Check out these moms' amazing birth stories, and learn what to do if these crazy experiences happen to you.
1. Wake Up and Deliver
Victoria, age 22, in Jacksonville, TX
"I sat up, ran to bathroom and sat on the toilet. I felt the need to push at that moment. My mother-in-law told me not to, but I did anyway, and all it took was two pushes and then my daughter Leah was born."
Wisdom for new moms: If this ever happens to you, don't panic; that puts more stress on the baby and you don't want that. Any pain you feel, even if it’s minor, go to the hospital and get checked out because you never know
2. I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant!
Vivian, age 23, in Fridley, MN
"The doctor then checked my cervix and told me I was dilating and that I might have the baby tonight. NOT only did I just find out I was pregnant, but that I might give birth. The doctor sent me up to the birth center, where we found the sex of the baby (a girl) and heard her heartbeat. They decided to admit me, because my contractions were crazy. I ended up having my daughter the next day at midnight."
Wisdom for new moms: You will never know what true love or true happiness means until you have a little one of your own.
3. Baby (Almost) In An Elevator
Julie, age 37, Washington, D.C.
"I was sure we were going to have David in the car. And I'm pretty sure my husband Brad actually drove on a sidewalk to get around someone. We show up at Sibley in N.W. D.C. and he pulls the car right up and leaves it—doors open and everything. An older lady volunteer comes up and offers me a wheelchair but I can't even sit as I am starting to crown. We somehow get on the elevator and by the time we get to second floor, David is coming out. "
Wisdom for new moms: The moment you walk into the hospital you need to forget your birth plan. You now need to be open to the amazing thing that is getting ready to happen, and trust in the experts to do the right thing for you and your baby. And believe it or not, try to enjoy it.
4. A Long-Awaited Joy
Kari, 39, Hackensack, New Jersey
"I suffered five miscarriages over the course of five years. I lost two in the second trimester and three in the first. When I finally got pregnant this last time I was scared to death every day. I was so worried that I would lose this one too. My long-awaited joy finally arrived on December 12, 2011. Such emotion washes over me every time I think about that first scream and when I saw that he was finally here."
Wisdom for new moms: Try and get as much sleep as you can and anyone willing to help... let them!!
5. Timing Is Everything
Abbey, 30, Colorado
"Fourteen minutes from door to delivery… my daughters are exactly 13 years and 55 minutes apart! It is true when they say the womb remembers… and apparently the universe does too. The first was eight weeks early, and the baby was three weeks early… weirdest story of my life, and no planning involved around timing, folks."
Wisdom for new moms: Don't worry, sleep will be a something you know again soon!
6. Born In the Car
Ashley, 25, Florida
"I woke up at 5:28 a.m. with horrible, painful contractions that were already about four minutes apart. We rushed to get our stuff together and were out the door in about five minutes. I could feel the contractions getting stronger and closer. Within minutes of being on the road, they were already two minutes apart and getting painfully worse. About a block down the road from the hospital I gave birth IN MY CAR in the passenger seat while my boyfriend was still driving!"
Wisdom for new moms: Always expect the unexpected. And sleep when the baby sleeps!
7. Slow and Easy... Then the Freight Train Hit!
Bethany Ann, 21, Dayton, OH
"The nurses kept asking, 'Did you feel that contraction?' and I did not even know I was having one. Eight centimeters hit me like a freight train. For all the ease and comfort I was feeling before, those beautiful little blips of contractions, this was the complete opposite. Chris graciously ushered everyone out for the hard labor period. I got the shakes. My entire body shook so hard that the bed was vibrating. My mouth was full of cotton, I couldn't sip enough water to wet it down. It was almost like being sea-sick."
Wisdom for new moms: Relax! Things are so much simpler than you think they should be. Baby eats, sleeps and poops. Baby needs love, lots of hugs.
8. An Easy-Peasy Delivery!
Mari, 29, Blue Island, IL
"Around 3 a.m. I called the doctor and he told me to go in. When I got to the hospital the first thing I asked for was epidural. They checked me and I was already eight centimeters open so they told me it was too late for the epidural. For the first time I felt nervous.
Ten minutes later I was ready to push and surprisingly it wasn’t pain I felt, it was just pressure, and it was pretty easy. My baby was out quickly. The whole thing took about an hour and a half. Never in my life did I think I could do it without drugs, but I did and I am pretty proud of myself."
Wisdom for new moms: Listen to people's advice but remember that everyone is different.
9. An Emergency Caesarean
Theresa, 29, Columbus, OH
"By noon I was only five centimeters dilated; the baby was still really high and I had been at five centimeters for five hours. At this point my OB saw me and said she thought I was in back labor which meant the baby couldn’t move down to help with dilation so a C-section may be the best choice. To be honest my birth class made me TERRIFIED of having a C-section. I started crying, so she said they would try to put me in a position that could turn baby and she would be back by 2 p.m."
Wisdom for new moms: Trust your OBGYN! Caesarean births are beautiful, too :)
10. Sleeping Through Labor
Emily, 32, Reno, NV
"I did get an epidural. At first it was okay, but then my blood pressure crashed and the nurse couldn’t get it back up. She had to call the anesthesiologist back in and he shot me full of ephedrine. Feeling better, I went to sleep.
I woke about 6:30 a.m. and was at nine centimeters. At 7 a.m. my doctor—not the one who didn’t believe me—came to see how I was, then about 10 minutes later I was ready to push. I pushed for about 30 minutes. At 7:39 a.m. on June 11, 2012 I had my second child, a beautiful little girl."
Wisdom for new moms: Trust your instincts! You know your baby better than anyone else.