The Delivery Room Dish: Danielle Moss and Margot

Welcome to The Delivery Room Dish—a place for new moms to spill on the highs, lows, and nitty gritty of giving birth. What you'll learn: there's no one 'right' way to have a baby, the delivery room is full of choices (even when labor doesn't go as planned), and every mom's got a birth story worth sharing. Up next: The Everygirl and The Everymom co-founder Danielle Moss, who gave birth to her daughter Margot in July.

I realized labor was starting when: I was actually induced on my due date, so I realized labor was starting a few hours after the Pitocin started to kick in. I opted for a scheduled induction because I knew I didn’t want to go a full week past my due date. We had a scare a few weeks earlier when the baby’s heart rate dropped during an exam, and it really scared me. I wanted her out. There’s also the fact that I was 8 lbs and my husband was 12 lbs, and my doctor happened to be on call on my due date. I really love and trust her, so I decided to get induced.

We headed to the hospital after: Since my induction was scheduled, I was checked into the hospital on my due date, July 6, at 12:01AM.

The drive was: fairly calm and surreal. I was a little nervous since I had heard such awful stories about inductions, but I was so excited to meet our girl.

My contractions felt like: I knew I wanted pain relief, so as soon as I started to feel contractions, I asked for an epidural so I could get some rest. In the end, you have to do what works for you, but since I knew I wanted an epidural, I didn’t see the point in waiting to get one, and got it very early on.

After checking in, I: was hooked up to an IV and laid in bed, waiting for things to progress.

Then I: fell asleep. Ha.

What surprised me the most is: how quickly things progressed. The Pitocin was started at 1AM and I was told she would likely come early afternoon. She arrived at 10:11AM. You can read the rest of my birth story here.

Pushing is like: Exhausting but painless with an epidural.

The craziest part of delivery is: how quickly she came out! I was told that pushing usually took at least an hour. About 10 to 15 minutes in, my doctor told me if I gave her a few more pushes, I’d have a baby in about 10 minutes. I couldn’t process what was happening!

My biggest piece of advice is: to go into labor without a plan. I didn’t see the point in over preparing for something I had zero control over. The only thing I knew I wanted was an epidural and for my baby to arrive safely.

The plans that went out the window were to: I didn’t have any plans, so nothing went out the window. I do wish we had taken more photos and video right after she arrived.

The most painful part for me was: The IV really hurt and the stitches were fairly uncomfortable after.

The best question I asked was: I have no idea. I asked so many questions about the epidural. I was so, so nervous!

I’m so happy I: had one of my best friends/wedding photographer Katie Kett come to the hospital to take some photos of Margot after she arrived. I’m so happy we have those and not just the few iPhone photos we took.

I was so relieved I brought: extra outfit options for Margot, although I forgot her pants. Oops.

What I wish I had packed in my bag is: pajama shorts. I was SO hot.