All three of my children were full term and born on or very near their actual due date.

My first child, a boy, was delivered by emergency Cesarean Section at 40 weeks. I had been on home rest for one week, since I had developed mild PIH. I felt great and was going crazy having to stay at home and rest. The evening of my actual due date I began feeling very mild contractions. I stayed at home and slept well that night. I already had a regular OB appointment the next morning so I figured if nothing major happened during the night, I would just go in for my appointment, hopefully for good news.

When I woke up the next morning, I told my husband to stay by the phone because I was having regular but mild contractions and I would call him after my appointment. My sister was visiting from out of town so she went with me to the doctor's office. When the doctor checked me, he said I was only 1 centimeter dilated (talk about disappointed, because I knew I was in labor). He told me to go home and come back right before they closed for lunch and they would check me again.

I went back at 11:30 a.m. and my doctor's partner took me back and checked me. I was still only a 1, but SURPRISE, I think the baby is breech. He did an ultrasound to confirm his suspicion. He tried to turn the baby, but just caused the most painful contraction that I had felt so far. So off to the hospital we went for an emergency C-section. It took two tries for the epidural to be placed. Ouch! Anyway, after an uncomfortable epidural and spotty coverage, a healthy 7-pound, 10-ounce baby boy was born.

My second, a girl, was born after an uneventful pregnancy. I was insistent upon a vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC), as I had too many bad memories of pain and disappointment in the birth process. I had a very supportive OB. I lived in a different town at this time.

The week of my due date was coming up soon and my OB was going on vacation. Can you believe it? I did not want his relief to deliver me. I worked in the emergency room at that time and didn't like some of his post-section problems. He said he would induce before he left. The OB unit was so busy that they postponed my induction for three days. Finally, at 8 p.m. on the third night they had room for me.

I labored all night. My doctor broke my water around 3 a.m. since he was there for another delivery. At 6 a.m. with Pitocin and a screaming teenager in the next room, the contractions were unbearable. The nurse said I was only 3 centimeters and couldn't have an epidural until 4 centimeters. She said she would call the anesthesiologist anyway since it would take him about an hour to get there.

When he showed up one and a half hours later, he was putting in the epidural and I began to feel like I had to push. The nurse said, No way. My doctor happened to come in then and said he would check me. Guess what? I was complete and ready to push. He went to do a D and C for 45 minutes while I was pushing. I was so tired. He used the suction cup on my daughter's head because I needed help. Finally, a beautiful 7-pound, 1-ounce, redheaded girl was born.

My third child, a girl, was a fast and easy delivery. I again lived in a different town. I had a wonderful doctor. She knew I was exhausted chasing two kids around and getting moved into my new house. She scheduled an induction on my due date. I had been 2 centimeters for two weeks. I also had visiting relatives to help out at this time.

I went to the hospital for induction in early labor. The contractions started during the night. They started the Pitocin and broke my water. Very shortly after that, they gave me an epidural, which was spotty again. After a little over three hours of labor, I was complete. They called my doctor, whose office was in the building next door, and then started me pushing. She ran. I pushed four times and she came in and said, Don't push on the next one. She needed to gown up and the baby was crowning. I pushed two more times and my 7-pound, 14-ounce girl was born. She was the fastest and easiest of all three kids and I had no tears or anything.