When my husband and I decided to start a family we didn't really expect it to happen so quickly and easily. Within two weeks of trying we had conceived our beautiful boy and so began an easy and uncomplicated pregnancy. I expected the birth to be equally easy, but still held a certain amount of apprehension and fear.

I went into labor six days past my due date at 3 p.m. while shopping for plants at the local nursery. Not sure what labor was supposed to feel like, I was in denial for most of the afternoon until at around 8 p.m. my husband was starting to laugh at me trying to have dinner and hold a conversation through the contractions. As I had Group B Strep I had to be given antibiotics and was advised by the hospital to go in once contractions were about seven minutes apart. So at about 9:30 p.m. we set off to the hospital.

Once there I was given an internal and was told that the cervix was still too high to be felt and so the midwife advised that we try to get some sleep.

At about 11 p.m. I was woken by a contraction that made me fly out of bed, and from then on I contracted regularly at about six- or seven-minute intervals.

Some time during the night I decided to use the bath for pain relief. It was amazing and I was fairly comfortable until about 3 a.m. when I started to use the gas. An internal revealed that I was now at 4 centimeters dilated. I spend the next two hours on my knees leaning into my husband, still using the gas. At 5 a.m. I was found to be 6 centimeters and I hopped back in the bath. I believed that the baby would be not too far away and still felt like I was in control.

At about 8 a.m. I went through transition and it was so uncomfortable. I first felt the urge to push at 10 a.m., and when I was given yet another internal was found to be 8 or 9 centimeters. I was told that I could push if I needed to and so began four grueling hours of hard work. Sometime during this period they lost the baby's heartbeat and I was forced to lie on my back, which was so painful.

At 12:30 p.m. I was begging for it all to stop, as I was so tired. It was then that they called in the OB who took almost an hour to get there, as it was Saturday and he had to come in from home. Once there he found that I was fully dilated but for a lip of my cervix that he could not push out of the way. It was then decided that a Cesarean section was the way to go and I was too tired at this point to argue.

So at 1:57 p.m. our beautiful baby boy was born weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces. He was pink and crying and he had a large bruise on his forehead as he was in a posterior position. I got to see him very briefly before being taken away to be held by everybody else while I was being sewn up. After 23 hours of labor and two hours in theater and recovery I finally got to hold my son. Sadly, I was so tired and sore that I don't really remember our first day together, and to this day it kills me that everybody else got to hold him first.

Anja's Birth

After my marathon effort with Tiaan I decided that it would be best to listen to the OB and just have a scheduled C-section with my next baby. My mind was made up (once a Cesarean, always a Cesarean), until I spoke to a midwife when I was 26 weeks pregnant, who told me to ignore the OB and attempt a natural delivery.

I still thought it impossible but after doing lots of research I decided to have a go, as the risks of complications are real but slim, especially given the risk that a major operation carries. I would, however, do things differently this time. For starters, I would try to stay home as long as possible. I would also try to avoid unnecessary internals as I am sure that they just caused me to become disheartened. Finally, I would only push when I could no longer fight my body. I still believe that pushing before I was fully dilated is what caused my C-section.

After I made up my mind I told my OB of my plans and was told he would "let" me try given that the baby was well down and that I did not go overdue. So at 39 weeks I started to take homeopathic drops to help induce labor, and two days before my due date I woke at 4 a.m. with contractions.

I was so excited that I could not lie in bed anymore and so began pacing around the living room while timing contractions. Then at 8 a.m., after calling my support person to tell her things were happening, it all stopped. I was so disappointed. For the rest of the day I tried to keep busy and would have twitches every hour or two, but I was fast starting to lose hope that it would ever happen.

At 6 p.m. while preparing dinner contractions started again at 10-minute intervals, and this time I knew this was it. I managed to have dinner and put my son to bed before deciding that I would have a bath. As soon as I sat down in the water a huge contraction hit and from then on they started to come at five-minute intervals.

I called Shelly (my support person) at 7:30 p.m. and told her we would be leaving for the hospital soon. At 8 p.m. contractions were three minutes apart, and I decided it was time to head to the hospital. We had to stop twice on our way to the hospital (a five-minute journey) and I had another three contractions before making it to the maternity ward.

Once there I was put on the trace for 10 minutes to check the baby, and all was found to be going well. At 9 p.m. my husband joked that this baby better get here in the next three hours, otherwise we would share a birthday, and I just laughed, not believing it possible.

I remained upright and leaning forward until my legs got tired and then climbed into a deep bath. I stood on my knees while leaning over the side for the next 1 1/2 hours, too scared that lying on my back would hurt like it did the first time.

At 10 p.m. I was offered my first internal and was found to be 7 centimeters. Shelly was wiping my face while my husband was staying hot water onto my back.

At 10:55 p.m. I felt the urge to push. The midwife wanted to do another internal but I would not let her, as I was unable to move out of the bath as she wanted. Finally she agreed to do the internal with me still in the bath, and she found me fully dilated and the baby's head in view.

I started pushing in the bath, but after 15 minutes I wanted to stand up to allow gravity to do its work and so moved to lean over the side of the bed. My husband was doing his best to hold me up but after 15 minutes my legs were too tired and I moved to the birthing stool. The midwife kept telling me that I was doing well and that the baby was moving down, but I struggled to believe her, as this is where things went wrong last time.

However, minutes later I felt intense burning followed by a pop, and my baby's head was born. I was so amazed that I actually asked, "What was that?" Seconds later I was holding her, so amazed that she was here so quickly and so perfectly formed.

Anja was born at 11:38 p.m. after a 5 1/2-hour drug-free labor. She weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and missed my birthday by 22 minutes. Later the midwife told me that she was born in a posterior position. I was so thankful that I did not know, as it was one of my biggest fears.

To the midwives who encouraged me to give a natural delivery a go, thank you. It was the most beautiful, empowering experience of my life. I feel heeled. My body was able to do what it was designed for. With knowledge and support I was able to go through labor with a positive mindset and come out of it feeling like I can take on the world. And best of all, I got to hold my little girl first!