6.13.2019 (day before due date) – We had our weekly doctor’s appointment and after being checked I was dilated to 3cm and about 80% thinned. I had been at 3cm for almost 3 weeks. I asked to be swept (at our appointment the week before, baby was still too high to be reached for a sweep). We left the doctor’s appointment with our fingers crossed that the sweep would do the trick. I had my membrane swept with Zadie also and she came a few days later. I ended up feeling a few mild contractions that night but hadn’t really felt any throughout the pregnancy so that was promising!

6.14.2019 (due date) – Zarin was determined not to go over due date so he brought our treadmill into the living room that morning (it was 100°+ outside) 😂🤦🏽‍♀️. I walked for 10 minutes and then bounced on our medicine ball and repeated a few times. We decided to lay down for a bit and relax – I was exhausted from the ‘workout’ he put me through. Before heading up, I asked Zarin to grab some York Peppermint patties (thanks for the tip Julie!). Then, I googled ways to naturally induce labor – I definitely wasn’t going to drink oil or eggs 🤢 – so I came across nipple stimulation lol! We laid in bed watching tv, I ate my peppermint patties aaaand we rubbed on my nipples!

12:20pm – Literally 15 minutes later I started feeling contractions. And within a few minutes they were stronger and coming every 3-4 minutes. I went through an hour of contractions at home while we got ready to go to the hospital.

1:45pm – We checked in to the hospital and they admitted us right away.  We were so excited! Baby time! I had to sit through another couple hours of contractions before they walked us back to our room.

4pm – Epidural!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zadie also came to visit us in the hospital shortly after. We spent some time with her in our L&D room before she headed home to go to sleep, her last day as the baby 💕 Thank you to my mom, Erick and Paige for taking such good care of her while we were in the hospital!

8pm – I was only at 5cm dilated. I also started feeling the contractions so they ‘topped’ me off.  Our L&D nurse was going back and forth on putting me on pitocin to move things along. But after topping me off she said she thought I could do it on my own. So we waited it out.

10pmish – I started feeling lots and LOTS of pressure down low.. and it continued to get worse and WORSE. The feeling wasn’t like a contraction at all. It was actually worse. Apparently, what I was feeling is referred to as the ‘ring of fire’ and usually only felt in natural, drug free deliveries (or when the epidural wears off in my case). Well, I felt it. And maybe because I asked for it. The day before, I had told Zarin I kind of wanted to feel what a natural labor would be like. I had an epidural with Zadie and pushed three times with minimal pain, of course due to the epidural. This time, even though I had the epidural again, I could feel everything at the end. I felt him coming down. I felt his head with the first push. I remember Zarin and all the nurses telling me I was almost done and I remember thinking I couldn’t do it. I remember screaming so loud feeling like there was no way I could push him out. They told me to push one more time and I felt his shoulders.

10:24pm – Our beautiful baby boy, Zekiel James Sells, was born.

I’m so thankful for the amazing team I had during delivery. Our nurse stayed past her shift to help us bring our boy into the world. She was so amazing. I’m thankful for my husband who was by my side the whole time. I squeezed the shit out of his hand during delivery. I think I may have even dug my nails in for the last push. Love you, babe.

Zadie and Ziggy came to meet their baby brother the next day. As soon as Zadie walked into the room she shouted, ‘Baby!’ and pointed to him. She immediately started kissing him and patting him on his back. They are both so in love and we could not have asked for three better babies.

Zarin and I are so thankful for all the love and support since baby boy arrived. We are tired, but so so happy. Welcome to the world baby Zeke. We love you, so.

xo,

Team Z