Early Arrival: My Real-Life Birth Story at 36+6 (Signs, Decisions, and What Helped Most)

Our baby girl surprised us by arriving at 36 weeks + 6 days—healthy, tiny, and perfect. Here’s the real story of early labor signs, what the hospital was like, and what I’d want another first-time mom (or CrossFit mom) to know.

The weeks before: energy dipped and everything felt “max effort.” I still lifted safely and even hit a 5-lb clean & jerk PR a few days before birth. I noticed increased discharge (possible mucus plug) and that classic “is something happening?” feeling. Pro tip: Google will say everything and nothing. Talk to your provider and trusted moms you know.

The night it started: mild contractions came and went. I called my OB, put on a pad, and monitored. The next day, real contractions were close together. At the hospital my blood pressure was high (think 180s/100s), so I stayed regardless of dilation. I was 4 cm, which confirmed: not going home.

Magnesium & epidural: Magnesium made me woozy and nauseous, but it’s common when BP spikes. After weighing options (nitrous vs. epidural), I chose an epidural—it can help with pain and lower BP. BTW: the epidural placement was less painful than my tricky IV. Numbness was mostly right-dominant, so the left hip flexor still talked to me a bit.

Pushing strategy: A straight-shooting doctor told me, “Plan for hours.” My CrossFit brain set a time cap—beat three hours. Instead of three pushes every contraction, I waited for the peak (“it’s here, it’s here!”) and gave two powerful pushes. It saved energy and moved things along. After some intense sets (think assault bike sprint → short rest → repeat), her head crowned and she was here.

Meet our girl: 4 lb 15 oz, 17.5 inches, and an Apgar of 9—amazing for a late-preterm baby. Eli cut the cord; we both did skin-to-skin. The placenta delivery was quick, and the post-delivery uterine massage was the most uncomfortable part—but it helps your body clear fluids.

What helped most:

• Advocating kindly (asking about options, timing, and what to expect).
• Breath work from training—inhale, brace, push, recover.
• Flexible birth preferences (I wanted to avoid pain; I also wanted to meet my baby safely).
• Humor (yes, seafood the night before was… bold 😂).

Every birth is different. This is just ours—not medical advice—but I hope it gives another mama reassurance. If you want the full, unfiltered version, listen to the podcast. 💜

Keywords: birth story, early labor signs, mucus plug, epidural experience, high blood pressure in labor, late preterm baby, Apgar score 9, CrossFit mom postpartum, first-time mom story.