Pregnancy- Baby Time!

At 7PM on the 24th I had my first contraction. As with most 3rd trimester pain I wasn't sure if it was labor or not.
After about an hour and a half I noticed I was having regular contractions, probably every 20 minutes or so.
Nothing much changed for a few hours, other than I was getting exhausted. So we decided to go lay down and get some rest.
I woke up at 3AM with a pretty powerful contraction, and wasn't able to get back to sleep. I timed my pain at about 15 minutes with a mild, mild, strong pattern.
By 4AM I was at 6 minute contractions.
Originally I planned on delivering in my bed, but there were 2 other children that decided to climb into bed with us, so I decided to go into the living room to deliver on the twin bed out there, so as not to wake the boys up. Also, I thought, if my mess was too big for the towels and pad, I could replace the twin mattress easier than the queen!

My last belly shot- taken in between contractions

After waking daddy around 5AM we got everything set up in the living room.

Daddy was busy turning lights on and trying to get himself some coffee made, when at about 6:03, with a strong push, my water broke.

I had a few more contractions, but couldn't feel the head in the birth canal. My body was bearing down, but I didn't feel like I was making any progress.

My mattress was propped up at the head, and I had all my pillows there, so I tried laboring on my knees instead of on my butt. It was comfortable, and those last contractions were much smoother than the ones in the hour before.

Finally I could feel my pelvis spread and feel her head descend the birth canal. I still couldn't feel anything by reaching down, but I knew she was coming.

Scott was still looking for something across the room, and I was worried he wouldn't be there when she did. So I kinda sorta yelled at him and told him to get over to me- now.

He told me he didn't see anything, and I told him she was coming! And sure enough, one more push and her head was crowning.

He turned on the camcorder and her head was moving out into the air.

I held onto it until he got back down behind me and got ahold of her. Then I just concentrated on feeling the contractions help me push her out. He was such a great birth partner. He just talked to her and held her head. He was calm and encouraging, and gentle.

A second hard push got her shoulders right to the edge, and a final third shot her entire body out of me.

Daddy caught her and wiped her off. I stayed in the kneeling position for a few minutes while my body relaxed.

Finally I rolled over and took my night gown off, and daddy handed her to me. I laid her naked body on my bare chest and covered her with a towel.

I brought her to my breast, but she was uninterested.

Daddy weighed her- 7 lbs 4 oz.

I delivered my placenta and about an hour later we tied it off with a clean rubber band, and sissy cut the umbilical cord.

Then sissy got to hold her.

A little while later Tommy woke up and he got to hold her.
He was so excited!

Welcome to the world, Rebecca Elizabeth.