So much for my casserole

I woke up on Sunday, September 20th at 4:00 in the morning. 

I held my baby for the first time a few minuets after 10. 

How Great and Mighty is HE! 

Our birthing story has become my battle cry and I give God the Glory.

By 5am I woke M up and let him know that I was fine and that I was going to go read in the other room. 

I came back to bed when my contractions were about 3 minuets apart, about 15 minuets later. 

M called one of my midwives who told him to time my contractions for an hour and call her a little bit later.

By 5:30 I had him call my other midwife. 

I stayed in bed and tried to work through each breath, like I learned in our birthing classes, and had M read off a place that I could visually walk through from a list I made. (I still dont think he quite knew what I was doing but it helped me tremendously). 

I dont remember when I started asking for the tub, but M says it was sometime around 7 because he went down stairs and his parents were already up. He let them know what was going on by asking dad to help get the tub ready.

The first midwife got there around 7:30.

She sat by me on the bed for a little bit and asked if I was pushing. 

I managed to get out "About half the time."

She checked me and I was dilated to 10.

She called my other midwife and told her to get out of bed.

M came back in the room and she told him that "We're just waiting for baby" and I knew I didnt have long.

I wanted my tub quit badly, but when the time came to get in, it being across the room, it felt like it was worlds away. 

I got in that water and life was good.

I had a lot of back labor but overall I just felt the need to push.

I was hanging over one of the sides of the tub when I felt her head come down. 

She was crowning and I reached down and felt her head.

I told M that our baby had a lot of hair (He heard me but I'm not sure what he was computing at this time.)

When my next contraction started I told M "get them" (as my midwives were in the other room) and with my next push I got her head out. 

My midwife checked and she said to the others that I was crowning.

I said "its out" "the head is out" and moved back to show them.

A funny thing happened, after her head was out, my contractions stopped for a few minuets.

I kept asking "is the head OK in the water? Is the baby Ok in the water?"

They assured me it was.

I tried pushing without a contraction and it brought a contraction on.

One more push and I was able to get her out. 

My Midwife scooped her up and gave her to me. 

I was crying

M was crying

Then I remembered to ask what my baby was.

They told me to look for myself.

The cord was between her legs so I had to wrestle that to the side and I saw her.

I kept telling Michael

over and over

We sat there and cried

I told M "so much for the casserole" It was going to be my labor project. One of the many projects I had in place to pass the time just in case it was a 36, and not a 6 hour labor.

How Great and Mighty is HE!

And I did get my casserole. It was mom's labor project. 

Mara Chrysanthemum Eaton

9-20-09

9.1 pounds

21 inches

Born at home

In the water