Almost 3 months ago, my little Shea was born on May 15, 2018. It's been a busy summer, so I am finally sharing some of his first photos and birth story. It all started on Mother's Day when my water broke at 1 o'clock in the morning...

I was super shocked to have my water break since I had heard this only happens about 10% of the time. Unfortunately, I was not really in labor yet. I spent the next 24 hours at home, waiting to go into labor. That never happened. So Monday morning we headed to West Suburban Medical Center. I never thought I would need to be induced for my labor, but it happened. I was hooked up to an IV and had to have continuous monitor, which was not my birth plan at all. So around 10am it all began. Or so we thought...

I was on Pitocin for about 12 hours, contractions were definitely stronger, but nothing strong enough to be called active labor. Then, at around midnight on Tuesday I finally was starting to have real tough contractions. 6am Tuesday morning my Midwife checked my dilation. I was 4cm! Doesn't seem like much after 2 days, but it was progress. By about 10am I was kind of losing it and thinking about pain relief methods. So I ended up using Nitrous Oxide aka Laughing Gas. I was on board with this method especially since it can never reach or affect the baby.

Right about this time, two of my sisters showed up at the hospital and it was the best thing ever! With the Nitrous Oxide, Brad and my sisters I was able to relax and be distracted for a bit. A few hours later at 5:30 pm my Midwife check me again and I was 10cm dilated! Finally, after 60+ hours my son, Shea Gaynor Smith was born at exactly 6:40pm on Tuesday, May 15th and was 8lbs 20". And he was born completely healthy! And he actually came out clean, haha. I could not have done it without my husband and my sisters!

Photos below were taking by my sisters, Sarah and Annie Neurauter, my doulas during Shea's birth .