At 12:45 PM, my whole world changed....

She is here and she knows me. I am her Momma C.

Enough said.

Push her out, push her out... way out!

The pushing stage.

Melissa asks, "If 'we' are doing this, why am I in pain?"

Where is her head?

There is a lip.

Abbie is trying, Melissa is trying, I am but an observer.

(No, I am not writing this as she is deliverying my child.)

Mom says, "you look like a beached walrus."

We are going to the hospital.

It took them 4 hours to get an IV started and 5 sticks.

Finally relief.

We have 3 midwives and a doula with us. What would we do without our doula Kelly?

The bigger question is what would we do without our favorite Midwife? L. gives Melissa the courage to keep going. She is grounded and focused. Melissa adores her and will do what she says. I am glad she is present and it is a true honor knowing she will "catch" Abbie.

Melissa's mom tells Melissa, "You looked like a beached walrus..."

Thanks mom!

Abigail Who?

The contractions get serious.

Melissa asks me "Why did I want a natural birth?"

I reply, "You wanted Abigail to have the best birth possible."

Melissa asks me in a serious voice, "Abigail Who??"

One out of four Midwives....

Midwife arrives, then leaves. She freaks us out about Abigail's positioning.

What position is the baby in? She has been head down the entire pregnancy. Melissa would have known if she moved to a butt down position. She may not be able to describe it, but she could at least say the baby just did a move.

We are going for a Sonogram to check the position. That one is not good enough, I scramble and find a free standing one that will see us in less than 10 minutes. I make it in 8 all the way across town.

Baby is where she is supposed to be.

Back to the clinic. More exams, more frustration.