During labor I was actually singing

I'd like to announce the birth of Haylie Peyton, born September 3, 2008 at 6:10pm.  It was amazing!  On September 2, 2008 I began having contractions.  I thought nothing of it as I'd had contractions off and on for weeks, some of which were regular for hours on end.  So naturally this time I assumed it wasn't the real deal.   At 6:50pm I noticed they were regular but still went on with my normal activity.  The contractions picked up in intensity as the evening progressed, so I called my midwife to let her know.  She told me to get some rest and to call her if things changed.   About 1:00am on September 3, 2008 I felt some odd movement in my belly.  Apparently, she pulled herself out of the birth canal and flipped transverse.  Her head was on one side of my belly and her butt was on the other side. Being that we were planning a homebirth, I was concerned about her positioning so I called my midwife again.  She told me to come see her in the morning if I had not gone into full-blown labor before then.  She wanted to feel my belly and see if she could convince this little girl to turn head down again.   Around noon, I went to get checked at the midwife’s place.  She felt my belly and informed me that my little girl did flip head down again but she wasn't engaged in my pelvis.  The baby was “floating”.  The midwife asked to do an internal exam on me to confirm she was head down and it wasn't a butt she was feeling, so I agreed.  That was the only internal exam I got through the whole pregnancy.   I was also informed that I was 4cm dilated and easily stretched even further.  The midwife also told me that my bag of water was bulging.  My body was ready for labor.  Around 4:00pm I felt her drop into the birth canal and contractions really changed.  The next one was 6 1/2 minutes, the one after that was 5 minutes followed by one that was 3 minutes and the next one was 1 1/2 minutes, and that's where it stayed as long as I was standing.   My friend Delila called my midwife.  I honestly was just putting her on stand-by but after talking to her she said, “Uhh Renee, I’m coming now.  Things are moving very quickly.”  Boy, was she right.  While this was going on, my husband was filling up the birthing tub (which we had placed outside on the back deck).  I sat on a chair out there waiting for it to fill.  At first the contractions slowed to 3min apart (which is why I was sitting, hoping the midwives would make it).  I honestly believe that if I hadn't sat, they wouldn't have made it.  They were only here for 40 minutes before I was holding my little princess.   I labored in the tub outside with my 8 year old and 15 month old in there as well.  They were in the tub until Haylie's head was crowning.  My youngest (Chase) wanted to get out of the water so he and his sister climbed out of the tub and that is when Haylie's head emerged.  It was magnificent!   During labor I was actually singing, even through the hard contractions, and also talking to Haylie.  I would say, “Come on sweet baby girl.  We wanna meet you. Good girl, come on down.”   My husband jumped into the tub right before Haylie's head came out.  He put his hands down (as did I) and together we delivered our baby girl.  She was born right into mommy and daddy's arms, so serene!   My water never broke.  Our princess was born in the caul, such a beautiful and wonderful thing to see.  She was so peaceful.  Her transition from womb to world was an easy one.   We spent the next 20 minutes admiring her, singing to her and kissing her, in the water. We waited for the cord to stop pulsing and I let them cut the cord so I could stand up to deliver the placenta.  The cord was just long enough for her to come to my chest so had I tried to stand it wouldn't have worked.  So we cut the cord and I delivered the placenta, which I dehydrated and encapsulated and now take orally every day.   I had such an amazing experience.  There was no pain at all.  I've often heard women describe their birth experience as orgasmic, but until now I just couldn't believe it.  It was such a beautiful release. I feel so empowered by this experience.  Should we be blessed with another child, I will most certainly choose to birth this way again!   Haylie Peyton weighed 7lbs 7oz and was 21 inches long.  She's amazing and I am so very much in love with her!   By the way, the midwife who checked me earlier that day and said I was 4cm, later told me that she could easily stretch me to 8cm!   Renee in VA Palmyra, Virginia, U.S.A.