My first child was born five weeks early by Cesarean section due to pre-eclampsia, so when I found out that I was pregnant again, I was nervous, but hopeful. I had planned a natural childbirth the first time, so I decided to try again. As it turns out, my blood pressure stayed low the whole time (thanks to a better diet and more exercise), and I felt totally prepared for labor. I took Bradley classes and hired a doula to help me. Plus, my midwife would be there the whole time I was laboring in the hospital.

I was due June 16, so when I started having contractions every 10 minutes on the 6th, I figured they would go away, which they did until the next day. On the 7th, I had painless contractions all day, and I thought that they were Braxton Hicks. I ran around with my son, and that night, went to Blockbuster and Dairy Queen. When I got home, my contractions were five minutes apart, but still not very painful. I timed them for an hour before I told my husband that I thought I was in labor. I put my son to bed and then called my doula to get her opinion. She said I sounded so calm that it must be very early labor and to call when the pain got worse.

I called my midwife, and she said she would call back in an hour to check on me. After that, my contractions were every three minutes. I guess I expected the pain to shoot me out of my seat, but it didn't. I had no plug and no bloody show, so I kept thinking I was still in early labor. The midwife called back and told me to go to the hospital. My doula met us at the house, and we left. It was a 45-minute ride, and by the time we got there, the contractions were definitely worse. I had four on my way to the room. They checked me, and I was 6 centimeters.

At this point, the contractions were really bad, but after about four or five, I had to push. Everybody was telling me NO, but when they say uncontrollable, they mean it. I couldn't stop. The midwife checked me again and said I was 7 centimeters, and I almost died. During the next contraction, my water broke all over the place. I still had to push. She checked me again and said I was complete. I had dilated 3 centimeters in one contraction.

After two pushes, the midwife said, The baby's head is right here! and I reached down and felt it. It was about five more contractions before he actually came out, though, because I didn't want an episiotomy, so the crowning took a long time. I pushed gently until he came out, and I ended up with a first-degree (tiny) tear that needed two stitches. Not bad for a first delivery. My son was 8 pounds, 7 ounces, and we named him Brendan Alexander.