Sunday, September 29th, at 9 p.m. was the date for my induction. My baby was due on September 28th, so it was only a day later. We went to dinner with my parents, who were in town for the birth, and then Connor and I drove to the hospital. I had my hospital bag ready for weeks, and we were so excited! I wasn’t nervous—I was just wondering how everything was going to go, but we were mostly excited.

We checked in, and by around 11 p.m., we were all set in our room. The nurses came in and explained the induction process. They were going to insert a pill to help me dilate and then check in a few hours to set me up with a balloon that would open my cervix. Around 2 a.m., they came to do the balloon, but it was painful, so I asked for an epidural.

The anesthesiologist seemed very experienced—he was older, I would say around 70ish. He made Connor stand on the opposite side of the room, so I didn’t have direct sight of him. The nurse, who was so kind, was holding me. I was told to bend forward, breathe in, and not breathe out when instructed. I didn’t look at the needle. The anesthesiologist narrated everything he was doing, like, “I’m applying alcohol,” “I’m placing the tape,” etc. Then he said, “Breathe in now, and don’t breathe out—stay still.” Oh my, that was nerve-wracking, but it didn’t hurt, and I felt immediate relief.

The nurses came back to place the balloon, and I didn’t feel a thing. Then they started Pitocin through my IV, which, by the way, hurts! Having that needle in your hand is no joke, especially since my veins are extra thin.

Around 9 a.m., I started to feel very strong cramps—or as I should call them by their proper name, contractions. I felt a lot of pressure down in my butt. I told Connor to call the nurse because I felt like the medication had worn off. The nurse came, checked me, and said I was 10 cm dilated! She seemed surprised because they had anticipated I wouldn’t start pushing until around 5 p.m.

They called my doctor, and we called my parents to tell them to hurry. Another anesthesiologist came and gave me more medication, but he warned me I would still feel pressure. The epidural helps, but you can definitely still feel it!

By around 11 a.m., everyone was in the room. I told my mom she could come in, and since they only allowed two people, my dad stayed in the waiting room but joined us on FaceTime, lol. My doctor thought it was a bit unusual, but we are so close! My mom was tucked into a corner, and Connor was next to me, holding my hand.

My doctor and the team of nurses were incredible and so cheerful. My doctor said, “This is like the gym—push four times, then rest, then push again until he’s out.” I pushed for about 40 minutes, and at 12:45 p.m., Archer Philip Barba was born!

It was honestly the most magical experience of my life. Feeling his warm body on top of me and looking at his little face and his tiny hands—it was the best moment ever. Connor and I looked at each other and cried.

Then we went to our room with our baby and started this journey of loving this boy with our whole hearts and learning how to be the best parents we can be for him. It’s been incredible.