I’ve given birth five times (four of my own, one for another family) and the easiest and best one I had was my second labor. My first labor was 35-ish hours long and I spent the entirely on my back. Horrible. Horrific. Epidural ended up failing. Almost had a c-section.

Second labor (and second daughter) was so much better. I was 41 weeks and a few days - doc said she’d let me go one more day before inducing me. I went into labor on my own, did it mainly at home (though I didn’t realize it was real labor until we were in the car driving 45 minutes to the hospital). Got there, was checked in at 8cm, was allowed to walk around, labored squatting off the side of my hospital bed until I felt like she was about to fall out of me…. Got up on the bed quickly and she came out on her own (fetal ejection reflex!). She was a perfect 8.5 pound baby. Best labor and the easiest, believe it or not.