At week 37, I had my first vaginal exam. I was dilated to 4 centimeter and 50% effaced!! I had also lost my mucus plug, but I never noticed. My doctor told me that I would probably see him later that week.

      I went to work but I was so nervous. I worked night shift in a NICU at the hospital where I would deliver. We joked at work that I was definitely in the right place!. Well, eight hours later and still no contractions. I went home to try to sleep. The only problem was I could not. I figured that it was just because I was big and pregnant. Funny thing was I was getting up every ten to fifteen minutes. I did not notice, but my husband was timing my trips to the bathroom.

      After a couple of hours of this, he suggested that I call the doctor. My doctor's midwife suggested that I come in and be examined. In the office I was now at 5. She said that I could go to the hospital or I could go home, it was up to me. I decided to go on over to the hospital since my doctor was already there delivering a baby.

      At the hospital, I was examined again, per my request, and I was still at 5. My water broke right after this exam. My doctor told the nurse that since my last labor went quickly, he would hang around.

      Once my water broke, the contractions became very intense, one right on top of another. I remember crying to my husband, "When's my cleansing breath!!" Twenty minutes after my water broke I had to push. My nurse was so surprised! She called the doctor stat and was rushing around getting things ready. My doctor came in dripping wet, I found out later that he was taking a shower.

     Three pushes and out came Zoe Elizabeth. Zoe had apgars of 7 and 9. She weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. She did seem to be having a slow transition due to the precipitous delivery so I asked that she be taken to the nursery to be checked out. My husband said that once she had a bath, she was just fine.

      Zoe is now 5 and is lovely and lively.