Today my oldest turns 3. It's insane, that it was only 3 years ago, and at the same time insane that she's already 3.

Three years ago I was sent home from the hospital two times before being admitted the third time. I labored, in back labor for 37 hours before being admitted, I experienced a few hours of medicated relief with a walking epidural and then for the last 1.5 hours (push time included) I made due without it (by choice).

You know, with my very first birth experience I came out feeling like a super hero. I labored, unmedicated for 37 hours, with back labor. I can honestly say that it wasn't that bad. That, had I know other mothers to have terrible wrenching pain with back labor, even with an epidural. The same can be said of Mom's who have "properly" positioned babies. My friend at Tales of an Unlikely Mother says it best when she says Your Mileage May Very.

To a lot of other Moms, most of those who've had all natural births, scoff at me and my pride at 45 hours. When I say my pain wasn't so bad, that pushing wasn't so bad. I'm met with "but you had an epidural." It makes me wonder what part of the 5ish hours I had a walking epidural negates the other 40 hours? What part of 37 hours before being medicated, with back labor, is not painful and pride worthy because once admitted I accepted the epidural I'd planned on anyway?

Could I have done without it. Well that's up for debate, had the timing been less I would say definitely. But at 37 hours, I was exhausted, without the epidural I would have had no sleep for 2 days and at that point I didn't have the energy to roll over let alone push a baby out. I firmly believe that if I hadn't gotten that epidural and some sleep along with it that my labor would have stretched out even more.

So what I'm saying is, don't judge and Happy Birthday Baby.