Post may contain affiliate links. My name is Ashley Wilson and I am a proud cloth diapering mom of two amazing boys. Last week I delivered my second son Abram, who was exactly 10 pounds. My labor lasted over 29 hours and DID NOT go as planned. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done physically in my life! Let me tell you how it all went down…. starting with the end of my pregnancy.

Before we get into all of that, I would like to show you a quick video about the supplies I wished I had brought to the hospital during my labor and delivery. I also made a video on all the natural focussed supplies I would be bringing a month before I delivered. If you would like to see that video first click here > HOSPITAL BAG ESSENTIALS!

Click the image above to play the video.

My Hopes

I was pregnant with my second boy and hoping to avoid an induction. My first son Asher was induced in my late 37th week of pregnancy due to low amniotic fluid. He also refused to move during an ultrasound at a routine check-up. They had me omitted and induced right away. After I had Asher I started this blog MYGREENNEST and started learning more about living a more natural lifestyle. This time around I wanted to do things differently with Abrams birth. I had really hoped to go into labor naturally and have that “MY WATER BROKE!” experience that I didn’t have with Asher. I also wanted to try using only newborn cloth diapers and postpartum cloth pads from the get-go at the hospital. 

When my Dr would check me, my cervix was softening around 20%, so she believed I would also go into labor a little early. I was around 36 weeks and she would say, “Oh maybe a week to a week in a half.” Then that week would pass and she would say, “You have about a week.” One week later I’m 40 weeks and she was now saying it would be this coming weekend, maybe even the next day which was Friday! We went ahead and scheduled an induction for my 41 weeks just in case I didn’t go into labor but my doc was certain I would go before then. I also had had an ultrasound a couple weeks prior and they even told me Abram was measuring around 7.9 pounds, give or take. My belly was defiantly bigger this time around and I was getting a ton of stretchmarks! Thank You motherhood for the non-refundable gifts. 

Since this wasn’t my first rodeo and my pregnancy was more healthy this time around, I was sure I would go into labor a little early. Especially since things seemed to be progressing. My mucus plug was thinning and my cervix was softening. However, I was carrying really big and completely miserable in those last few weeks. I had such a lack of energy that getting a shower and dressing my toddler for Mothers Day Out would cause me extreme fatigue. I couldn’t drive because it would trigger a ton of Braxton Hicks contractions so my father-in-law kindly began taking me to my appointments. I would literally have to nap two hours to recover after any trip I made. I spent the last 3 to 4 weeks in so much pain and laying in my bed feeling like a beached whale. It was as if I was disabled and dying. I know I drove my friends and family crazy because I would complain 24/7. I was not only miserable but I was also getting bored out of my mind!  I would scroll FB over and over and get myself into pointless debates. Sometimes I would send my friend’s ridiculous pictures and funny comics of my condition just to pass the time.

Every hour I was pregnant felt like a day and every day felt like a week. You can imagine my excitement when the Dr guessed baby would come early, followed by the heart-shattering disappointment when he didn’t.

Getting Desperate

The last few weeks of my pregnancy were so brutal that I came to a point where I was almost willing to try anything short of sin in order to naturally induce labor. I got so desperate I even started walking! That may not seem like much but I was bigger than a baseball field by this point. It was a miracle that my husband could fit my tennis shoes on my fat swollen feet. I also had excruciating pelvic pain with each and every step. We would walk my neighborhood in the evening. On our walks, we would see the same neighbors out every night. One neighbor would always drive by at the same time of our walk and act shocked that I hadn’t gone into labor yet. Seriously, it didn’t matter if we went 10 or 20 minutes early or late. She would literally drive by us every time we went out. It was almost like we were in the movie, Groundhog Day. (If you have never seen it go rent it now!)

Walking would set off a lot of Braxton hicks but never turn into anything more than a labor tease. I had heard that foot rubs could set off labor so you can guess what I asked for every night. 😛 My Dr would strip my membranes at each appointment (near the end) and my mucus plug was even coming out but no actual labor contractions. I would even get excited about mucus in my cloth pads . . . Yeah, I was grasping at straws.

