: Frances Carolyn Kent was born Tuesday, 9/2/08 at 7:53 pmShe was born exactly at 38 weeks weighing 5# 8oz and measuring 18 inches long.
I woke up at 3:30 Tuesday morning with mild regular contractions about 8-10 minutes apart. A little too excited to sleep, I got up and showered after timing for an hour. At 5:45, my water broke and I woke up DH. Contractions actually slowed a bit after my water breaking. Our midwife encouraged us to stay home, eat and rest. At about noon, contractions started to come more regularly at 4-6 minutes apart. At 2pm, they were 2-4 minutes apart. The midwife came and checked me and I was 2cm. She told me a lot of times when the water breaks at the beginning, women get an "active" labor pattern earlier, even though they aren't dilates as far. I was a bit disappointed. At 4 pm the contractions were 1-2 minutes apart and I was having a hard time coping, hubby got me in the shower. I had him wearing my birth necklace and I started focusing on the beads while he counted my breaths. My mom made it up from LA to our house at 6pm and we all headed to the birth center, where I immediately got in the tub. After half an hour of steady strong contractions I was feeling dizzy so they got me to the bed. I felt the urge to push and the midwife checked and said I was 10cm! I was was so worried I would only be 4... I pushed in a side lying position for about 30 minutes. Frances was born with her little hand on her ear. She was placed on my belly and it was a few minutes before we picked her up to find out she was a girl. She was completely alert and pretty quiet... refusing to cry and with her lungs a little wet so they gave her a few puffs of oxygen. They had her right next to me while they carefully checked her breathing then returned her to my chest. She nursed vigorously after that. I had a small, 1st degree tear that we're blaming on that renegade hand that the midwives sutured for me. We were happily at home by midnite and got some great rest. I can't believe she's really here!!! My DH was amazing...even though we missed our last few birth classes. Wishing the rest of you wonderful births and healthy babies.
