Here's my birth story. 
I woke up about 8:30am with a contraction so strong that I grabbed my husband's arm. He asked if I was ok, and I just said "contraction." I went to the bathroom, came back to bed, and had another one. They felt so much stronger but also different than the BH I've been having for weeks (months, really). I don't really remember what it felt like the first time, so I wasn't convinced I was in labor. My husband actually had the day off work, so I told him that this might be it, but I wasn't getting excited yet.
I got up to put some chicken soup in the crock pot, but I only got it out of the freezer and into the sink before I decided I needed to get in the bathtub and try to relax. I wasn't in there very long before I had a contraction that I had to push through. I yelled for my husband and told him to call the midwife RIGHT NOW. Inside I thought to myself, if I'm not very far along when she gets here, I don't think I can do this.
I was uncomfortable in the tub, so I got out and went to the kids' room to get my birth ball. My son was asleep in my bed. I made it to just inside the door and fell to the floor with another contraction. I was on my hands and knees and stayed there until the midwife came. I think it was about an hour that I was in that position. I pushed through every contraction, and they were one right on top of the other. My legs were shaking and I wondered if this was transition, but after my first labor experience, I was afraid to think I was that far along. With one of the contractions, my water broke and pretty much exploded everywhere. I yelled for my husband to call the midwife back and tell her. She wasn't far away.
She got here about 11:00am, and it just barely registered that she was even here. I didn't have time between contractions to think about anything. I did hear her say that the baby was at +3 station! I couldn't believe it! She recommended that I get on the birth stool to help the baby come down because she was so close. I wasn't sure if I could move, but she and my husband helped me get on. After I got on the stool, I could really feel her coming out. At that point, everything changed. I was pulled straight out of laborland, and I could see everything clearly. I kept saying "I can feel her. She's coming out. I'm really doing it." She was born at 11:20am, just 20 minutes after the midwife got there. I kept having dreams of a fast, easy labor and the midwife just missing it. It almost happened that way!
The cord was very short, so we didn't wait long, just 5 minutes or so before cutting it. I was so uncomfortable waiting for the placenta to come out. That was the worst part of the whole thing! In the meantime, the midwife's assistant got there, and they helped me into bed, and Julia nursed for about an hour before we weighed her and did the exam. I was really expecting a 9 pound baby, but she was just 8lbs. 8oz. She is doing great. Having some latch issues, but I'm just being patient and trying my best to help her. I'm doing ok. I am pretty sore, but otherwise feeling good. All in all, I'd say it was the best experience of my life so far. 
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