During my entire pregnancy, I've read almost all of these stories and have loved the really detailed ones. So if this is a little long, it's because I want people to truly get something from reading it.

My due date was changed a couple of times, but finally it was set to October 30, 2009.

My first trimester was pure hell. My day, every day, consisted of throwing up after every meal, feeling nauseous when I wasn't eating and having to cope with the worst migraines I've ever experienced. The ones that last all day, all night, and won't let you sleep. It was a disaster and I was so glad that was over. I had weight problems almost the whole pregnancy until up to 30 weeks and had lost 20 pounds before gaining it back. My lowest was 102 (I was 120 pre-pregnancy) and at the end I was 140. After that trimester I had all the rest of the symptoms. My back was in pain all the time, I always had to pee, exhaustion, I even got an infection, and etc. I also had to go see a nutritionist for my bad weight gain, and they said I was anemic. Towards the end I had to have a couple stress tests done because baby's heart rate was always a little too high. In the 4th month me and my husband had the ultrasound done that determined we were having a girl! We were so excited. Exactly what we were hoping for!

At my 39-week checkup I was 2 centimeters, like I had been for a couple weeks, and 70 percent effaced. The nurse checked her heartbeat and it was too high (175) so she sent me to triage to be monitored. I was mortified. I was sure they would induce me right then and there from all the stories I've read. But after being monitored for a while they let me go home. When October 30 was approaching everyone was getting impatient and couldn't wait until I went into labor. Needless to say, the due date came and went without baby. It got very frustrating when everyone I talked to asked where Lexy is and why I haven't gone into labor yet. At my 40-week checkup I was scheduled for an induction at 41 weeks and 2 days. I would go in Sunday afternoon around 5 to have Cervidil inserted, then we would stay overnight and at 7 the next morning I will get the Pitocin drip and get this labor started. I tried to go into labor on my own but baby Lexy just wouldn't budge. I was scared to death of Pitocin and I wanted to do anything possible not to get it, but too late.

Sunday, me and hubby went to eat a really good dinner because I've heard from everyone that once you're admitted to the hospital you won't be able to eat anything. After I was full we left and got to the hospital around 6. I changed into those horrible hospital gowns and they started the monitors and everything was being set up. I was so scared of the IV. I'm not good with needles at all, but it didn't hurt one bit. I don't know why I fussed about it for so long. They monitored her for a while (heartbeat still high) then we finally got to go up to a room to have the Cervidil put in. It was a semi-private room and I asked the nurse if my husband can sleep on the other bed if no one else shows up. No. He had to sleep on a small chair the whole night, which kind of stressed me out a little. I was scared of the Cervidil because I didn't know what to expect. Turns out it's just a skinny, long string that goes in when she checks to see how much I've dilated. It was nothing to fret over. Turns out, when they checked me I was 1.75 centimeters and only 50 percent. How could that be? I was so disappointed.

That night was hell. I had to sleep with the IV in that was hooked up to a line of fluids, the monitors on my tummy and the Cervidil. Going to the bathroom (which I had to do every 10 minutes because of the fluids) was a whole process altogether: unhooking the machine, unplugging the monitors and dragging the metal thing holding everything. I finally got a little sleepy and managed to sleep a couple hours at night. Hubby gave up sleeping on the chair and crawled up on the bed next to me. In the morning we were told that all of the labor and delivery rooms were full! Another couple came in and left a few hours later because a room emptied up. Hello!? How about us!? We were there for hours before they showed up! At 11 a.m. I finally got the Cervidil out. I had an internal exam and was found to be 4 centimeters and about 70 percent. Woohoo! I was starting to get cramps and knew that contractions were going to start getting stronger. My mom got to the hospital and hung out with us. Around 4:30 we were brought in to a labor and delivery room. Finally! By then the contractions were really uncomfortable and I didn't know how many more I wanted to handle without medicine. I still haven't felt a really, really strong contraction yet. After the Pitocin was started, the contractions slowly started getting stronger and closer together. I immediately decided I would rather get the epidural than have to deal with the contractions.

Now, my whole pregnancy I was expecting labor and delivery to be the worst, most painful experience in the entire universe. I was anticipating to feel as though I was dying and not wanting to do it anymore. So when my contractions started coming closer, I started to think I wouldn't be able to handle them for however many hours I would be in labor. Although I was scared stiff to get the epidural (the main thing I was scared about while in labor), I figured it would be better for it to hurt the few minutes while they put it in instead of the long hours I would be having contractions. By the time the anesthesiologist came, my contractions were one on top of the other. Even though I was on Pitocin and they were coming at maximum strength I remember thinking this wasn't as painful as I had imagined it to be. I would have been able to handle them if my labor was guaranteed to be very short.

