Common Fears of Labor and Deliery: My Story on How I Overcame Them

*In Dedication to my Lizzy: Happy 6 Month Birthday Today! Daddy and I love you!

When I was pregnant with my daughter I had many concerns and worries. My worries only increased as my due date loomed ahead of me. My main concerns were: Do I have everything in my bag? Do I have everything Lizzy will need in her bag? Did Kyle (my husband) have his bag ready? Are they accessible and ready to be taken at a moments notice? I also checked and rechecked the supplies in the nursery, constantly reading about products and their ratings, how other mothers experiences were with this products, and on and on and on. I drove myself crazy until my husband literally stopped me by taking away my computer and threatened to lock the nursery door if I didn't stop. It was so funny that he had to do that. But let me give you readers my advice that will save you putting an unnecessary wrinkle on your forehead and give your boyfriend/husband a piece of mind. Stop worrying! Easier said than done but it is necessary. Especially if you don't want to cause premature labor. Your body and growing baby don't need the stress.

During the early stages of my labor I continued about my regular routine until the pain became too much. When the pain grew I rested in my bed while timing my contractions.Two days of hospital visits and Lizzy finally came on the third. The first day my body was practicing. My husband drove me to the hospital was October 28th, 2014 around 8:30pm. The nurses told me that my body was 'practicing' and preparing. "They are just intense Braxton Hicks Contractions." the doctor said. They sent me home and said to keep an eye on how the contractions went. So we did.

We were watching a movie when my contractions intensified. My husband and I timed them and they were 7 minutes apart and about 1 minute long. Keep in mind at my last visit the nurse practitioners and the doctor that was on call told me to come in when they were seven minutes apart. I came in and they said that I was only 4 centimeter dilated and about 50 percent effaced. They said they couldn't admit me to the hospital yet due to over crowding, so they gave me a shot of morphine for the pain and told me to come back at 5am on October 30th. So we went home, I got some rest and woke up around 7am. The contractions were still there and at the same intensity so I said no I'm not going to go back in just to get sent home again.

As the day progressed my contractions were getting to the point where I kind of doubled over in pain. Come about 6pm the contractions were 6 minutes apart and 2 minutes long. They were excruciating. So called my doctor, told her what was going on and she said to get to the hospital quickly. So my mother in law grabs my bags and puts them in the car, I walk out to the car, open the door, lift my leg to climb in the car and my water breaks. Looking back now it is really funny. Earlier that week my doctor told me that if my water breaks to get to the hospital with in 40 minutes because she could feel my daughters head through my cervix. My mother in law got me to the hospital in about 30 minutes. When I arrived I was rushed to trauma and evaluated. At 9:30pm I was 100% effected and 6 centimeters dilated. I was admitted in at 9:30pm and gave birth to my daughter at 10:55pm on October 30th, 2014.

So here is my advice to all of you close to your due date:

1) Do what your doctor and nurses tell you too. They know what they are doing.
2) If you worry or stress really close to your due date it is not beneficial to you or your baby.
3) Make sure everything is ready, relax and wait.
4) Have an ipod or something to listen to. It really helped me calm down and focus on delivering my baby. My husband kept telling me to "Trust the doctors. They know what they are doing. You'll be okay and taken care of.
5) Have your husband with you to talk you through it. He may not feel like he is doing much but it will make calm and more adept to focus.

Our bodies are amazing vessels. When my water broke the only worry that I had was getting to the hospital in time. After I arrived at the hospital and situated in my room I didn't even think about all of my worries. My brain automatically went into "Okay. Let's do this." mode. This experience was, by far, the most rewarding and amazing chapter of my life. I grew more as a person. My husband and I grew stronger as a couple. Our Lizzy was the best thing that could have ever happened to us.

So take this time to really communicate with each other and evaluate what you want as a couple. Get all of those uncomfortable conversations over with before the baby comes. I know you can't be prepared for everything and I definitely know that plans never go the way you want them but just try. There is no harm in trying.

Good luck to all of those expectant mothers out there that are reading this. You'll do great and everything will work out the way that it is supposed.

Until Tomorrow Then!