Emmy Sophia is here!

38 weeks, 5 days pregnant (Please note, this is my daughter's birth story and I'm writing it so I can remember every single detail of that day. This is a disclaimer that there are descriptions and pictures that may be a bit graphic, and while I'm happy to share it with you, if you'd rather not see this, please feel free skip this post. Thank you!)

Our little Emmy Sophia is here! She was born Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 at 11:21am. She was born completely naturally and without complications and weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces and was 19 inches long. Below is the story of her arrival...

It's been a long two days - yes - two days in labor! I was always told that labor for the second child is always faster than the first, and my midwife and my doula were telling me this one will probably go faster - and Mila was born fast herself! (With Mila, contractions started at 1am, my water broke at 4am and she was born at 10:57am.) So we were all pretty nervous that things could go faster than we might anticipate.

Contractions Begin - Monday, October 10th, 2011

It all started early Monday morning. I woke up around 4am. I was feeling some contractions and at first, I ignored them and tried to fall back asleep. When I couldn't, I thought maybe we should start timing them, just to make sure. Jorge had installed an app on his iPad called Contraction Timer. I liked this app better than the one we used with Mila on the Blackberry the last time around. This one not only measures how far apart the contractions are, but also how intense they are. They were about 7 minutes apart but not that intense, so I thought I should shower, just in case this was the real deal. I remember being in the shower and it suddenly hitting me that this could actually be it and that my baby would be born today! As I got out of the shower, I felt really cold and I felt a rush of adrenaline. I started shaking so bad that my teeth were literally chattering and I started breathing really heavy. As I warmed up and got dressed, I continued to time my contractions. I realized that the intensity had gone down a bit and that they weren't happening as frequently. I've read that when you get excited/scared during labor and it causes an adrenaline rush, that it can actually turn off your labor. It's your body going into survival mode! Pretty clever, the body is. I was hoping this wasn't the case though. As nervous as I was to go into labor, I wanted it to happen already!

During my shower, Jorge called his sister, Blanca, to come over. She would be the one staying with Mila while we are at the hospital. Also, as luck would have it, we have our apartment listed for sale and we had a showing that afternoon to a potential buyer that has seen our place 3 times already and wanted to see it again during the day and once again at night to see the view from our balcony. So happy to have someone interested in our place, but not so happy that it just so happens to be the very same day I'm in labor!

We called my doula to give her an update on what was going on. Now, I've been a little anxious about my doula situation because I really, really wanted my doula from last time, Lorie. But her son's wife was going to be giving birth to her first grandson just around this time and there was a slight chance that she might be out of town when I went into labor. For that reason, I had picked a back up doula - and I felt sooo much better. Stacy was really just as fantastic as Lorie. I really wanted Lorie mostly because she'd been there with me last time and she knew what I liked, but I was comfortable with them both. Anyway, I called her to tell her what was going on and to see if she was in town. Luckily, she was - and she told me she'd be in town until the following evening, Tuesday night! YES!! I told her what I was feeling and she agreed that maybe the adrenaline had slowed down my labor a little bit, but based on how frequently they were coming and that they were still a bit intense, that I should call my midwife's office to let them know.

Ugh. I really didn't want to call the office. I knew who would be on call. The midwife practice I use has 3 midwives. I have my regular midwife, Terry, who delivered Mila and I love her. She's the one I usually go see. The other two are nice too, but  I don't know them as well, and one of them I really don't feel like I have a connection with her. I mean, she's nice and all, I just don't feel a connection, ya know? The day I go into labor, it's the luck of the draw though - whichever one that's on call would be the one to deliver G2. And Terry was on call only 1 day this week! And of course, the midwife that happened to be on call yesterday was the one I didn't connect with! Figures!!

I procrastinated a bit and finally called. The contractions were a bit close together again though, about 7-8 minutes apart or so. She thought it might still be early labor, but since we live 45 minutes away from the midwife's office and from the hospital we want to deliver at, she thought it was best we should go to the office to get checked to see how I was progressing. I was so reluctant to go. I didn't want to drive all the way to the office 45 minutes away especially when I didn't feel like I was that far along and I soooo didn't want to get checked. It's absolutely awful! She said to be there at 10:30am. Ugh. I swear, I dragged my feet. I kept myself busy by doing my hair, my makeup, calling my parents and my sisters... I knew that I wasn't that far along. If I was still capable of talking and dilly dallying then I KNEW I wasn't that far along yet. (When I went into labor with Mila, by the time I left for the hospital, I couldn't hold a conversation, I didn't want to eat, I just wanted to be in the dark cuddled in the bed! I couldn't even comb my hair after getting out of the shower - forget blowdrying and straightening it! And when I got to the hospital that time, I was already 9cm!)

Jorge had been packing up the car this whole time. We made sure to pack light this time because with Mila we packed waaaay too much. But by the time we finished packing up the car, it somehow didn't seem very "light", LOL!

Don't be fooled, we had much more stuff in the car than what we're carrying!

Thankfully, Mila slept in a bit and by the time we left, around 9:45am, she was just waking up. We thought it was best to leave before she saw us, then she wouldn't have a chance to fuss (not that she normally does - but it's not every day that both mom and dad leave together so early in the morning without spending any time with her). We drove to the doctor's office. I knew there was a playdate with our mommy friends scheduled for that day, so on our way there, I called Heike to tell her what was going on. She was so excited for us! I was so happy to share this with her and the mommies - they've been there with me every step of the way!

At My Midwife's Office

We arrived at the office and the midwife saw me pretty quickly. I was so stressed about getting checked. It was more dreadful than I remember. It was still early and my cervix was high (read: that she has to go in further to feel for my cervix --- OUCH!!!!) and that I was 80% effaced (or thinned out), but only 2cm dilated. 2cm!!!!!! I was so pissed! I knew it was early!! She said that it's possible that the contractions continue and that I could go into labor later in the day, or they could stop and the baby wouldn't arrive until next week!! (When I told this part of the story to my mommy friend Spencer, she suggested that perhaps since this wasn't one of the midwives I preferred, that my cervix closed itself in protest! Oh my goodness - that made me laugh!! ) The midwife told me that although they tell first time moms to go to the hospital at 6 minutes apart, that for second time moms, it's not just the frequency of the contractions that matters, but the intensity. That for second time moms one could actually deliver at 6/7 minutes apart if they were strong enough. So she told me to make sure I kept track of the intensity as well, and she sent me home. Good to know!

