Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 9:30 AM

Contractions began at 3:30 AM on Simchas Torah, 10-15 minutes apart. All night long I rode the contractions out on my hands and knees, and it was pretty manageable. I called Marcy (my midwife) at 7:00, and told her this is likely it. I was planning to get into the shower for some relief, and she told me to call her after the shower. After the shower the contractions jumped from every 10 minutes to every 3! I called her to tell her to come, and by the time she arrived, contractions were coming every couple of minutes. When Marcy came, she called my doula, Elanna Posner, to come right away.

Gedalya was still asleep, but Zusha was up. At first Zusha was helping me through the contractions by assuming the hands and knees position together with me. When he saw me on the phone (On Yom Tov) he got curious and demanded to know what is happening and who that was. I told him, and he right away figured out that it's time for the baby to come! When the pain got worse, Hillel took Zusha to another room with him. He couldn't take both boys out as planned because we didn't want to wake Gedalya just for that.

I wasn't taking labor like a big girl I was kinda kvetching and whining through the contractions. Saying things like, "I need a break" or "I want to take a raincheck for tomorrow, this is more than enough for now!" I was going to say that people who take epidurals are geniouses and please, just give me a c-section and get this over with, but I restrained myself.
At which point Marcy asked, "Honey, are you ready to push?"
I said, "NO!" because I was afraid of tearing badly like last time.
A few contractions later, she encouraged me to get checked. I reluctantly agreed- and I was fully dilated! Then I began to panic, because I did NOT want to push!

I cried to Marcy and Elanna, 'I KNEW it! I knew I was ready to push! I just was too scared to!" (And indeed, I probably went through 20 minutes of contractions while feeling like I can already push.)
I was whimpering that I'm so scared to do this, I'm terrified of tearing. The midwife and doula both assured me that I will not tear, encouraged me along, and after a few pushes my water broke all over the place! The pain of pushing was nothing like I remembered. It was awful! It relieved the contraction pain, but it was really much worse than contractions. But a few pushes later, at 9:30 AM, the baby was out!
They put her straight on my chest, and all I could do was repeat, "Who are you? Who are you? Do I know you?" Then I looked, and she was a girl. :)

I lost a lot of blood. The doula thought it was another baby when after the baby I gave one more push and a huge volume of blood came out.

As soon as they wiped up the baby and swaddled her, they brought her out to Hillel and the boys.
She weighed 9lbs 12 oz and I didn't even tear, B"H. It makes such a huge difference in healing!

I almost passed out a few times and had to be given smelling salts. I couldn't stand up for 24 hours, and now I can walk, but bent over so that my head isn't so high up.

So that is that! The big brothers are thrilled! Zusha keeps saying, "It's a maidele, just like I said it would be!" They love holding her and petting her, and checking to make sure I'm taking proper care of her.

(Home birth is the awesomest thing. You would NOT be able to get me into a car at that point in my life! )

Baby's first photo :) 10 hours old: