It was March 30th, and it was just after 11pm at night. Jim was getting ready to go to work, and I was feeling some lower back tightening. Jim looked at me with a "knowing" sort of look, but I just smiled and told him it was probably nothing. Although I felt that it was actually something, it was just one of those times when you brush it off, to make it more exciting for yourself when it happens. I went to sleep, and Jim went to work.

I had a wonderful sleep, awakening around 7am on March 31st, and got up to get things going in the morning for the boys. While I was making them breakfast, I noticed I was having contractions around 5 minutes apart, and my back muscles were still tightening up. I had the feeling that I would be giving birth soon, but I didn't want to get all excited about it until I knew I was closer to birth. With my last labor being 2 hours and my first labor being 6 hours, I knew that if it was going to happen, it was likely to happen within a few hours as it was. Jim would be home from work just after 9am, and I just went about normal morning things with the boys, waiting until then.

At 9am, I decided to call him, since I was starting to feel very excited, and a bit "chilly". That feeling when in labor, when you feel like you have the shivers a little, and are very excited. I told him that I thought I was probably in labor and he sounded excited and told me he was on his way home. I was sort of pacing around the bedroom in happiness, and he came in and we smiled at each other with a bit of a silly, happy grin. I had brought the boys upstairs to our bedroom where they could watch T.V. and eat some snacks (I ignored the "no eating upstairs" rule this time so that they would be situated and content during this). Jim and I laid down on the bed, and we were talking, sort of waiting to see what happened. My contractions were getting stronger and stronger, and I couldn't lay down through them, without feeling awkward. I started to get up off the bed, and heard that "pop!". Jim and I looked at each other and smiled, like we both knew what it was, but I moved a bit just to see for sure. Sure enough, there was some fluid leaking out when I did that, and then we sort of went into the mode. We knew it was now fairly official I would be giving birth soon.

I got on the phone to call Mom, so she could make it out there. I had waited until it was certain I was going to have the baby soon. She seemed to have an inkling of what I was calling about, but we chatted lightly for a minute before I told her, "Well, it looks like we're going to have a baby today". Total excitement, and she immediately began getting Nonni ready to go over to Alterra so she could come over for the birth. Mom told me that she was going to get Nonni over there, and then head straight over. I then told Jim I wanted to get into the tub. I wanted to clean the tub first though, so I got in there and began scrubbing the tub out in our bathroom. Jim asked me why I was doing that, but I told him because I just wanted to get in and didn't think I needed to ask him to clean it. He started filling it up, and I climbed in.

I should mention that by this time, the boys were really excited, especially Damien, who at four, totally understood what was happening and was looking forward to the arrival of the new baby. Jim was getting out the video camera, and getting blankets, towels, stuff for the baby all ready. This is when I no longer am focused on that, and only on the arriving baby. Jim was there to get everything else ready. When I first got into the tub, Vladimir came into the bathroom, and began to stick his hands into the water, and sort of play. He thought it was really cool that Mom was in the tub.

I relaxed in the tub, trying to get my belly into the water to feel the soothing effect of it. I breathed and relaxed during my contractions, and then when I opened my eyes, I could see Jim and the boys (who were going in and out, Damien would come in and ask if the baby was here yet). My contractions were getting stronger, and feeling more intense. Jim, I remember, was asking the boys, when they came in, to leave Mommy be, during my contractions. I could feel the baby moving down further into my birth canal, and I could feel the pressure of her head, pushing against my tailbone. With each contraction, I felt to see if I could feel the head. When I started to feel the head, I began smiling. I felt so happy, that this baby was arriving. I was kneeling in the tub, and just breathing, and relaxing myself, in that other world, that is giving birth. I could hear the noises around me, but they were drowned out, and all I did notice and recognize, was what my body felt like doing. I started to push with my contractions, they were feeling so strong, and I knew that this baby was ready to come out. I wanted to see my baby, and I knew it was time. I was feeling the head crowning, and I waited a bit, let the contractions ease it themselves. Then I felt the urges to push the head some more, and with doing so, out it came, and so did the body.

The feeling was such happiness, such joy. Jim called the boys into the room. I'm not sure if they came in as she was being born, or just moments after. I held my baby against me, and Jim got the aspirator, because the baby sounded a bit mucusy. I cleared out the mouth a little, and then snuggled my new baby against me. Then it occurred to me to look and see if it was a boy or girl. Now, we all thought it would be a girl. Which is exactly what Jim and I (and everyone else) had been trying for. I looked between the legs, and there was no penis. It was a girl! I told them, "It's a girl!". The laughter and excitement filled the room. I snuggled my new baby daughter closely against me. Then I thought it might be time to get out of the tub.

Jim had lined the pathway between the tub and our bed with chux pads. He had put towels on the bed to protect it. I made my way to the bed, and soon after, we heard the door. It was my Mother. Now, somewhere in the middle between when I got into the tub, and giving birth, the phone had rang. The phone was still in the bathroom, and reverberating against the tile, and in the middle of my contraction; it was so loud and obtrusive sounding. I thought for sure I had made a horrible noise while hearing it ring (although looking on the birth tape it doesn't really look like it). That was my Mom calling me to let me know she was nearly there.

So..Jim answered the door and let Mom in, asking her if she wanted to see her new grand daughter. So much excitement, with Mom seeing the new baby, and with us being excited as well. I laid for a while (I have no idea) on the bed, enjoying her, as she got the hang of nursing. At some point I decided I wanted to deliver the placenta and cut the cord. It must have been an hour and a half after the birth. I went into the tub to do so, and delivered the placenta into a bowl. Jim cut the cord, and then I washed off some and got Morgana Eowyn dressed (and myself). I remember Jim made me, what tasted like the best sandwich I had ever had. I hadn't realized how hungry and thirsty I was. After the food, and water, I made my way downstairs, and got to better know the beautiful and happy little girl named Morgana Eowyn.

This was another beautiful and peaceful unassisted water birth for us. Writing this birth story makes me just want to do it all over again.