Sent Home

We left the office at 11:30am and I called Lorie my doula, my parents, my sisters and the mommies with the update. So bummed. After being checked, the contractions slowed down to 8-9 minutes apart and the intensity decreased as well. We stopped and picked up Pollo Tropical for lunch, stopped at The Floridian to pick up some french toast I was craving (I was hungry? Definitely not that far along!) and then we went home and ate lunch with Blanca and Mila. The people that went to see our apartment had just left. After lunch, I laid down to rest. I was so tired and sleepy - I hadn't slept much that night! Jorge tried catching up on work, since he had taken the day off and wanted to get ahead in case the baby would be coming soon. Thankfully, Blanca was there to entertain Mila until her nap time. I was so tired! All this time, I'm still feeling contractions, they just are pretty manageable. Contractions are still 8-9 minutes apart, but not very intense.

Jorge trying to make me laugh.

After her nap, Mila played for a bit and then we went to Jack's hamburger place for dinner.Yep, there I was eating a burger and having contractions at Jacks! LOL!

My stylish outfit before going out! LOL! It had been raining and I needed sneakers and did not want to be bothered to change outfits.

Later That Night

That night, I went to bed and I was still feeling contractions. I texted Lorie with an update. Not much progress, that I thought it was pretty uneventful for now and nothing much to report. Then right before I went to bed I went to pee and I saw what I'm pretty sure was my mucous plug! (I know - TMI!) That's not too much of an indicator on it's own, but along with the other symptoms, I knew this might mean things were still going on. The contractions were about 8-9 minutes apart or so (which is still far apart) but they were getting a little more intense. I even wondered if they would let me sleep? Thankfully, I was able to sleep about an hour and a half before they got strong enough to wake me up....

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

I woke up around 2:30am and Jorge had to talk me through a few contractions. They were surprisingly intense! It felt like really, really bad cramps. I called Lorie to update her. I had felt a little bit of pressure like I had to poop (which was alarming because that's similar to the feeling of pushing!), but later I realized it was just gas! LOL!

I told her I wasn't sure if this was really it and that I was nervous about getting to the hospital too early. I didn't want to be there any longer than I had to! She reminded me that if we did get there early, that I could always labor in the labor pool. That made me feel better.  I didn't call my midwife's office right away though - I wanted to make sure this was really it.

We called Blanca so she could stay with Mila and she arrived quickly. It was about 5:00am by then. I waited an hour or so and once I saw the contractions were consistently intense, I called the midwife's office. Although the on call midwife still wasn't Terry (my usual midwife), the one that was was other midwife that I had connected with, Rachel. Although contractions were still about 7-8 minutes apart, she thought the intensity warranted that we should start heading out before rush hour. Since Jorge had packed up the car the morning before when we thought it was the real deal, there wasn't much left to put together, except for the small day-to-day stuff that we needed for the night (toothbrushes, slippers, chargers, etc.) and Jorge quickly got our stuff together.

Leaving for the Hospital

We finally left around 6:20am. The first elevator to get to our floor was the service elevator. On the way down, Jorge realized he forgot his cell phone, so I got off on the first floor and he went back up. I made my way slowly to the car and I had to stop and lean up against the wall during one of the contractions. I had just made it to the car when he came back down. Jorge had removed Mila's car seat from the backseat so I could lie down back there with my pillow. Contractions were getting so intense, I could no longer sit through them, I had to be lying down. I was still able to hold a bit of conversation between contractions, but when one came along, they were about an 8/9 intensity (out of 10) and I needed Jorge to talk me through them. They were intense!! I really wasn't in the mood to talk too much, so I sent out a text to my parents and my sister Cathy saying we were on our way to the hospital, but that I still thought there was plenty of time. No rush. (My mom and Cathy live an hour and a half from the hospital and I knew they had to work. I didn't want them to get there just to have to wait.) My dad called me to see how I was doing and we talked briefly, but then I felt a contraction coming and I cut him off with, "Contraction coming... I gotta go!" and I practically hung up on him! After that contraction was over, I texted my sister Cindy and Lorie to tell her we were on the way so they could meet us at the hospital.

At the Hospital

We got to the hospital pretty fast, at about 7am. It was still dark out. By this time, I'd gotten pretty comfortable in my position in the back seat of the car. I really didn't want to move, much less get up, walk, and go inside, so Jorge just parked. Lorie got there just a few minutes after we did and got into the car. I gave her an update on how I was feeling. I told her I didn't want to go into the hospital. I just wanted to stay in the car for a bit longer. I was afraid to go in if I wasn't that far along that they'd try to push drugs on me, that I couldn't eat/drink anything once I was admitted, that they'd hook me up to machines, etc... She was totally fine giving me time. She said we were in the middle of a shift change with the nurses anyway, so it would be fine to wait. She texted to find out who was working and requested we get a nurse that she knew was natural birth friendly. My sister Cindy arrived shortly afterward. In between contractions we talked about using the labor pool. I brought up again that I was nervous how that would work out... the hospital doesn't technically "allow" water births. They let you labor in the water, but they want you to get out before pushing. But at what point do they get you out? What if I don't want to get out? This really stressed me out. I know it's safe - I've researched it extensively - the hospital even already has guidelines written up on it, they just haven't signed off on it. So frustrating. Why couldn't I have the birth I wanted? I told Lorie wishfully, "It's my dream to have a water birth!" but in my mind I had already resigned myself to the fact that it wouldn't happen. She smiled, "Maybe for your next baby?"

I'd had a few more strong contractions in the car, and with that, Lorie then suggested we go inside. She pointed out that it seemed like the contractions were getting closer together and, again, she reminded me I would be more comfortable laboring in the water. I finally agreed.

Jorge pulled up the car to the entrance and Lorie helped me out. Cindy helped bring in our stuff and took some pictures while Jorge parked the car. I was so uncomfortable to be standing at this point. Lorie needed to help me walk. I had to stop a couple of times to get through contractions. They were so strong! And then I had to stop at the bathroom to pee - of course my bladder barely holds anything!

We went up the elevator and stopped at the security desk where they got us a wheel chair. They wheeled me in, just like they did almost two years ago when I was in labor with Mila. We passed Room 10 where Mila was born and went into the other large suite, Room 7. The room looked almost exactly like Mila's labor room did. It brought back so many memories! This time I felt so much more conscious and aware of what was going on. With Mila, I was way too far along to really pay attention to anything except for the contractions. I was nervous and excited - "This is where my baby will be born!" I thought, excitedly.

