It all began at 12:30am on Monday, September 13, 1999. I woke up having a contraction. I wasn't that excited, as I'd been having contractions for weeks at this point. I had also been dilated 2 centimeters for about 3 weeks and had lost my mucus plug the week before. I was supremely uncomfortable at this point in my pregnancy, much more so than with my first baby five years prior.

Anyway, the contraction woke me up, so I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed some blood. I was then fairly confident then that this was real labor. I began to walk around to see if another contraction would come. Sure enough, 10 minutes later I had another contraction.

I woke up my husband, Tim, and told him I was most likely in labor. He got up and I started preparing the bedroom for labor as instructed by my midwife, Beth. I stripped the bed and put the shower curtain on, then re-made the bed. I plugged in my crockpot full of water and got my supplies in order on the dresser. I called Beth at about 1:30am when I was sure the contractions weren't stopping. They were also intensifying and coming about 5 minutes apart. Tim and I settled in the living room and watched Sports Center on ESPN. Tim lay on the couch and I sat on my huge inflatable exercise ball (very comfortable when you are in labor and helpful with dilation). By the time Beth and her assistants, Jessica (also Beth's daughter) and Susan, arrived. It was around 2:30am. My contractions were quite painful and about 3 minutes apart.

I was breathing through the contractions and still sitting on the ball. My neighbor and good friend Kim came over about the same time the midwives arrived. Kim is a massage therapist and is very knowledgeable in aromatherapy and homeopathy. Kim and I went in the bedroom where I leaned forward on the big ball on the bed and Kim rubbed my back with oil and applied heat. This helped comfort me immensely. We were all in great spirits and I was still joking and having a fairly good time at this point.

My five year-old woke up at about 3:30 in the morning and was excited at all the commotion. She also liked the fact that she was able to watch cartoons while it was still dark out! She would come in and check on me every few minutes and I would give her a thumbs up. When is about 5:30am, Beth informed me that I was almost fully dilated except for a small cervical lip. I had been having a pretty rough transition and was discouraged, so Beth told me I could try a little pushing to see if the cervix would slip out of the way. She asked me if it felt better to push and at first I thought it did.

Then it seemed like nothing I tried felt right. I was very anxious to get it over with at this point and so instead of listening to the signs that my body was giving me, I kept trying to push. As Beth checked my cervix, she realized that it was suddenly swelling badly and beginning to bleed. Nothing felt right to me at this point and I was afraid.

After quickly determining that a transfer to a hospital would be best, Beth had Jessica call 911 for an ambulance. I truly began to panic at that point. I was concerned for my health and that of my baby. Beth reassured me that we weren't in mortal danger, but a transfer was still best.

Jessica and Susan filled a rubber glove with ice, which was inserted next to my cervix in an attempt to bring down the swelling. It must have worked, because I finally felt that uncontrollable "urge" to push. It was the urge I should have waited for in the first place. They had been telling me not to push, in order not to rupture my cervix, but now my body was doing the pushing anyway. I lay on my side and my baby's head was delivered. Then the baby stuck tight. Beth ordered me to get to my hands and knees and push for the baby's sake. I first refused out of fear and pain, but she sternly told me I had no choice. So my husband literally picked me up and they all told me to push.

I could hear Beth and her daughter praying for God to help this baby be born. I pushed as hard as I could and my beautiful baby shot out in a rush of fluid. I lay down on the bed and just as Beth handed me my girl, I noticed that the paramedics had already arrived! They had gotten there just in time to witness the birth. I told them I didn't want to be transferred and that we were all fine.

Beth ran an herbal bath for me and my new daughter and I was so relieved to be done and have my huge 8 pound 4 ounce baby! As my daughter and I relaxed in a soothing bath, Beth and her assistants cleaned up my room and put fresh sheets on the bed. After the baby's exam we crawled into bed together and I breastfed my peaceful, perfect gift from God.

My homebirth was everything I wanted it to be. Other than the five to ten minutes of difficulty near the end, it was perfect. I have a healthy, beautiful, calm baby girl named Molly.

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