By Amy McKee

There had been some signs over the previous few days that Soren may have been on the way, but the power of denial is real. My friends put on a “baby brunch” for another pregnant friend and me on July 9. I told them all that I thought I was having some prodromal labor, and even had to lay down for a minute while I was getting ready.

Later that afternoon I experienced some spotting, so I called the birth center. I told work I was taking the next day off to rest and drink lots of fluids, per advice from Laura who was the midwife on-call, and that I would probably see them on my next scheduled workday. Monday morning I began waking up off and on to some mild contractions that gradually became stronger and more frequent between 1:30 and 5:30 AM, when I could no longer get back to sleep in between. At that time, I woke up my husband, Matt, and told him we should pack our bag. Unfortunately, by the official due date on the records, Soren was considered late preterm at 36 weeks and 6 days, which meant it was a day too early to deliver at the birthing center. 

So, we made our way to UNC-Chapel Hill where Laura met us and wheeled me in. I was clearly far enough into labor to skip triage at this point, and once in the room it was determined that I was “very close” and 9.5 cm already. Soren was born no more than 20 minutes later. 
This birth was so very different than our first, who presented at 39 weeks 2 days with water breaking an hour before contractions began and not delivering at the birth center for another 11 hours. However, it was the closest to having a delivery at WBWC I could have hoped for at UNC. I am so thankful to have had Laura there to talk me through this “fast and furious” delivery, catch Soren, and help me pull him straight onto my chest at 7:59am in a state of complete shock and awe.