We got situated in the room and Beth, the RN Lorie had requested, came in. She was fantastic. She introduced herself and the very first thing she did was ask me about my Birth Plan. I was so happy she asked! I can't tell you how many stories I've read where the nursing staff roll their eyes at Birth Plans - much less ask to see one! I know that if anything should go wrong, that my Birth Plan goes out the window - but if it doesn't, then there are things I would prefer. Like I don't want to be connected to an IV (hep block instead if needed), intermittent fetal monitoring (instead of continuous) so that I'm free to walk around, I didn't want my membranes swept or my water broken or any drugs to speed up labor (like pitocin or anything like that). I also had requests for after the baby was born: we wanted to delay clamping the umbilical cord until it stopped pulsating on it's own so that all the blood in the placenta could go back into her, we wanted immediate skin to skin bonding after the birth (instead of them taking her away to get bathed and poked and prodded), we didn't want them to give her the standard Hepatitis B shot (this is spread by unsafe sex... she doesn't need this at birth!) or put in the standard eye ointment (that's only for women with gonorrhea or chlamydia, but they give to babies as part of routine care. We'd rather her not get something doesn't need it.) Also, it was very important for me that she stay in the room with us the whole time (not to be taken to the nursery) and should there be anything that needs to be done anywhere other than in our room, that Jorge should be able to be with her (not outside the room looking through a glass - but either holding her or right next to her. We want her to have her parents with her at all times.) You can read my full birth plan here.

Nurse Beth read the birth plan, which had already been signed by my midwife, and said everything looked good. Next, she had to check how dilated I was - which I HATE! Especially after being checked the day before and it being so painful! I braced myself and hoped there was progress... I was 5 cm. I was so surprised! I thought I was more! Beth was encouraging though. "It's the first five that take the longest... the next five are faster."

Next, Beth said she wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat and see if she was moving. She said she wanted to hook me up to the monitor, listen for the first 20 minutes and then she'd take off and just check intermittently. At this point, I'm still having contractions and they are pretty strong. I'm starting to lose the desire to have much conversation between contractions, I'm getting more serious and asked for the room to be darker... definitely progressing. Lorie, who had been helping me through contractions the whole time, asked me if I wanted her to set up the tub (which takes 30-40 minutes) or if I wanted her to stay with me for the contractions. I thought it was best for her to set up the tub.

While she set up, Jorge and Cindy helped me through the contractions. At first, I was using Jorge as my support for contractions, but he was doing so well with the counter pressure on my back, that I had him focus on that and used Cindy as my support. I put my arms around her shoulders during the contractions and tried to relax and breathe. It worked out perfectly. They both knew exactly what to do! I was so thankful to have them there with me!

Once the 20 minutes were over, Beth came back to check the printout of the fetal monitor. She said it seemed like the baby was still a little bit sleepy and wanted to hook me up to an IV to hydrate me and help wake her up a little. She said she'd do it through a hep-lock so I wouldn't be permanently attached to it. She would tape it up afterwards though, so I could get in the tub.

(Heparin Locks, or Hep Locks, are small tubes attached to a catheter, inserted into the arm and held in place with tape in order to administer drugs and fluids without injecting patients multiple times unnecessarily. Emergency situations require an accessible vein fast; the Hep Lock provides that accessibility. Medicine may be injected easily, making life simple for nursing staff and less painful for patients.)

Lorie was just about done with the tub, so I changed into my bathing suit top so I could get in the water. It was about 9am. Even though I had planned to get into the water the whole time, I was a bit reluctant. What if I didn't like being in the water? I didn't want to be wet and cold if I decided to get out. I thought I'd give it a try. Who knows, maybe I'd really like it? I got in and oh my goodness... I was so glad I did! It was so warm and relaxing. I asked they dim the lights. I wanted it to be dark. Someone closed the curtains, as the sun was already coming up. Lorie set up her iPod with relaxing music and I was in heaven... well, aside from the painful contractions, that is! It was so easy to change positions, move around and I didn't feel my weight. It took me a bit to find my spot in the tub though. I didn't know what position to get into. On land, my favorite laboring position was lying on my side, and after trying out a few spots, being on my side was the best in the water too. There was a little cushy stool at one end of the pool and I used that to rest my top knee, and I wrapped my arms around the side of the pool.

I kept my eyes closed and I did my best to focus on relaxing through the contractions. I honestly felt that dealing with the contractions in the water - although still painful - was a hundred times better than on the bed. Jorge talked me through them - he would tell me how long it had been since they'd started (15 seconds, 30 seconds, 45 seconds...). This helped a lot because most contractions last about a minute (although it feels like it's forever!) and the pain is like a wave, and they peak at about 30 seconds. So you know that once you pass the 30 second mark, that they won't get any more painful than that. He would remind me to relax my arms and my legs and my face and tell me what a good job I was doing. He would repeat this with every contraction, and although one might think it's repetitive - it isn't. I absolutely needed to hear it with every contraction. Hearing his voice helped me focus and relax. He was my rock!

The contractions were getting stronger and stronger. Lorie was also extremely helpful - she knew EXACTLY where to rub my back and use counter pressure to help with make them more tolerable. It was like she could read my mind - we were so in tune! I adore her!

Now that's a contracting belly!!!!

Typically, hospitals are very strict about not allowing a laboring woman eat anything once their admitted. The reason behind it is that should you require a c-section, the concern is that general anesthesia given to you for the surgery may cause you to vomit and aspirate it. However, recent studies have shown that general anesthesia is rarely ever given, even during c-sections, and even when it is, the changes in the practice have shown that aspiration rarely happens. (You can read more on it here.) Despite these studies, hospitals, even the one we were at, have been slow on changing their policy. In any case, Beth, the only hospital staff in our room, left the room a few times and I was able to have a few bites of a banana and a few sips of water without any concerns. (I don't understand how they expect women to have the energy to deliver a child on an empty stomach!)

Resting in between contractions...

... feeling the support of my birth coach (Jorge) and my wonderful doula during contractions.

Time passed, maybe another hour or so and the contractions were getting stronger and stronger and closer together. Beth, the nurse, would check the babies' heartbeat with a portable monitor on top of my belly.

