In honor of Labor Day I'm sharing the stories of my most difficult work.

How long were your labors?
Kid #1, 12 hours.
Kid #2, 5.5 hours

How did you know you were in labor?
Kid #1, 5 weeks early, water broke 12:00 a.m. contractions began much later at the hospital. The entire labor took place in the hospital.
Kid #2, 1 week early, water broke 10:30 p.m. contractions began 1.5 hours later. Most of the labor took place at home in the tub. The hardest labor took place in the car. Got to the hospital just in time for the pushing.

Where did you deliver?
Kid #1, Little Company of Mary Hospital where I was stuck in a delivery room bed without getting up for 12 hours.
Kid #2, almost in the car, but thankfully with some soothing from Mom and careful but aggressive driving from my husband, with 15 minutes to spare, we made it into the delivery room at West Suburban Medical Center's Alternative Birthing Center

Drugs?
Kid #1, pitocin and epidural
Kid #2, au natural--painful, but worth it

C-section?
nope

Who delivered?
Kid #1- Dr. Bonaminio--a stand-in for my original Doctor who had her baby two months before mine and, of course, left the practice to take care of her child for a while. I ended up not loving my new doctor, so I sought a new one for the second pregnancy. I really wanted a woman and a less medical experience overall
Kid #2- the midwives at Women's Healthcare Center in Forest Park--specifically, Shirley. She was awesome! All of them are, but she did the delivery. She was at the hospital and ready for my incredibly fast, intense delivery, and for a minute or two, Beck was stuck at the shoulder. She did some amazing maneuvering and got him out quickly without harming him or me.