Hospital Natural Birth - Part Two

In case you hadn't heard, baby number three is here!  We were able to achieve our completely natural, unmedicated hospital birth as planned...there were a few surprises along the way.  Here's what happened and what you can do to help your chances of going au naturale, should you desire.

I'm notorious for random Braxton Hicks contractions that go nowhere and do nothing, so imagine my surprise when going in for a checkup with the midwife two days before my due date and learning that I was 50% effaced and already dilating.  Anyone who knows anything about childbirth knows that I could be headed to the hospital that very day, or a week later.  Since I'd never showed any early labor progress with previous pregnancies, I was still pretty excited.