I suddenly had the urge to pee. Lorie said I could go ahead and pee in the tub if I wanted. After all, pee is sterile. But - yuck! - I couldn't bring myself to doing it. To sit in my own pee? For who knows how long? I told her I wanted to use the bathroom instead. I waited until the next contraction was over and she helped me to the bathroom. It was literally 3 steps away from the tub and Lorie was right there with me - I had another contraction while sitting there! As soon as the contraction was over, I heard a tiny trickle... and I was almost sure it wasn't pee. Could it be my water, I wondered? I don't think Lorie noticed and I decided not to say anything. I was afraid that if anyone had any idea that my water was breaking or was broken, that I wouldn't let me back in the water - and I desperately wanted to get back in! At this time, I felt if I had stayed on the toilet for another contraction my water would really break. (Did you know the toilet is a very common and very helpful place to labor? The toilet would have definitely been my next best spot to labor in, had I not had the tub.) Sitting in the bathroom, I wasn't thinking so far ahead that I wanted to deliver in the water - I just wanted to be in it for the next contraction! It felt so good and it was so incredibly helpful! I couldn't imagine having to find another "spot" that I felt as comfortable in as I did then. Obviously, no one knows which contraction will bring on the urge to push, but I didn't care - I just wanted to be in the water when the next one hit. As soon as I got back in the water, I felt better. My mind started racing - it hit me that I wanted to have to have this baby here, in the water. I didn't want to get out again and I was afraid that they were going to ask me to get out at any moment. The contractions were really getting strong and I knew the end was soon.

Contraction in the bathroom.

During all of this, I have no idea that no one in the room has any clue how far along I am. When I have a contraction, it's not like what you see on TV. I'm not screaming, I'm not going into hysterics - I'm the complete opposite. The more you do those things - screaming, yelling, tensing up - the more the contractions hurt. In our Bradley Childbirth class, we were taught to close your eyes, relax and not fight the contractions so it would be easier to manage. So when Jorge, Lorie, Cindy and Beth saw me, all they saw was me lying quietly in the water - Jorge later said it looked almost like I was sleeping. (HA!) During contractions, I was doing my best to relax and focus on Jorge's voice...but inside, I was struggling - the water helped tremendously, but the pain was still incredible! I was using every ounce of energy I had to try not to fight it, not to tense up. I was so worried they knew how far along I was and they would ask me to get out at any minute... But I didn't realize it until afterwards, that although I knew it was getting close -  from their perspective, they didn't.

It was getting harder and harder to stay relaxed during the contractions. Jorge was doing such a great job reassuring me, reminding m to relax my face and not to clench my jaw. He would tell me that it would be over soon, that the baby would soon be in my arms, that today would soon be yesterday, and what a good job I was doing... He was so encouraging and motivating. How I love my husband!! It also helped me to think of the baby using her name... it made it feel more real, and more connected to her.

I heard Rachel, my midwife that I'd spoken to on the phone earlier, come in. She gently asked me how I was feeling. I was doing fine. Beth checked the babies' heartbeat again. Baby was doing well too. Rachel encouraged me to take a few sips of water and I did.

More time passed and I realized I had to pee again. I wanted to go to the bathroom, but I wanted to wait until Rachel left. I was afraid my water would break and she wouldn't let me back in the tub. I would open my eyes every once in a while to check, and she was still there in the room. As if she could read my mind, Rachel suggested I go to the bathroom to try and labor there. I was convinced she had been telling me to drink because she was trying to get me out of the water! I kept telling her I would go later. I was waiting for her to leave the room! The contractions were so strong now, that I KNEW if I had one on the toilet, my water would most certainly break. I had to pee sooo bad! After a few very strong contractions, I felt slight pressure and the urge to push a little. Rachel again suggested I try laboring on the toilet. Again, I say, "Not yet." Ugh! If she only knew!

This entire time, I've had my eyes closed and I'm very focused inwards. I've been in my zone and not very aware what's going on with everyone - except for knowing Rachel was still in the room. I was so far in my labor trance, I didn't even notice when my mom arrived. I just opened my eyes briefly after a contraction, and there she was, smiling at me. I don't know how long she had been there. I was so surprised and relieved to see her. I was glad she would be there for the birth! I love my mom - even though I had told her earlier that morning not to rush over (I knew she had to work that morning and I didn't want her sitting around waiting for hours - who knew how long this would take?) she did anyway - and there she was.

Jorge and my mom

Back again with my eyes closed, I suddenly hear very soft whispering. It was Lorie. I wasn't sure what she was saying, all I heard her say was, "... it's her dream! ..." I realized she was talking to Rachel, and they were discussing the possibility of me  delivering in the water. I don't know what Rachel responded, all I heard was a soft murmur, but her tone did not sound angry or insistent. I took that as a sign. Ok, I thought, I don't know how much longer I could keep waiting.... time to fess up.

Lorie and Rachel talking.

The next time she suggested I go to the bathroom, I waited a few moments, and while still in my trance-like state with my eyes closed, I said, "Honestly, I'm afraid if I go to the bathroom, you're not going to let me back in the water..." I had my eyes closed, so I didn't know what her reaction was. I just waited for  a response.

Silence.

Finally, Rachel responded matter-of-factly, "As of right now, I don't have any reason not to let you back in."

That's when it hit me - she doesn't know how far along I am! I'm already feeling the urge to push! I kinda had the feeling she was being flexible and accommodating with me, but I wasn't entirely sure. I had to pee so bad though - I took that as the response I wanted to hear. I said I'd go after the next contraction. Lorie again helped me to the bathroom. As soon as I was done peeing, another contraction hit. I put my arms around her shoulders, holding on to her. I struggled to relax and not fight it. A moment later, we both heard a small trickle and I knew it wasn't pee. Lorie asked, "Connie, is that your water?" I listened to the trickle. "No, I don't feel anything. I think it's the toilet making a noise," I said. I really thought it was the toilet. We listened again. Lorie said with a laugh, "No, Connie, that's your water!" I panicked a little. I whispered in her ear, "Lorie, it was trickling the last time I was in the bathroom... And the last contraction I had just now in the water - I was already feeling the urge to push!" She barely had a chance to respond with a, "Don't worry, you're doing fine," when another contraction came and it was really intense. Still sitting on the toilet, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and tried to relax ... within a few seconds there was a super loud POP! and followed by a GUSH! Lorie exclaimed, "Your water just broke!" It sounded like it literally EXPLODED! It was so loud everyone heard it! Lorie said quickly, "Come on - let's get you back in the water!"

As I took those few steps back to the pool, another contraction came as I was putting my leg over into the pool. I tried to balance myself and my extra large belly carefully into the pool and quickly get back into my comfort position. But it was too late - this contraction was killer as I tried to get on my side -  and I felt the urge to push again. I had a couple of minutes to think about pushing... what position was I going to get into? I was so comfortable on my side, but I didn't think that I could push that way. I attempted to change positions, but I didn't like it and went back to my side. Another contraction. This time, it was a real doozy. I then felt the urge to push and I pushed!! I felt that all familiar "ring of fire" feeling as the baby's head was crowning. (I remember feeling like it wasn't as bad as I remember it being with Mila. Probably because of the water?) It hurt so bad that for the first time during a contraction, I yelled. Even though my eyes were closed, I noticed the whole room startle. Everyone seemed surprised! I felt the baby's head come out. Lorie turned me from my side to my back and explained this would be a better position. She held me up under my arms as the next contraction came less than a minute later and I had a HUUUUGE urge to push. I remember thinking briefly that I probably shouldn't push too hard so that I wouldn't risk a tear, but I couldn't help it! I just wanted to get this over with! I wanted the baby out NOW!!! And another screaming push later - the baby was out! Rachel grabbed the baby and immediately pulled her out of the water. Lorie was saying excitedly, "Connie, open your eyes! You did it! Take the baby!" Rachel had her ready to hand to me and I put her on my chest. I was so overwhelmed - I was so happy it was over! I was out of breath and still gathering myself... I couldn't believe I did this... AGAIN!

