Here is the story of Claire's birth into our family. I hope everyone enjoys reading it and that it may be of some inspiration to those with impending births.

July 3rd We had an appointment with our midwife that Wednesday morning to see if anything had changed since my parents came into town for the birth and were leaving on Friday morning. We were growing anxious and impatient for our little one to arrive and it didn't seem as if the baby was ready to make an appearance anytime soon. My husband and I spent the previous week making final preparations for our little one's arrival and it seemed that everything was in place. We spent time going out to dinner alone without the other kids and sitting on the beach. Walking in the evenings together trying to get labor going but our baby just wasn't ready to appear yet. On Wednesday morning the midwife said that I was a good four centimeters dilated but that the baby was well down and that she could practically feel the cervix was stretchable to almost complete so she predicted it wouldn't be long now. We went home to enjoy the remaining time that! we had left waiting for our baby. After that appointment, little did everyone else know that I spent the morning talking to our baby really getting in tune and letting the baby know that it was ok to come out now. It was time and I was ready. I listened to the cd I had prepared for the birth with much of my favorite music, Indigo Girls, Billy Joel and more to get in the mood. I was having mild contractions as I had been for the last few days but they came and went as we went shopping and out to lunch that afternoon. I didn't mention them to my husband or family as it seemed they would just go away and I didn't want to get everybody's hopes up that this might be it. With each contraction, I let my body and my baby know that this felt good, that this was what was supposed to happen and that they should keep coming. I let my baby know that this is how we would get to meet face to face and that it was ok. Something told me that to! night my baby would come but still, I didn't say anything to anyone. At about 8:30 that night, I sat with my family gathered around in our kitchen just talking and sharing, it felt good. I started to have some pain in my lower abdomen not contraction like but very strong, I thought it was the position I was sitting in. The baby seemed to be moving much more than usual so I went to take a warm shower. After that, I got ready for bed and so did my husband, it was about 10:15, I told my husband I was having some stronger contractions, still they didn't hurt and I went to the bathroom, as I climbed back into bed, I heard a pop and felt a warm gush as my water broke. I was excited and couldn't believe that this was finally it! I went to the bathroom and noticed that the fluid was not clear as I had hoped but stained with thin meconium. We called the midwife immediately and set off to meet her. I had a bit of trouble getting! calm after seeing the meconium and it took my husband reminding me that getting stressed out would only stress the baby. He helped me get calm and we drove to meet the midwife. She was there waiting for us and took us to our birthing room, she examined me and found me to be a good four still and completely effaced. She examined the color of my fluid and felt comfortable that it was light meconium and that I did not need continuous monitoring or IV fluids which was exactly what we had hoped to hear. We ran an initial strip on the baby to see that she was ok and then I was never placed on a monitor again. By this time it was about 11:30 and my contractions had increased in intensity and frequency coming every 2 minutes or so. My husband and I got in the shower together which felt wonderful and that is where I labored for a long time. My husband was wonderful rubbing my back and adjusting the water temperature for me so that it was ! just right and pressing on my lower back. Finally I was getting too hot so I wanted to get out of the shower and I sat in the rocking chair with my feet up and my husband rubbing my feet and legs which felt amazing. I figured at about this point I was in transition because I started having transitional thoughts about the pain and would have to remind myself, that my body knows just how to do this and let go. This worked really well for me. The midwife thought it might be time to check me since I had started to make some transitional sounds and said whenever I was ready she would. So I got up on the bed, little did I know that Claire was about to be born! She was surprised to see that I was 9 almost 10 and since I've had babies before, she said I could push whenever I got the urge. I began using little grunty pushes at the peak of each contraction and had the big mirror placed so I could see my progress. It was wonderful! ! I could tell after a few of these that her head was beginning to make my perineum bulge and that felt great and gave me the energy I needed to get ready to meet my baby. I'm not sure how long this phase lasted but very soon after, we began to see her dark hair and out came her head. I remember starting to loose control a little bit right before her head actually emerged but my husband was able to bring me back and remind me what we were doing there. He was my saving grace this time around. After her head was born, her body came after a few more pushes and out she came screaming as she was born and looking so beautiful. The images that I was able to see of her as she was born will stay with me for a lifetime it was truly amazing. She came into my arms and nursed right away. We did have the pediatrician come to take a peek since right at the birth the midwife noted that there was a lot more meconium than she had though! ht but Claire was doing just great. After cleaning her up she never left my side where she has been ever since. She nurses like a champ and is truly a blessing. This is Claire's story, born to us after a completely natural, birth without the hindrance of inductions, drugs or unnecessary medical staff. Her birth from spontaneous rupture of membranes to delivery lasting a mere 3 hours and 11 minutes. Born in the glow of soft lights on the early morning of July 4th 2002 at 01:41 am. My husband and I welcomed all 8 lbs. 6 oz and 19 inches of our beautiful new daughter into the world.

That is Claire's story. I only hope that those who are desiring to birth without the use of pain medication and minimal to no intervention have the courage and strength to let it happen. I'm so glad we did, and that my husband played such an active role in Claire's arrival. He was my rock and it was his voice and hands that told me I could do this. I am truly grateful and blessed. Jen