By Aili Hermann, as told to Olivia DeLong

My labor and delivery experience with my first daughter was very relaxed and slow. We didn't go to the hospital right away when I felt contractions. My husband was able to draw me a warm bath and I listened to hypnobirthing tracks I learned about through HypoBabies. When we finally got to the hospital, my labor stalled at nine and a half centimeters dialated and I ended up pushing for three and a half hours. I was exhausted and in a lot of pain, but my OB/GYN coached me through to a safe and beautiful delivery. 

Fast forward three years, and we were ready to try for a second baby. Coincidentally, my two children ended up having due dates one day apart.

The second time around, I had less anxiety about labor and delivery, probably because I knew I had done it once and could do it again. But my experience was nothing like I expected. 

My doctor told me to prepare for a faster labor the second time around 

Even with my history of laboring for three and half hours with my first, the second time around my OB/GYN kept saying "I think you're going to have a fast second labor and you need to get to the hospital early this time."

I didn't want to believe it because I was comparing it to my first experience. I really thought this delivery was going to take a long time, too. But once I went into labor, exactly on my due date, we headed to the hospital as soon as we could. 

That morning, I woke up at around six and I felt tightness and pressure in my stomach, just like I had with my first pregnancy. I started timing my contractions and noticed there was a pattern: they were starting to come on stronger and closer and closer together and I knew we had to go to the hospital.

We decided to wake up my 2-year-old daughter, Elena, and let her know it was time for mommy to have the baby and go to the hospital. While I read her a book to calm her, my husband called the Lyft. In the car, I was listening to my hypnobirthing hypnosis tracks. I was in a lot of pain at that point and the contractions were coming very close together. I remember as we were driving the 30 minute trek across the bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan, I started to get worried that I was going to have to give birth in the car, asking my husband if we were going to make it. 

At the hospital, things moved very quickly

As soon as they wheeled me into the hospital, it was very clear that I was about to have a baby. All the nurses and doctors came rushing over to me, saying, "We need to get her into triage right away." They said it was happening and that I was going to have the baby immediately. 

They checked me and told me I was ready to push. I said, "Oh my God. Am I going to be okay?" They assured me I was just fine and not to worry, but it was all happening so quickly. I couldn't even mentally process that I was reading a book to my older daughter moments before and now I was about to push out my other child. 

When my doctors told me to push, I pushed once and she was out. It happened so fast. I was in shock! I was still screaming until the doctor said, "She's here. You can stop screaming now."

I turned to my husband and said, "What just happened? I just gave birth and our baby is here already?" He was so calm at that point. After that, they sewed me up and it hurt, but I knew what to expect. My doctor was calm and very reassuring through that entire process. 

Elena and Vivian

Meeting Vivian 

When I first held Vivian, she was so cute, just like her older sister. It was fun to see the differences and similarities in their faces. I had forgotten just how small they are when they're born. She was on my chest, so warm and snuggly and everyone kept saying how amazing I did, especially with how fast it all happened. I still just couldn't believe it. 

Because this labor was so much faster, I wasn't as fatigued as I was after I had Elena. I felt more confident going into this second post-birth period because I knew how to take care of a newborn. Vivian was able to breastfeed right away, so that was encouraging and made me feel good. I had more energy, and I felt more confident overall. 

Once we got home, Elena got to meet Vivian and it was one of the most amazing, best memories of my entire life. It was so cute. Vivian was sleeping in her stroller, wearing a long sleeve onesie, and Elena was peeking in her sleeves because they were a little bit long for Vivian's arms. Elena kept asking if she could hold her and so we let her. I felt my heart swelling in size and felt so much love. I just kept thinking about how grateful we are to have these two beautiful girls and that they get to grow up together as sisters. It was a really magical, beautiful moment.