Today is my due date, but my little GIRL (we didn't find out what we were having until hubby announced it once she was born!) decided that she wanted to come 8 days early.

My water broke last Monday the 23rd at about 9:30 am and she was born the 24th at 6:40 am. She weighed 8lb 2oz and was 20 inches long, my birth stats almost exactly! (I was 19 7/8 inches)

I did it naturally, apart from a combination of Stadol and Phenergan at about 3 am, because I was only 3cm dilated and desperately needed sleep. She was sunnyside up, giving me horrible back labor. When I woke up at 5, I was ready to push, with only a tiny anterior lip, and she had turned to be face down!

Pushed for an hour and a half, pushing at my own direction, not when anyone told me to. My midwife let me do my own thing, and only once or twice told me to push longer, because her head was almost out. Barely bled at all afterwards, and only had a tiny abrasion!

I couldn't have asked for anything more from my birth. I got the support I needed from my husband, mom, mother in law and my best friend (who drove from North Carolina to Florida just to be beside me for the birth!) The nurses and midwives were so extremely supportive of me and my wishes, and I am still on cloud nine.

Meet Annabelle Leigh