Mommy's Favorite Things: Emerson Brooks birth story!

12/27 (my due date). I had an appt with my OB at 1:50 and he stripped my membranes, it hurt, but I read that if it didn't then it wasn't done right... I was still a 3 (had been for 3 weeks) and after the strip I was a 3-4 and had bulging waters. He said he'd see me that night.
Starting at 5:30 I was having some contractions. They were pretty regular for a whole hour (about 4-6 minutes apart) then went to about 8-9 minutes, then 10-11 minutes, then back to 4-6 and so on. They did this until 11 o clock. Regular, but not consistent. Then they stopped... I figured I'd go lay down and try and get some sleep. I fell asleep around 12. I had 3 strong contractions wake me up for the next couple hours, but I was able to fall back asleep... until 3:15.

12/28 (1 day overdue). At 3:15am I woke up with painful contractions. So I started timing... about 5-6 minutes apart and lasting upwards of 2 minutes!
I woke up Jon at 3:40 and he said to keep timing. I timed them until 4:10 and finally woke him up and said we need to leave. They got a little stronger and I had to breathe through them, but they weren't majorly strong. They weren't that bad.
We got everything ready and arrived at the hospital at 5:30am. I was first checked at about 6:15 and was a 6, 80% effaced and a -2 station.
It was right around 7:15 I asked for the epidural. I was trying for a natural delivery, but I had some super strong contractions and just knew it would be best for me to get it.
At 8:20 my dr came in and checked me again 6-7, 90% effaced and -1 station! He then broke my water!
It was 9 o clock when I felt the pressure (never felt this with my daughter so it was WEIRD). Jon paged the nurse and she checked me... 10!!!!
I went from a 7-10 in about 40 minutes!!!
They wanted me to have a few more contractions and bring him down before I started pushing.
The nurse had me start pushing at 9:22, I pushed through 3 contractions (about 6 times) and then she paged for the dr. and a catcher! They arrived immediately and I started pushing... I kept feeling him get closer and closer and then knew he was RIGHT THERE. I pushed for about 5 minutes and about 6-7 times and he was born at 9:30am!!

Emerson Brooks born at 9:30am weighing 7lb 6oz (I guessed this number EXACTLY!) 19 3/4" long! He had a 13" head circumference.

I tore in 1 spot that needed 3 stitches, but other than that it went perfect! So much different than with Avery where I pushed for 40 minutes.

So from Beginning of active labor until he was out, was just about 6 hours and 15 minutes! I had a lot of prep contractions there for a while though!
So glad it's over and we're home and doing good!!