The White Flag
When my due date came and went I had given up all hope of going into labor naturally. Yes, I still hoped it would happen but I wasn’t expecting it anymore. We made the joke that baby will come the night before my induction but even that didn’t happen. Thursday morning finally came and I was 41 weeks exactly. It was FINALLY time to go in and be induced! I was feeling a little nervous but extremely excited. My mother had come to be with us and help out with the new baby. We had to be checked-in at the hospital by 7:30 am that Thursday morning. I heard it wasn’t good to eat before labor so I made sure I didn’t eat anything after 6:30 pm the night before. I only drank chocolate milk for breakfast so I would feel a little more full.

The Dreaded Needle

As much as I love trying to live a natural and organic lifestyle, I gotta admit I’m a huge wimp when it comes to pain and ESPECIALLY needles! Once I was checked into my room a nurse named Tara came in to put my IV in. I tried to pretend I was fine but inside I was having a panic attack. Tara immediately called me out and I admitted I was just a teensy bit afraid. I guess my sweaty palms and the look of horror on my face gave it away. My mother began telling Tara all kinds of stories about how I used to hate shots and getting my finger pricked as a child and would flip out. I didn’t really mind, I was too busy trying not to pass out at the sight of a disgusting needle sticking into my vein. 

Try not to vomit ^

They immediately started me on Pitocin which is a synthetic form of oxytocin. It’s what brings on your contractions for labor. Since my cervix was already a bit softened they didn’t have to use any drugs like Cervidil on me. This saved me from coming in the night before, saving a lot of time. We were all pretty positive the baby would be here by that evening because I was already 41 weeks and it was my second baby. I figured I’d only need a small amount of Pitocin to kick things off and my body would take over from there.

Wait, Contractions Actually Hurt?
Shortly after I was injected with Pitocin I began to get contractions only this time they felt different than the Pitocin-induced contractions I had with Asher. Last time they felt like normal Braxton contractions. This is where your stomach tightens up and you are a little uncomfortable but nothing crazy. With my first son, they didn’t start getting really uncomfortable until a few hours later and it was all centered more in my stomach area. This time they immediately felt uncomfortable and slightly painful. They felt like sharp menstrual cramps and were centered more in my pelvic region. Confused I asked the Tara if these contractions were supposed to hurt. She kind of laughed and said that labor contractions normally hurt but that’s a good thing. She said it means your body is doing what it’s supposed to do.

My Legendary Foot

Shortly after that disgusting IV was placed into my wrist, my family started showing up with gifts and flowers. they chimed in with my mom telling the nurse embarrassing stories about me. Isn’t family wonderful? My sister-in-law (Megan) decided to tell my nurse about my foot. I’m a petite person with a small frame but I’ve always had big ankles and bigger legs for my body. During pregnancy, I start to swell in my legs and feet. By labor, my legs and toes are virtually unrecognizable. Like I’m serious, my ankles get so big it looks like they are trying to devour my feet. My toes start looking more like Vienna sausages and I basically cannot wear any shoes. Megan has this picture of my swollen foot from my first pregnancy which you can see here. The foot on the right was taken a while after my pregnancy. The funny thing is, I didn’t look half that obese from my hips and up. It was all in my legs and feet. 

This image has become a running joke in my family. Every time one of Megan’s pregnant friends complain about their feet swelling, she whips out this pic of my obese foot. Her friends get a good laugh and realize they don’t have it so bad after all. My feet were beginning to swell while I was laying in my hospital bed but the worse was yet to come. I was still having semi-painful contractions but my family with all of their shenanigans were a nice distraction from it all. I was actually having a good time with them and considered that to be one of the highlights of my stay at the hospital.

Ice Ice Baby
It didn’t take long for my hunger pains to start setting in. I was so used to stuffing my face anytime I had the slightest tinge of hunger to now listening to my stomach hiss and growl at people. The nurse allowed me to chew on ice which surprisingly took my mind off of my hunger pains for a small period. You’d be amazed at what begins to taste good when you’re starving. I was really starting to feel uncomfortable as I could barely move with all the crap they had hooked up to me. My cramping contractions were painful and now my stomach was screaming at me. My IV was making me want to vomit every time I looked at it and anytime I used my IV hand it caused more pain. My dad also showed up and joined my mom and husband for the “show.” They kept talking about what they were gonna eat for lunch which was the part where I’d threaten to kick them out of my room.

