The month after turning 21 I found out my then-boyfriend and I would be expecting a baby. I was only 3 weeks pregnant when we found out. I kind of knew before I took the test. After telling family and friends, we were very excited but scared.

At 5 weeks I starting having cramps and bleeding. I was rushed to the hospital. We found out that we were going to have twins but one was in danger of miscarrying. I went through tests and later was sent home to miscarry my unborn child. I was very confused about how that happens, being that I had an intrauterine pregnancy and a tubal. Normally surgery is required to remove tubal pregnancies, but the fetus sort of "dissolved"? That is what they told me anyway.

I went on to have a pretty uneventful pregnancy, not even getting sick. I did have a lot of aches and pains though. I am a small girl so the extra 50 pounds I gained was hard on my body.

At 37 weeks I went in for a checkup and I was told that I was 1 centimeter dilated and 70 to 80 percent effaced. I was excited, thinking that the baby would be coming anytime now. Boy, was I wrong.

Next week, same thing. And the next.

On my 39th week I went to the checkup hoping they would induce. They did an ultrasound and found that the baby was small for dates and that she had basically stopped growing. It was then that I felt almost selfish for being so consumed with not being pregnant anymore.

We decided to induce that afternoon. At 12:30 p.m. I was admitted and at 1:50 my water was broken. I had no medication, just oxygen because Baby's heart rate was dropping with each contraction. My contractions were double and triple peaking with no relief in between.

I was at 2 centimeters dilated for two hours and then 3 for about 30 minutes. After that I had the urge to push and within 10 minutes of being 3 centimeters I was fully dilated and had delivered my daughter. I had a 4th degree episiotomy, which took 52 stitches to repair – with no anesthetic! My little girl was small but healthy. She weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces, and her Apgars were 9 and 9.

She is now almost 9 months old and is about to take her first steps. Oh yeah, and she has no problems with her weight. She weighs 22 pounds and is 31 inches long!