While the miracle man explained the epidural to me I got three real strong contractions one on top of the other. The epidural was nothing like I had imagined. While him and his assistant prepped and I got into position I started crying and whining to the nurse about how badly it was going to hurt and asking why I was even doing this. She was great support. The only thing I felt was a weak sting when they put in the general anesthesia. After that I was told to hold very still and not jump because I was going to feel a fast bolt go down my leg. I flinched a little, but I thought it felt good. I couldn't believe it when he told me the catheter was in place and they were just taping it down. That was it!? Amazing. I started getting tingly and numb in seconds. In a couple minutes I was laughing and so shocked that my contractions were off the charts, but I couldn't feel them. I was given a button to press whenever I felt I needed more. No need. The nurse put in a catheter. It looked so weird going in, but of course I didn't feel a thing. I did a couple Kegels to check if I could feel anything, but nothing. Beautiful!

After a while, the doctor came in and broke my water. I thought I would feel something, even a wet, warm sensation, but nothing. I was so terrified of having my water broken before going into labor. Silly me. They also put in an internal monitor to check her heartbeat more accurately. I was against it, but by this time I couldn't feel a thing, so I didn't care. We waited and waited and finally around 8:30 I was checked. I had gone from 4 centimeters to 9 centimeters and fully effaced in a little over three hours. Crazy! My sister showed up when we were moved to the room and she fell asleep on the pull out couch after I got the epidural. When she woke up she was shocked I progressed so fast. The doctor said to call them when I really felt the urge to push. I forced my husband to go to sleep before I had to push because he was tired from not sleeping for so long. I was checked again around 9:15 and I had gone up to 10 centimeters! By then I was having strong sensations of having to bear down and there was so much pressure in my butt with each contraction. When the doctor came in she said I should give it a little more time so that Lexy can come down more on her own so that I didn't have to push too much. Sounds good.

At 9:45 I told them I'm going to start pushing! We were all so excited to finally see her! The doctor and nurse got ready and I started pushing at 9:47 p.m. My sister held one of my legs, and the nurse held the other one. On the first push the doctor was saying, "Good, good! Just like that." I heard my sister say, "OMG I could see her head! She has so much hair!" That was motivation enough. After another push the doctor asked if I wanted to touch her head. It was amazing. Hubby was so scared; he stayed up by my head the entire time. Later he said he didn't want to have any kind of negative visions of my area ha ha! Even though I felt no pain I could feel her head there and after a couple more pushes she was out! They put her on my tummy and she started yelling and screaming. She was so tiny, and inherited her mommy's dimples. While everyone ran to the baby station to meet her and have her bath given, the doc told me to gently push out the placenta, and after half a push it was out. She said I had just a tiny tear on the inside and she would start fixing it. When I saw those scissors I was again petrified. But I didn't feel a thing. She took her precious time! I was so jealous of everyone who was around Lexy. After what seemed like forever, she said I was done. Turns out I had two long stitches on the inside. By then I was holding Lexy, who was squeaky clean and so, so small. I couldn't believe this tiny, living thing just came out of me and I didn't feel any pain.

You hear so many horror stories of what labor and delivery will be. Fear took up so much of my time instead of truly enjoying my pregnancy. This being my first baby I was convinced I would be in labor for over 12 hours and feel death approaching. Don't listen to it. I have such a low tolerance for pain, but that wasn't pain. The contractions at the beginning were bad, but nothing like I had expected at all. I know of so many people who have gone through the same experience as me, why aren't THEY the ones telling their stories to worried and scared pregnant women? One suggestion: if you feel like the contractions are too much, don't wait it out. Get the epidural and save yourself the energy. It has no affect towards the baby and you both will be happy campers at the end of the day. Why should you suffer through it instead of enjoying the moment? No one is going to hand out any kind of award, and at the end of the day you'll still be with Baby! Don't wait, get that miracle shot!

Lexani Robles: Born November 09 at 9:57 p.m., exactly 10 minutes of pushing. She was 6 pounds, 12 ounces and 20 inches long. Apgars of 8/9. She's only 3 days old and we couldn't picture our lives without her. She's the most amazing thing my husband and I could ever be given. If you need to talk to someone my email is breakdawn@att.net.

What they don't tell you is the gigantic diapers you have to walk around in the first few days/nights. It's not fun. Going to the bathroom is another process and sitting down is the most uncomfortable thing for me. And the engorged breasts and the painful breastfeeding the first few days aren't fun either. I have a manual pump, but that was torture. My sister ran and bought me an electronic one right away. But you won't care too much, I'm sure. You'll have a reason to smile every day. Good luck ladies!