The Panic Attack
It was now a little before noon and my Dr came in and I was excited to see her and introduce her to my mom. She walked in and said she was here to break my water which immediately threw me into a state of terror. Last time I was being induced the most excruciating and painful part (other than the IV) was when they broke my water. It was horribly painful and they had issues trying to break it. They kept jabbing me with this giant scary crochet hook looking tool. It was very horrible and I never forgot the pain. As my Dr was getting ready my palms began sweating profusely and I became extremely tense. My Dr attempted to break my water before telling me if I couldn’t relax she wouldn’t be able to do it. Then she suggested doing it later that night after I had my epidural. She also told me to get up and move around as much as possible to help move labor along. Before I could think or ask any questions she was outta there! I think mom was embarrassed that I panicked so much but I couldn’t help it. I felt like crying I was so afraid and I couldn’t stop shaking. It all happened so fast and it was the most painful part of my last labor. Unfortunately, I had no idea that it was about to get a lot worse this time around…

Popsicles Are Life

After that incident, it seemed like time began to drag. I was becoming more and more in pain. One nurse offered me a popsicle and it was probably the best friggin popsicle I ever had in my life. It was orange flavored and almost made me feel like I was eating a meal. Each cold and juicy bite took my mind off the pain except when I’d catch a glimpse of my IV. The nurses kept checking me and I was just barely beginning to dilate. I decided to get up and move around like my Dr suggested. I had the nurses bring in a giant pregnancy ball which was surprisingly comfortable. The nurse told me not to bounce around on it but when she wasn’t looking that’s what I would start to do. Mom was cracking up at me as I slipped in a few bounces when the nurse would turn the corner. I couldn’t help it, the movement eased my contractions. The nurse came in later and showed me how to use the ball to open my pelvic area. For the next few hours, I bounced and rocked on it, stood up, walked in place, and sat up. I did everything I could to get things moving. I then noticed watery stuff coming out of me like I was peeing myself. The nurse told me that most likely it was urine but I had my doubts. Later as I was standing there a lot of it gushed down my leg and on the floor. The nurse realized it was indeed my mucus plug. I asked when I could get the epidural and she said when my contractions go from bearable to “oh my gosh!” I was secretly terrified of getting an epidural but more afraid of the pain of childbirth.

It Gets Real

The day had dragged on and on and my husband wanted to run to the bookstore that was close by. I was fine with that since nothing was going on at the moment. Sure enough, once he left my contractions started getting real. Mom and dad were busy in a conversation and I was trying to go to the bathroom while pretending I was fine. It started hurting so bad I couldn’t even fake being ok. I was gripping the rails trying to wait for it to pass so I could go pee. Mom had to help me to the restroom and I barely made it. I was starting to contract on top of another and the pain was only getting more intense. It was so unrelenting I started screaming for an epidural from the bathroom. Then when I was ready to get back to my bed, mom and dad jumped to help me. I could tell they were concerned as they had never seen me in this type of pain before. I barely made it to my bed the pain was so bad. These contractions were an entirely different ballpark than the ones I had with Asher. They felt like knives stabbing me inside my ovaries. The nurse came in and called for my epidural. She calmly stepped me through the epidural and showed me how to breathe between contractions. The breathing actually helped get me through those nightmarish contractions! 

Relief Finally Comes!
Thankfully, my husband had returned from the bookstore right before I got my epidural and he was holding my shoulders as I was receiving it. I was still a bit scared as I knew a giant needle was about to enter my back but the anesthesiologist was really nice and it went very smooth. It didn’t hurt or feel near as weird as it did the first time. I sort-of knew my anesthesiologist as my sister-in-law had actually worked cleaning houses as a part-time job for him in the past. His name was Bill and he was all about taking care of business and wasn’t as big on small talk. That may have been because it was an extremely busy day. Apparently, everyone decided to have babies on the same day as me.