Looking at each other for the first time!

The baby was just beautiful. She was quiet at first, and we rubbed her to stimulate her and that made her cry. If you're not familiar with water births, it's entirely safe and there is never any risk to drowning or to inhaling any water as long as mom and baby are still attached and the baby hasn't yet taken it's first breath. Remember, the baby is coming from being in water inside the uterus into a water environment. They will continue to get oxygen through the umbilical cord until they take in their first breath of air. Once that happens, they stop getting it through the umbilical cord.

Jorge was ecstatic. He was kissing me and helping me hold the baby. I was still recovering from that last contraction and was cringing a little because the baby was still attached to me through the umbilical cord and I could feel it was a bit taught and as it tugged, it was very uncomfortable.

I remember looking at her - she was so precious! I felt I could just barely enjoy her though... I was so overwhelmed with what had just happened. I had barely made it back into the tub and then the contractions were just so intense... I was almost out of breath. Things started moving fast after that. Rachel wanted to make sure the placenta was ok so she wanted to get me out of the water quickly and onto the bed. I was trying to tell them that I needed a minute before I could stand up, but of course - how could I ask for more than what they had already given me?!

I held the baby (who was still connected to me!) and with Lorie and Jorge's help, I walked to the bed with the baby in my arms. In our birth plan, we had requested that the umbilical cord not be clamped until it stopped pulsating. (Read more about delayed cord clamping here.) 

During that time, I got to hold our little girl. She was just the sweetest thing. I looked at Jorge, "So we're good on her name, right?" He nodded. It's not like we had any other choices picked out! And her name would be Emmy Sophia. We'd had "Emmy" on the list for a while and had been going back and forth on it. The middle name was a bit harder to choose, but I'm really happy with our final decision. It was the perfect name for her. 

After about 20 minutes the cord had stopped pulsating and a small push later and the placenta came out without any problems. But I was still having cramping - the afterbirth pain was strong! Almost as bad as the contractions. Lorie says it gets worse with every childbirth - yikes! This was pretty bad already! Plus, I had a small tear and I needed a few stitches. And here I thought I was done! :(

Emmy had been on my chest this whole time, but I didn't realize that my wet bathing suit was underneath her. Beth took her temperature and she was a bit cold, so she put her in the warmer and took her to get weighed. I loved that she did all the baby care in the room, right there with us!

She was 6 lbs, 14 oz and 19 inches long!

Emmy didn't like being in the warmer, though. She was crying so bad. She needed to be there for a bit longer and it was a bit far from me, at the foot of the bed. I told Jorge to put his hands around her and pretend he was holding her. I just had a feeling that it would calm her down. He did it and instantly, she quieted down.

Finally, she was bundled up and Jorge got to hold his little girl for the first time.

Daddy with Emmy - I love this man!!

Finally! The worst part was over! I had been afraid of this birth because Mila's birth had been so perfect that I thought Emmy's would have more challenges. But I was wrong! It was perfect and special in it's own way. I was so thrilled I was able to have not just the birth that I wanted, but the birth of my dreams - in the water! I felt calm, confident and in control... most of the time! And most importantly, I was so blessed to have such a fantastic birth team. It wouldn't have been as wonderful as it turned out without each and every one of them. I could not have been any happier or more thankful than I was at that moment.

Jorge, Emmy and I with Cindy and Lorie

The best birth team in the whole, wide, world: Rachel, Jorge, Emmy, Cindy, Lorie and Nurse Beth

Shortly afterwards, we had to move out of the Labor and Delivery Room to the Recovery Room. Before we left, Cindy brought Panera for lunch and my mom got to hold Emmy while I ate.

Abuelita and Emmy

My dad and Cathy came by later on in the evening to meet our little girl. So excited to share our little bundle! :) Everyone was able to get a photo op!

Abuelito and Emmy

Tia Cici and Emmy

Tia Tatti and Emmy

I am so in love with this little girl! I can't wait to bring her home to meet her new big sister!!!

Clips from Mila's Birth!

Here are a couple of short clips of Jorge and Mila a couple hours after she was born:

Welcome Baby G!

39 weeks, 4 days pregnant

Welcome to the world Baby G!!!!! Today at 10:57am our sweet little Mila Juliette was born. :) She weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 19 inches long. We are thrilled to finally meet her!



OUR BIRTH STORY

It all started last night. During our walk, I had a few contractions, but they were too far apart to time them and I was convinced they were Braxton-Hicks. Towards the end of the night we started timing them on Jorge's phone, just out of curiosity, not because we thought we were in actual labor. He had installed an app on his Blackberry called Contraction Calc to help keep track of them. It's really great, all you have to do is press the space bar at the beginning and at the end of each contraction and it tells you how long and how far apart they are. But they were 30, 60, 40 minutes apart... nothing major. After our walk we watched a bit of TV and then went to bed around 11:00pm. Jorge and I have been sleeping in seperate rooms for the last few weeks, since he caught his cold. At first I missed him, but then we both realized we were sleeping better in seperate beds. I've been so uncomfortable that I now sleep surrounded by pillows and there's just no room for him!

Jorge and I then did our usual night time routine that we've been doing for a few months now. Even though we were in seperate rooms, it's really special to do our little routine together. It's really sweet: right before we go to bed, Jorge has "Baby G and Daddy Time" where he talks to my belly and tells her about his day. It's so funny, I love it. He tells her what he did, where he went, what he ate... cracks me up! Then it's "Lotion Time" and I rub my belly with lotion as we sing to her. We sing to her "Munequita Linda" which is the song that my parents sang to me when I was a kid. It's also the song that I danced with my dad at our wedding. Sometimes when we sing it, I get choked up thinking about it... We've sung it so much that Jorge has already learned the words! Then Jorge will put lotion on my swollen feet and helps me get into bed. I do my 80 pelvic rocks, which is an exercise taught in our Bradley class that helps relieve pressure from the baby on my back -- it really works! Then he helps prop my swollen feet up on pillows and he kisses me goodnight. Then comes my favorite part: he turns off the light and rubs my back and my butt until I fall asleep. I swear, with that I'm out like a light! Before going to bed I made sure I had the phone near me so I could time the contractions overnight.

