth is going to show you strengths you may have not known you had and it will show you your super powers. To the moms who have done it look how far we have come and how much we have over come. We are resilient and we are enough.