Once I got the drug it was like a massive rush of relief waved over my weary body and took all my troubles away. For the first time in ages, I could completely relax with no pain. I was literally on cloud 9. I thought to myself “why would anyone want to do this naturally?” Giant kudos for all if you tough moms out there though! My nurse (Tara) told me I did really well and that was one of the easiest epidurals she’d ever seen. I was so proud of myself because most of the time she was making fun of me for being a wimp. It was all in fun, she was really cool to hang out with actually and had the same weird sense of humor as me. I believe a lot more of my family came in with gifts right after I received my epidural which was perfect timing. My in-laws brought my toddler, Asher, whom I was excited to see. I had been wanting to see him all day. However, he was too enthralled with the hospital room and all the excitement going on to notice his poor mama!

For the moment, life was gooood!

Time Slows Down

I started to dilate and the nurse said once I reached a 5 it would speed up from there and I’d reach a 10 soon. I was dilating kind of show but they said that was normal when you’re under 5. Everyone was estimating I’d have Abram that evening like 8 to 11 pm ish. Once I reached a 5 I was excited because they were right, I started dilating faster from there. I was so hungry and getting tired of laying In my bed. My cramping and soreness would start to creep back so I would hit that beautiful epidural button to take it all away. More than anything I was getting extremely thirsty. The nurses kept getting onto me for drinking my watered-down ice. I was able to order multiple popsicles which were a temporary distraction from the hunger and thirst. I kept asking the nurses to let me bounce on the pregnancy ball cause I could still feel and move my legs some. They weren’t having any of that nonsense!  Everyone kept wondering if my Dr was ever going to come back and break my water so things could speed-up.

At one point my contractions were happening so fast and on top of one another, it started to mess with the babies heartbeat. They had to put me on oxygen and turn off the Pitocin. Other than that everything was really good with the baby. He had a strong heartbeat my entire labor and after the oxygen incident, he returned to normal. They started up my Pitocin again after a small break.

Super Cool Nurse
I can’t remember when exactly but I met the coolest nurse. Her name was Alexandra and she was in training to be a nurse. She was really tall like over 6 feet and from Serbia. What was fascinating to me was I’ve only met one other person from Serbia and she is now one of my clients. Both Alexandra and my client are really sweet people too. I guess Serbia is doing something right. As my mother and I got to talking with Alexandra, we found out she was a good Christian woman. She even had a degree in ministry, although I forget exactly what it was. She also played basketball in the other countries that she lived. She was a remarkable woman and I was glad I was going to be her first labor and delivery that she witnessed. She said she would be praying for me and Abram which was very sweet. I truly felt like God put her in our path for a reason.

Things Go South

It was starting to become night and my nurse was telling us I would deliver close to 11 ish maybe around midnight. I was getting so excited and ready to eat again. All I could think about was a Big Mac from McDonald’s. As fate would have it, 11 and 12 came and went and I still wasn’t dilated enough. I actually got all the way to a 9 and wouldn’t go any further. That’s when the nurses realized the babies head was in an awkward position which was preventing him from coming down. They immediately started putting me in different positions to try to get him in a better position for birth. I did exactly what they said but nothing was changing. The night started to drag on and my parents along with my husband stuck around once everyone else went home. I also had a Dr show up that was temporarily filling in for my Dr and she broke my water to get things going. Since I was on the epidural I barely felt it this time around YESSS!

It was now past 2 AM and a nurse came in to check me. She quickly realized the top of my cervix had swollen up so bad the baby couldn’t get through. That’s when we all started to get worried. The nurses moved me from position to position and the swelling wouldn’t go down. The nurses started mentioning that I may have to have a c-section but I said I would do anything to prevent that. My Dr kept coming in my room and saying if things didn’t improve, they may have to take the baby. Again, I said I’d do anything in my power to prevent that. I really wanted to deliver vaginally if I could help it. The nurses and Dr were willing to do everything they could to deliver me vaginally as long was the baby was doing well. 

