I'm a little late posting this, but I have read so many wonderful birth stories lately and so many comments from soon to be mamas hoping to go natural that I thought I'd share. On 8/23 I started having some pre labor pains and was running to the bathroom a lot! Nothing intense just uncomfortable. Worked from home that day and prepared my manager that I might be out soon. Went to bed around midnight and woke up at 1:30 on 8/24 with cramping that was pretty uncomfortable. Went to the bathroom and told my husband that I thought it was starting. Tried to go back to bed but it was so uncomfortable I moved out to the kitchen to lean on the bar top of my counter (ended up being my favorite position!). Husband came out around 4:30 and napped in the recliner. I tried to do the same but contractions were getting closer and more painful so not a whole lot of napping going on. Around 7:00 husband made me some oatmeal, which I promptly threw up. At around 7:30 we called my doula check in. She suggested I get in the shower to see if that changed anything. Went to the bathroom before that and my mucus plug came out. The warm water felt really good, and my contractions sped up a little but were still inconsistent. Called my midwife's office at 8 because I was supposed to have my 39 week appointment that AM. They told me to go to the hospital, but doula advised waiting until contractions were closer - the last thing I wanted was to get to the hospital too early! By 8:30 my contractions were 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long and consistent. Headed to the hospital and arrived by 9:20. The car ride sucked! Barely made it inside and another big contraction hit, so leaned over one of the ER chairs! Got up to L&D at 9:30, got checked and was 6cm, 80% effaced, but baby was a -3 station. After getting checked and meeting with the on call midwife, I labored standing and then on the toilet for some time. Checked again and was 7cm, 80% but baby still wasn't engaged. Doula suggested  using the lift & tuck technique. Did that through 10 contractions. It was very painful, but after that I moved back to stand at the bed and my water broke! After that it's pretty much a blur. My body took over. The L&D nurse suggested a hands and knees position on the bed and I used that through transition. Got to the point that I wanted to push so badly! Got checked again, this time by my midwife and was 10cm, but still had some cervix in the way. Midwife told me to push and while I did she helped push the cervix out of the way for 2 contractions. That was the worst part! Pushed for another 50 minutes and then baby started crowning! Took three more pushes to get her head out. I remember that the last contraction I needed to get her head out took forever to come - I even asked my midwife "seriously?," and we all laughed about it it took so long. Then out came baby!! We didn't know the gender, so husband got to call it - a little girl - and cut the cord even though he originally didn't want to. Little Parker Elisabeth came at 1:45pm on 8/24 after a wonderful, natural labor and delivery. 6 lbs 11 oz and 19.5 inches long.