Successful med free hospital birth story- Long!

On November 4^th after a disappointing midwife appointment where I had made little to no progress despite a month of false labor, I decided to ask for an induction for the following week despite really wanting to go naturally.  I was so tired of the false labor and desperate for her to come.  I had tried every single natural remedy possible and my body just wouldn’t cooperate.  I was 39.5 weeks at that point but just couldn't imagine going later than 41 weeks as I was completely spoiled by my first two girls who both came early.  I fully admit I was impatient and it started to effect my desire for a natural birth.  The next week I still hadn’t gone into labor despite all of the major signs, so at my November 10^th midwife appointment, I requested the induction.  It was set for 6 am on November 12^th.  I went home disappointed but relieved for an end date.  At 4:55 that day, the hospital called and said they needed to move my induction to the next week because they were so busy.  I was so upset and then they offered me an earlier date, 6 am November 11^th which was the next morning!  I immediately took the spot and started scrambling on what to do with the girls since it was a Tuesday night during the school year.  Luckily I was able to send both kids to spend the night with friends.  I had the whole night to prepare so being my type A self, I cleaned the entire house from top to bottom.  During this time, I was having contractions every 7 minutes but didn’t think much of it since I had been having contractions for weeks prior.  H and I had a nice night to ourselves to prepare for the big day.  We ate dinner and took a long walk trying to get the contractions to pick up.  They eventually died down so I went to bed.  Around 3 am I woke up with a strong contraction, the strongest one yet.  They continued every 5 minutes as I decided to wake up and go ahead and get ready for the hospital.  I was feeling very encouraged and excited when the phone rang at 4 am, the hospital calling to postpone my induction again until 9:30 that day.  I was so upset that I decided to take half a Unisom and go back to bed.  I slept until 7 am when again I was woken up with a strong contraction.  This time it hurt and continued to hurt like none before.  I still was in denial that it was actual labor and even told H that I knew they were going to bump us again so I HAD to go into labor right then.  I spent an hour on my birth ball and using my breast pump until about 8:30 am when we finally decided to leave and head to the hospital.  During the drive, my contractions were every 3 minutes and PAINFUL.   We arrived at the hospital at 9:15 am and I was in such a bad mood just knowing they were going to send us home.  Sure enough when we arrived to the front desk, I told them who I was and that I was there for my induction and they all kind of looked at each other.  They said they were super busy and had no rooms, I was once again so incredibly deflated.  They told me to give them 10 minutes to see what they could do.   H and I did one lap around the L&D floor and my contractions were now 2 minutes apart.  I went back after 10 minutes and before they could even say anything, I told them “look, I know you are busy, but I am pretty sure I am already in labor”.  They heard me breathe through one contraction and immediately took me into a delivery room.  I put on a gown and the nurse, Tiffany, checked me.  Still 4 cm (the same I had been for a week).   Despite no progress, she was sure I was in labor and admitted me.  Tiffany became my favorite person right then!  She asked my birth plan and I told her I did not want an epidural.  She said “ok then, you will NOT get an epidural, ok???”  She was amazing and hardcore, perfect for what I needed to achieve a med free birth.  She brought me in a birth stool and birthing ball and allowed me to labor freely after putting in a hep lock.   Around 10 am my mom showed up and joined us in the room.  The contractions were now every 2 minutes and took my breath away.  It was definitely the real thing.  I labored freely on the toilet, the ball and then settled on the stool which I found the most comfortable for almost an hour.  Tiffany came in to check me again around 10:45 to find I was only maybe 4.5.  Again, I was so upset because my body was working so hard.  She decided to stretch me to a 6 or 7.  Things immediately got more intense so she put me in the shower.  I used very low moans through each contraction which did help some.  The hot water hitting my belly got me through about 10 minutes of intense contractions, but then the shower quit working.  I went  back to my birthing stool and was really struggling with the contractions.  H was an amazing coach and applied counter pressure to my hips through each one as I continued to deep moan.    Finally around 11:15 am my midwife arrived.  I love Laura so much, the first thing she said was “see???  You didn’t need no stinking induction!!”  I needed to laugh a bit.  She checked me again and said I was still maybe a 6.5 and said she was going to break my water.  I didn’t feel a thing until I got off the bed and back onto my birthing stool.   That was when everything got incredibly insane.  As soon as I sat on that stool, my water broke further and I immediately felt the baby go down through the birth canal and press HARD on my perineum and then my body immediately started pushing.  I couldn’t stop it and was yelling “ I am pushing!!!”  My midwife hoisted me right back on the bed and checked and sure enough, I was complete and her head was right there.  I went from 6 to 10 in less than a minute.  It was time to push.  The first contraction came and I pushed with everything I had.  I was NOT prepared for how much it would hurt.  I was in excrutiating pain.  The second contraction came and I pushed again and this time I felt my body stretch and the pressure on my perineum was more that I could handle.  I was screaming that I was dying and for God to help me, I was a mess!  My midwife then announced that she was sunny side up and that I was going to need to try harder.  Harder??? How in the hell??  But yet the next contraction came and this time I got down right primal with my screams and pushed so damn hard.  I felt the ring of fire and her head was right there.  They asked if I wanted to feel her head and I screamed at them “NO!! get her out of me!!”  Finally, the last contraction came and out came her head, sunny side up and immediate relief.  I didn’t even have to push again and her body came sliding right out.  She immediately screamed and was pink as could be!  So perfect.  Eleanor Anne was born on 11-11-15 at 11:46 am.  My first med free birth.  It was hands down the most intense, insane pain I have ever felt, but so, so worth it.  I had a 2^nd degree tear and the midwife had to manually remove blood clots, but I was so wrapped up in the post birth euphoria that I barely felt it.  I definitely never had that euphoric feeling after my prior two epidural births.  Eleanor latched on immediately and hasn’t stopped nursing since J  Her sisters are completely in love with her, as are we.  Our family of 5 is now complete.