would you like to share miriam's birth story?
Well, I will not bore you to tears with the (literally) 30 page long version I wrote in the week after she was born. However, here's the brief synopsis:
We were already at 42 weeks plus 2 days when I went to sleep Sunday night thinking that I might be feeling something, but knowing that I would need to rest. Slept pretty well, despite the frequent bathroom trips to pee.
Woke up around 6 knowing that something was finally happening. DH woke up around 7 and I told him that he would not be going to work that day. Then we started to debate whether we should go vote (federal election). Decided yes and slowly shuffled through the snow to the voting section. Contractions coming pretty frequently (5 minute break in between) but not terribly long (90-120 seconds). Electoral staff rather alarmed by woman in labour at polling booth.
Made it back home and headed upstairs to lie on the couch and deal with cx. Mostly thru visualization and breathing (eyes closed the whole time). DH called the MW around 11 after timing the cx and finding out they were now around 1 1/2 minutes apart but still not too long. MW came by to check on me, I was not very dilated (maybe a 2), and she left saying she'd be back after her work day in the office was over). Suggested I walk. I tried walking on the treadmill but even the lowest setting was too fast. I couldn't walk outside really because my foot was so swollen that I couldn't wear shoes. So I walked the circle around our library, living room and hallway, pushing the stroller for support, pausing to take a break every 3 circles and sit on the birth ball.
After a couple of hours of this, with no let up or change in the cx, I was getting tired, so I headed back upstairs to the bedroom where I coped with cx by holding on to DH"s hands and swaying and moving and throwing myself over the couch and occasionally tossing throw pillows at DH ("I thought the benefit of natural labour was you were supposed to get a break between contractions!"). Finally around 4, the MW returned and checked me again. She quoted some progress (around a 3), but I got the feeling she was just trying to make me feel better.
I really really wanted to get in the pool and she did give me the go ahead for that despite the fact that usually they want you further dilated than I was before getting in the water. I think she just wanted to slow down the frequency of the cx so I could get a break.
The pool was great for about 10 minutes. Then it really became a bit of a blur and seemed about the same as before - still no break between cx and now I had to worry about trying not to push the walls of the pool down too far and have all the water escape. DH helped my holding me up.
I spent about 2 hours in the pool and when I got out I was done with it. I spent about 1/2 an hour in the bedroom standing and swaying and rocking my hips and holding onto DH's hands. Then I made my way back to the bathroom and apparently made some noise that caused the MW to come (quickly!) to see me. She checked on me in the bedroom and said, much to everyone's surprise "Well, we're going to have a baby!". I don't know who was more shocked - her or DH. She sent DH down to her car to bring in the rest of her supplies and started calling for a backup MW since they need two in attendance before you can start pushing.
So I was told to breathe thru the contractions and not push. This was probably not the best advice in the world because I got very good at it as I waited anxiously for someone to call the MW back (thinking to myself that it was late, around 8:30 and that MWs were in short supply in the city and omigod were they going to find one or was I going to end up at the hospital after all).
The 2nd MW did show up pretty quickly - around 9 and then it was time to push. But I was tired and didn't feel the urge to push. However, I did try and it soon became apparent to me that I really didn't know what I was doing. Honestly, I couldn't figure out how to push or where to push. We tried a bunch of different positions and the baby was moving thru the birth canal, just ever so slowly. Basically, I just kept on making enough progress that the MWs felt comfortable with me being at home and the babe was doing fine throughout (although apparently the meconium that came out was pretty thick and the 2nd attendant wouldn't have been comfortable with the decision to stay at home).
Finally after 3 hours, I got on the birthing stool and pushed and pushed and pushed. I'm pretty sure there was some screaming (including some obscenities). And once Miriam's head was out, you couldn't stop me from pushing the shoulders out, even though they wanted to suction her. She was pretty purple and limp and needed oxygen, but the MWs were very at ease and I never had a moment's concern about her well-being. And I was pretty much still in shock. The placenta came out shortly after that without any problems.
Afterwards, I got to cuddle her on the bed and nurse her and then after that DH got to hold her while I got a few stitches. She and I spent the night in bed together, nursing rather ineffectively. The next day I felt great - my knees were sore from rug burn from crawling around on the floor and my throat was a bit sore from the yelling at the end, but aside from that, I felt awesome. Overall it was a great experience and I'm excited to get to do it again, hopefully, although I know it will be different.
let's hear it for edwina! 
