Stephanie's Birth Story

I was a week past my due date and feeling really uncomfortable. The novelty of pregnancy had certainly run its course! So when sharp contractions woke me at 6 a.m., I was thrilled but a little nervous.

Since my contractions were only 10 minutes apart, my husband Darren decided to head into the office to finish up some work before the big event. I decided to do laundry -- anything to take my mind off the pain.

By 2 p.m., my contractions were seven minutes apart. I knew it was important to eat something to keep my strength up, so I asked Darren to come home and bring me lunch. After he arrived and we ate, we called the doctor to find out when we should go to the hospital. He said we should leave as soon as possible. Since I still had a load of laundry to dry, I asked him if it would be okay to wait until the clothes were finished. He told me to get my priorities straight. Oops!

We headed out of our apartment door at 4:30 p.m. -- the exact time that taxis in New York City change shifts. As more and more off-duty cabs sped past us, I began to wonder if I was going to have the baby right on the sidewalk. Finally, Darren flagged one down and told the driver that I was in labor. Just like in the movies!