So Sunday night around midnight (had debated for hours whether or not to go through with it - I detest castor oil) I made an orange juice/vanilla ice cream/2oz castor oil milk shake (didn't taste the oil at all.) Just as I expected, I got the runs <G>. I remember sitting there praying to God to please give me a short, easy labor after enduring the constant crapping, cramping, and burning bum <G>.

About 3am I quit having the runs but my bottom was really sore so I soaked it in a couple inches of warm water in the tub (aaaahhh!!!). Afterwards I threw up (a lot!) but felt much better and went back to bed to get some sleep. Around 6:30-ish this morning I woke up to some strong contractions. I went to the
bathroom and on the way back to bed, was stopped in my tracks by the intensity of a contraction I was having (figured it must be the real thing because the others I had had didn't feel like that.) I woke Scott and asked him what he thought we should do, should we go ahead and call the doula (Jen) and midwife (Annette) or just the doula for now, should we call family or wait, etc. I decided to call my doula to give her a heads up (figured we'd call the midwife when
things got more serious.) She said she would get ready and come over (she got there about a half hour later, 15 minutes before the baby was actually born.) Then I called my parents to let them know I was in labor, and Scott called my best friend to let her know - he also called his parents. At about that time I had gotten in the tub full of very warm water, and soon the contractions started coming one on top of another (when I first got in they were bouncing around from 2-4minutes apart - I only timed a few.) I remember saying to Scott, "Damn! I *JUST* had one and here comes another one!!!" The clary sage (essential oil) compresses were somewhat helpful but sitting in the tub was not comfortable at all. After only a few minutes in the tub I got in the shower (at which point Scott called the midwife - but I didn't know it at the time.) I alternated between standing up and kneeling on my hands and knees, using the shower massage on my lower abdomen. My doula got here and was very helpful in keeping me focused, giving me encouragement, etc. I'm glad she was
there, as Scott was busy setting up our bedroom and getting things ready (he would come check on me but he couldn't stay with me all the time.) At one point I told her I didn't know how much more I could take of this (she said she figured I was transitioning at that point) and she asked me what I wanted to do. I said let's wait a couple of contractions and then call the midwife (I still thought I had at least an hour more to go.) Well, all of a sudden I started grunting and involuntarily pushing with the contractions. My doula reminded me (nervously <G>) that she doesn't catch babies and to breathe through the urge to push. She asked me how/what I was feeling, and I remember saying that my butt was bulging with the contractions <G>. She asked Scott to call the midwife (which is when we found out he had already called her some 15 minutes before.) I told my doula that I hoped that when the midwife got there, I'd be far enough along to be able to push, because otherwise I thought I would die <G>. I couldn't imagine being only 7 or 8cms with that strong of an urge to push and having to wait! I then started having very intense pushing urges with the contractions, so my doula and Scott thought it would be best to get me to
the bed. As I got out of the shower, my bottom really started bulging and it was a little hard to walk (felt as if I had a ball shoved up my butt <G>.) My doula said the baby's head had started crowning a little. As I climbed onto the bed (hands and knees), she said she could see part of the bag, but then when
I turned over to my back she said (after seeing the baby's hair), "No, the head is completely out! With one more contraction this baby will be born!" So she had Scott come over to do the honors, and my 13 1/2 yo daughter came over to help too (she had originally wanted to help the midwife. The other kids were either on or around the bed.) And out tumbled the baby (as she emerged, the sac was over her face - she was born "in the caul" so they wiped that away.) Scott suctioned her out and then we swaddled her as I latched her onto the breast, waiting for the placenta to expel (it plopped out within 15 minutes.)

My midwife arrived some 20-25 minutes after the baby's birth at which time she checked me out for tears (I didn't have any), clamped and cut the cord, then did the baby   assessment (apgars were 9 & 10 based upon the information we gave our midwife.) We filled out the birth certificate and talked about postpartum care, etc. During all of this we went over the events leading up to the birth. I still can't believe it all went so fast and that my midwife missed
it (thank goodness for emergency childbirth instructions!) She said even if we had called her first, she still wouldn't have made it in time. Despite the fact that the midwife wasn't here, the birth went very well and no one panicked. It was wonderful! The other kids *love* their baby sister and have been fighting over
who gets to hold her. I have to remind them that she needs to eat too <G>.

~Kerry