The Power Of Prayer
That’s when I took to Facebook and privately reached out to every good Christian friend or acquaintance I knew. I was practically begging my friends to pray that I could have the baby naturally and without further intervention. Mom and Dad were still with me and I could tell everyone was getting more concerned. I was so exhausted by this point. One of the nurses came in and thought of a pose to get baby off my cervix called the downward dog. I literally had to get on my hands and knees and stick my butt in the air. I did exactly that and somehow fell asleep in that position for 20 minutes. They came back and checked me and my swelling had gone down! That was the turning point. My nurse got excited and said we can do this vaginally and called my Dr to update her. I’m pretty sure if prayer had not happened and I didn’t have the supportive nursing staff that I did, I would have been wheeled in for a c-section already. The only thing they needed now was for baby to continue dropping and for my swelling to continue to go down. We continued the awkward yoga-ish poses throughout the entire night.

Stuck at 9

For whatever reason, once I dilated to a nine I couldn’t get passed that stupid number. I just needed a 10 and for my baby to drop a little further and I could push! It was now morning and no matter how many poses I did, Abram wouldn’t drop. They needed him to be at a station positive 2 instead of a negative 1 or 0 which he was currently at. I still had a slightly swollen cervix but if he would drop I could begin pushing. I could not believe I was now 41 weeks and one day past due and that it was so stinking difficult! This labor made Asher’s delivery seem like a breeze. I was getting so tired of laying in bed and couldn’t wait to get that bloody IV out of my hand! Every time I had to change positions it would bother me. It was such a long night and I couldn’t believe my parents stayed up with me the entire time.

My Dr came in and said my labor was unusually long and I would need to make a decision soon. I said as long as my baby was healthy I wanted to continue trying for vaginal. My Dr was ok with that. It was now the next Friday morning and I remember having these intense feelings of needing to push. It was like I needed to go number 2. (TMI, sorry) I asked the nurses if it would be ok to try and push to see if my baby would drop. I suggested taking a break after that then trying for labor. They ran it by my doc and decided to give it a try since the poses were no longer working. 

Going Home!

The night before we went home we decided not to have company since we were so exhausted. Actually, my husband was the one barely hanging on to consciousness. I almost thought he was more tired than I was! I was somehow handling everything well and felt about 80% better after dumping the 10-pounder. I didn’t have as much pain as I did with Asher and was up walking around. I contribute walking to the NICU and back to helping me get better more quickly. I did have a lot of pelvic pain right after birth but it subsided the more I rested and walked.

During my stay, I was beginning to worry I would be released before Abram would. He was still having trouble breathing and he sounded like he was constantly stopped up. I dreaded having to drive back and forth to the hospital like I had to do with Asher. It made healing up so much harder. I get super swollen during labor and right after as you could see from my obese foot picture. Being on my feet too much makes it a lot worse. The nurses said we could stay a little longer but not as a patient if Abram wasn’t released at the same time. I really really really didn’t want to go home without my baby this time. Again, I reached out on Facebook asking for prayer.

Always Be Thankful…
We found out Abram was improving and the pediatric Dr came in and was thinking he would be released early. Then As I was being discharged that Sunday afternoon I was told Abram would get to go home with us! No one would have to stay any longer and we could all leave by noon. I was so happy and thankful to God and all my friends/family/nurses who prayed for us.

When I went to go get my son I saw a 23-week old baby in the room next to him. I had met the mother the day Abram went into the NICU and she was very nice. I said a prayer for that baby and mom as I knew they had a long journey ahead. She had given birth the same day as I did. I had been complaining about giving birth to a 10 pounder then she told me her baby only weighed a little over a pound. This is one reason why we always need to remain thankful because there is always someone who has it harder.

On April 2nd, 2017 we got to take our sweet baby boy Abram Lee Wilson home with us. I couldn’t get enough of cuddling with him once I got home, it was almost intoxicating. I was full of nothing but gratitude, relief, love, and pure exhaustion! My mother stayed with us the following two weeks to help with my oldest. She cooked, cleaned, played with Asher, and drove me to all my appointments. Huge shout-out to that woman! ❤️

I truly felt the Lords presence during my labor and delivery journey so strong. It was almost a magical experience. It was also the hardest and most painful thing I’d ever been through physically. Abram Lee, you were worth all of it!