Labor Begins

That night I remember waking up every so often whenever I thought I had a contraction. It feels like really bad cramps! But since I was half asleep when I was pressing the space bar on the phone, sometimes I'd forget to press it again to say it'd stopped, so not all the times were accurate. At around 1:30am I woke up with a contraction and I went to the bathroom. I was still convinced that these were just Braxton-Hicks. In our birth class they teach you that a way to determine if these were real contractions or false ones, is to go for a walk, eat, drink, nap and shower and by the time you're done doing all of those, if it's false labor then they will probably stop. I was pretty awake, so I figured I'd try those things not so I could determine if they were real or not -- I was convinced they weren't -- but just so they could go away and I could get back to sleep. So I headed to the living room and didn't even turn on the light. I then did 20 minutes worth of laps around our coffee table. I had a few contractions but they were still quite far apart. So I had some cashews and then had some water. Then I went back to bed and see if that had helped.

My Water Breaks

I slept for a few more hours and around 4:30am I woke up with another contraction... since I was awake, I figured I'd go to the bathroom then so I wouldn't wake up needing to go later. So I peed and then sat for a minute, half-asleep.... until I heard a CRACK-POP! My eyes were then wide open! At first I thought it was my back cracking -- it's been doing that lately whenever I get out of bed. But then I felt a little gush... was that my water breaking?? or did I just pee?? I sat for a bit longer and waited to see if something else happened... nothing. Second guessing myself, I went back to the room and wondered if I really felt what I thought it was... maybe I had just peed?? I mean, I am so big and I was half asleep that it's quite possible that I just peed without realizing it.

I sat on the bed and thought about waking Jorge up. It was 4:45am and I didn't want to wake him since I knew he had to go to work in a few hours and I figured if it was real labor then I would need him to be well rested so he could coach me through labor -- which I thought would end up being an all day event. But I wasn't even sure if it was my water breaking in the first place! In our Bradley class, we learned that only 8% of women's water breaks before real labor starts. In those cases, they tell you that when your water breaks, don't rush to the hospital. Instead, go watch a movie or go for a walk. It'll usually be a few hours before you give birth. For everyone else, the water usually breaks towards the end of labor, when you're closer to giving birth. I was like, "Figures I'm one of the 8%!" Little did I know, I was a lot further along than I thought!

As I debated whether I should wake up Jorge, I felt another little gush -- and this time I was certain I did not just pee. Then I had a contraction that was a lot stronger than the others I'd been having. I went to our room and woke up Jorge, "I think my water just broke!" I told him. He was so calm when I told him! What a good coach! He said matter-of-factly, "Ok, let's call Lorie." Lorie was our doula. The plan was she would come to the house and stay with us until it was time to go to the hospital. She's been to over 100 births and knows everything there is about childbirth. She would help me get through the contractions and could help us determine when was the best time to go to the hospital. So Jorge calls her up and tells what had happend. She asks how far apart are my contractions... Jorge looks at the blackberry I'd been using all night. He tells her they were about 10-15 minutes apart. I hadn't even realized that! She says that's great, that we still had time. She suggested that we hold off to going to the hospital until the contractions were closer to 3-5 minutes apart. Since it was 5am, Jorge told her he was concerned that it was getting close to rush hour and that we'd get stuck in traffic. Also since we'd be driving from Fort Lauderdale to Boca that it would take us a bit longer to get there. Lorie agreed and suggested that we take a shower and start packing up to go.

Laboring At Home

At this point, the contractions are getting stronger, but they are still a few minutes apart. I was able to take a shower but I had two really strong contractions in there and when I got out I barely got dressed and just went back to bed -- they were getting really strong! At this point I lost track of time... all I could think about was how painful these contractions were and I was just trying to get through them! As my coach, Jorge's job was to remind me to relax my body and not fight the contractions. He helped me focus on my abdominal breathing and would tell me how far into each contraction I was. In class we'd learned that contractions last on average about a minute to a minute and a half, but the pain peaks at 30 seconds. So when Jorge tells me it's been 30 seconds, I know that's as painful as it's going to get and then it should start to taper off.

As much as Jorge wanted to be by my side through the whole thing, it was starting to get late and he needed to get our stuff together to take down to the car. We had our bags ready to go, but we had a last-minute list of things to put together that we thought we would be able to grab together -- but Jorge was stuck trying to do them alone AND at the same time try to help me through my contractions. The contractions were now coming stronger and were now even closer together. They were getting to the point where they were so strong I couldn't help but be vocal about it and I would cry out in pain! It surprised even me how vocal I was being!

The contractions are now about two minutes apart. I am really in pain! Each contraction lasts about a minute and a half so there's only like a 30 second window between contractions where Jorge can get back to grabbing stuff -- but he still needed to go downstairs and get everything in the car AND I need him with me to get through the contractions! He needed help! His original plan was to call his sister Blanca for help, since she lives like 10 minutes away. But she was just getting over a cold and was on antibiotics, so the next person on our list was my sister Cindy. She lives like 25 minutes away, but was our next best option. He calls her and tells her in his calm voice that I'm in labor to come over. I'm yelling in the background, "Tell her to come over NOW -- it's URGENT -- no time to shower, just come!!!"

The contractions are almost on top of each other now and I don't have that much of a break in between... I didn't know what to do... At this point, I couldn't stand having any lights on and I had my eyes tightly closed... between contractions I was thinking to myself, "How am I going to make it downstairs??? Forget that -- how am I going to make it out the door???" I contemplated a home birth scenario in my mind... how would we do it?

Cindy arrived in what seemed like 5 minutes. Jorge called Lorie again to give her an update and to tell her my contractions were now 2 minutes apart. Lorie told him that we had to leave now to go to the hospital. Jorge hung up with her and tried to get me out of bed. But I couldn't! The contractions were too close together! Jorge called Lorie again to tell her he can't get me to move. She tells him that he's gotta be firm. Jorge comes back and tells me, "OK, after this contraction, we're going to get going." I reluctantly agreed. The contraction ended and he helped me get out of bed. I took one step and another contraction came. I doubled over and got on the floor. My squeemishness about being on the floor went out the window. "Pass me my pillows!" I yelled -- totally disregarding my huge pet peeve about my pillows touching anything but my bed.

The contraction passed and I told Jorge I had to stop in the bathroom to pee. I also hadn't brushed my teeth yet and I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to make it through labor if my mouth felt dirty. I kept telling Jorge "I gotta brush my teeth!" and I even had a contraction as I brushed them, but I was determined! Jorge was incredulous!

Jorge, Cindy and I finally made it out of the apartment and I slowly walked down the hall. I walked as fast as I could, but I know I was still really slow. I was huge and waddling and I was hoping that the walking wouldn't precipitate labor. Another contraction hit before we made it to the elevator. I stopped and I made it through by hanging onto Jorge. After it passed, we got in the elevator and thankfully there were no stops along the way. It was a straight shot down to the lobby. The entire time I have my eyes closed but I got a brief glance at Darryl, the security gaurd, and he looked taken aback. All he could say was "Good luck!". As we walked towards the exit to the car, I had another contraction and I had to stop and get through it before I could move again. In our Bradley class we were taught that you can tell when a contraction is really strong when you feel that if you had one while crossing the street, that you would have to stop in the middle of the street to get through it.... I was at that point.

We had originally planned that we would take my car to the hospital. Jorge's car is a two-door and has been giving us problems (it has 187,000 miles on it!), and since mine is a four door we had previously decided my little Honda Civic would be best. Jorge installed the car seat in my car though and it was placed in the middle of the backseat. But as I was having contractions, I knew I wanted to lie down for the car ride. I told Jorge we should take Cindy's car, which is a four door and had room in the backseat. I had already tried getting in the front passenger seat and reclining it a bit, but since my belly was so big I couldn't lie on my back. I needed to lie flat on my side. I moved to the backseat and it was better. Jorge was a bit anxious and had to readjust everything in Cindy's car -- the seat, the mirrors. I was having one contraction after another in the backseat, yelling and moaning with each one that passed.

At this point it's 7:15am. As we drove to the hospital, Jorge kept trying to time the contractions on his Blackberry, while at the same time calling our midwife's answering service so she could call us back to tell her we were on our way, calling my mom who lives an hour away to tell her we were on our way, driving a car he's never driven before, trying to get through morning rush hour with me yelling in the backseat. Talk about pressure! And as we got on the highway, he got in the HOV lane. But since I was lieing down in the backseat, any cop that sees us won't see me and he's just hoping all the while we wouldn't get pulled over. Thankfully, we didn't.

At the Hospital

We made it to the hospital in about 30 minutes, but it seemed like we got there in no time to me. Next thing I knew, we'd pulled into Maternity Services at the hospital. Jorge ran in to tell them I'm in labor and he leaves me in the car. Lorie had already arrived and she came to help me out of the car. The contractions were so strong, I didn't want to get out. Lorie was very firm with me and she helped me up. That morning had been really cold and I had been sweating in the backseat during contractions. I was soaked with sweat and as I got out of the car, the cold air hit me hard. I had my arms draped over Lorie's neck as we walked towards the entrance of the hospital and I had another contraction right there at the door. I couldn't walk on my own, thank God she was there! Jorge was at the registration desk and we passed him as Lorie and I walked toward the elevator. (Later Jorge tells me that the paperwork we filled out weeks ago to pre-register at the hospital had an error in them and he had to fill out everything again! He was so angry!)

Lorie and I went upstairs and we shuffled past the security desk. I'm still hanging onto Lorie with my eyes closed. I hear the security guard call for someone to bring a wheelchair. A second later I'm being wheeled down the hall to a labor and delivery room. The breeze as I was being pushed felt good on my face -- despite the cold weather outside, I was so sweaty!

I opened my eyes when we got to the room and I was momentarily impressed by how big it was. I rememeber thinking to myself, "Holy moly! This is where I'm going to have my baby!"

I was helped onto the bed and the nurses helped me change into my nightgown. I was anxious because I knew what was coming next -- they were going to check me to see how dialated I was. You can be anywhere from 1cm to 10cm dialated. At 10 cm is when you push. I was praying to be at least somewhere around 7cm... if I wasn't, I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take! The nurse checked me and I was thrilled to hear I was 8-9cm dialated!!! I couldn't believe how far along I was! The baby would be here soon!

Seeing I was so far along, the nurse didn't even connect me to a hep lock or anything. I wasn't connected to any machines. They would monitor the baby every 15 minutes or so. They encouraged me to move around, although I didn't really want to. Lorie suggested I change positions and labor on the toilet for a bit. I was reluctant to move, but I did. And once I was there, I didn't want to move back! After a few minutes, I seemed to have made some progress and Lorie and my midwife Terry helped me move back to the bed.

It's amazing how focused you become during labor. I didn't care that I was half naked or that nurses and people I didn't know would come in and out of the room. All I kept thinking about was my breathing and the pain and I just kept telling myself, "It's almost over!" I kept my eyes closed during the contractions and that made time go by in a blur.

The Delivery

Next thing I knew, the contractions were coming with pressure down "there", as if I had to poop. I knew this feeling would come and this was my body telling me I had to push. It's amazing how your body just takes over though. I didn't have to think about it, I just gave in and pushed. Honestly, the closest thing I can compare this to is to being constipated times 10 and then finally being able to push. I know, not a pretty picture, but that's what it feels like.

I'm not sure how long I pushed for, but at least when I was pushing I felt like I was doing something about the pain. It was purposeful pain. I knew that this was the finish line.

The contractions were now so strong and the urge to push was so hard that I couldn't help but yell with every contraction. I even surprised myself!! I yelled so hard that for days later I was still feeling how raw my throat was. They refer to this point in labor when the baby is starting to crown as "The Ring of Fire" ... it is actually a very accurate description! Ring of Fire indeed!!! There's a reason it's called LABOR! This was HARD!!!

The whole time, Jorge was at my side telling me how great I was doing and he was just cheering me on. He was so motivating and encouraging... I don't know how I could have done it without him. He would tell me how much he loved me and how we were so close to meet our little baby girl. He would tell me I was strong and he knew I could do it... his words meant so much. His support and his love is what really got me through it. This was the hardest thing I had ever done in my life.

After several pushes I was starting to wear out... I honestly felt like I didn't think I could push again. I opened my eyes and could see Jorge smiling at me. I turned to my right and Lorie was sitting with Cindy right next to her. They were all just cheering me on telling me I could do it. In my mind I felt helpless though... I didn't think I could. I was in pain and I was crying. It got to the point where I didn't think I could go any further. I looked at Cindy and I just asked her to pray for me. I honestly thought the pain would never end. She tearfully said the most beautiful prayer. I have no idea what she said but I felt like it helped... I had another strong contraction, but then I had a small break -- it was only about a minute but it was long enough to gather myself before the next urge to push. That was all I needed. I could feel she was right there!

The baby was crowning and with all the pain, I'm totally oblivious to what is going on around me. Jorge told me later that the nurse asked him to give her his hand. He tentatively gives her his hand and she puts it on the baby's head, which still hadn't come out yet. He was totally not expecting that, but later he was telling me with great pride that he was the first one to touch her -- that he got to touch her before she was born. :) I was so in my head that I had no idea this had happend until he told me about it later.

All of a sudden, Lorie then turns to me and says, "Connie -- stop pushing. Don't push. Hold it." In my mind, I thought her head was already out and that she was telling me not to push so they could suction her mouth. I had another contraction and an overwhelming urge to push... "I can't hold it!" I tell her. And then my body just took over and I pushed and I felt her come out. (Later, I realized that it wasn't that the baby was out yet, she was just crowning and if I had held it for just one contraction like Lorie said, then I wouldn't have torn. This last push caused a second degree tear. Fourth degree is the worst.)

The Birth

When she came out, I immediately felt relief from all the pressure that had been building. I then heard Lorie exclaim, "Connie, open your eyes! Look at your baby!" I opened my eyes and looked down past my pregnant looking belly. All I could see were two little hands, as if she was lying on her back. I heard her whimper a bit and then my midwife told me to hold out my hands to pick her up. In shock, I put out my arms and with Jorge's help and his hand on her back, we pulled her onto my chest... we were in complete awe... This was our baby. I couldn't believe it! I just stared at her in disbelief... She was the most perfect baby I could ever imagine. She was covered in vernix, a creamy substance that protects her skin in the womb. She was all red and had a head full of hair. She calmly stared back at me. She was so awake and aware! She curiously looked all around. Then she took her hand and jammed it in her mouth and started sucking her thumb! It was the cutest thing ever!! I loved the way she looked at me. She was so beautiful! Seeing how awake she was after the birth was so rewarding, so moving... I knew that I did everything I could for her to have the most natural birth possible, and it really paid off. After seeing her precious face, I knew I would do it all over again just to see her this calm and this happy.





Up until this point, Jorge and I had not shared her name with anyone. After having finally met her, we were then certain of what her name would be... Mila Juliette. It was the perfect name for her.



The First Hour

The nurses left her on my chest for over an hour so she and I could bond and I could attempt to breastfeed. This was really important to me because in other hospitals when the baby is born, they take the baby away to get them cleaned up and you lose valuable bonding time. I was so happy that the first hour of her life she was in my arms and in no one elses... During that hour, Jorge and I just stared at her in disbelief. We were amazed that this was our daughter... She was just so perfect. So beautiful. Such a little miracle! Jorge and I just stared at her and hugged each other and shed tears of happiness.





While we held her, she started to whimper so Jorge and I sang to her the song we sung to her every night, "Munequita Linda", which was also the song my parents sang to me as a kid... she calmed down as we sang... it was so beautiful!

After 20 minutes of her being on my chest, as we had requested in our birth plan, our midwife let us know that her umbilical cord had stopped pulsating and that if Jorge wanted, he could cut it. Jorge had always been uncertain if he would actually do it, but he had seemed to have been warming up to the idea. When our midwife offered, Jorge accepted and he cut the cord. Way to go Papa G! :)

After the first hour passed, she was taken by the nurse to be examined and to have her first bath. They did everything in the room in our presence and they never took her away to the nursery for anything. I was really happy in our choice of hospital. After all the research we had done, Boca Raton Community Hospital was the very best choice by far. It was very natural birth friendly and was open to all our requests about not being continuously monitored during labor, about the baby never leaving our room, about the baby exams being delayed until after we had a chance to bond. (Here's a copy of my birth plan if you're interested in learning more about what you can request from a hospital during birth. We had our midwife, doula and the nurses read it over and they were completely ok with all our requests.)





After her bath, which she seemed to enjoy, the nurse taught Jorge to change her diaper and to swaddle her. Then Jorge was finally able to pick her up and hold his little baby girl for the first time. He was so calm and gentle... such a proud papa! Doesn't he look like a natural?









The only ones that were present during the birth were Jorge, Cindy, my mom as well as Lorie, our doula and Terry, our midwife. My mom had arrived right before I started pushing and my dad arrived shortly after the birth. My parents were so sweet with her! They are both so excited at the birth of their first grandchild! My sister Cathy came over that evening and Jorge's sister Blanca came over the following morning.









Looking Back

Looking back, the birth could not have gone better. My birth team was fantastic: the hospital, our nurse, our midwife, our doula, Jorge as my coach and Cindy as my assistant coach. They were all incredibly amazing. I couldn't have done it without them! I was so glad I was able to labor at home and that when I arrived to the hospital I was already very far along. The Bradley classes were indespensible. I wouldn't have been able to get through the pain and have the natural, spontaneous, unmedicated childbirth I wanted without everything I had learned.







Ultimately, I wasn't in labor for too long. I would say labor began around 1:30am when I woke up the first time, but I just didn't realize it was real labor. I think I was in Early First Stage of labor from 1:30am until 5:00am when my water broke. After my water broke, contractions got stronger and I believe I was in Late First Stage from 5:00am until about 9:00am. The worst part of labor is what is called Transition, which is the phase right before pushing. That part I think was somewhere between 9:00am and 10:00am. The Second Stage of labor which is the pushing stage, was probably the last hour, between 10:00am and 10:57am when she was born. So it was about 10 hours of labor, but the hardest part was really after my water broke for those last 5 hours, which really isn't that bad for a first timer!

I am so happy I was able to reach my goal of no medical interventions for the birth. Although I am proud of myself of what I was able to accomplish, what I am really left with is a great appreciation to my wonderful husband. He was truly the most indespensible part of the whole pregnancy, labor and the delivery. He went to the childbirth classes with me, he read the books I asked him to read, he encouraged me to eat healthy, he went to all my doctor's appointments with me, he went to all of our doctor/midwife/doula/ hospital/pediatrician interviews with me... Most importantly though, he was my friend. He listened to me vent and complain whenever I was upset, he let me cry on his shoulder when I was frustrated, he encouraged me when I felt I couldn't do it anymore. He was my rock that I could lean on and he showed me his infalliable support and his unconditional love every step of the way. I am more in love with him today than I have ever been. And now we have a daughter together and I'm so incredibly happy to start a family together. In the short time we've been parents, Jorge has really shown to be a such a caring and devoted father and a supportive and loving husband... and Baby Mila is a sweet, curious little girl and we are so in love with her. I'm so blessed to have them in my life!