My husband, 14 month-old-homebirthed-nursling-daughter, and I, moved to rural New Mexico when I was six months pregnant.  I found a wonderful midwife right away and settled in to nursing, drinking raspberry tea and reading in the sun everyday.

I went into labor in the night.  I only wanted to be alone, so I got up and did a little dance-walk all over our house.  The night was quiet and I felt like a giant goddess woman  rolling my pelvis with each wonderful contraction.  Every rush brought me closer to my baby and I could feel my cervix open every time one came.  I started having a show and lost my mucous plug and just kept walking.

Two hours later I started to go into transition and suddenly found myself wondering if I could do this thing at all.  I woke up my husband, James, and he ran me a bath.  I climbed in and told him I could not have a baby...it was impossible.  He reminded me sweetly that I was made to birth, and women just like me have done it for millions of years.  Transition passed and I told him thanks for the reminder.

I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to get on the toilet.  I felt better as soon as I was there.  James came in and asked if he should call the midwife.  I told him there was plenty of time and I did not want her to have to spend hours waiting, doing nothing.  A few minutes later I changed my mind when I felt the baby spin around and drop into my birth canal.  I called James in from the kitchen where he was busy boiling birth scissors and string and a bulb syringe.  I told him to call and tell Barbara to HURRY!!! She was 45 minutes away.  I just wanted to stay on that toilet.  It felt so good there.  Barbara told James she would do her best to make it in time.

James was running past as my baby's head was gently born into my waiting hand.  I never pushed and there was no pain.  I was still on the toilet.  I called out to James and he stuck his head in to see what I needed.  I asked him if he wanted to see his baby's head.  He chuckled and said, "Yeah, right." I stood up and lifted up my shirt.  My husband's eyes got enormous!  I told him to help me squat.  A contraction came and the baby started to kick frantically.  I looked at James and he said, "The cord."  I said yes and he reached his fingers in and looped it quickly over the baby's head.  My daughter suddenly appeared behind James' shoulder.  She just stood silently and watched.  The next contraction came and out gushed my beautiful baby boy.  He was wonderful.

The midwives arrived in a fluster 15 minutes later.  We were seated on the bathroom floor feeling holy and checking out our new baby as they ran past the doorway to set up the birth area.  Suddenly a midwife's face appeared in the door and said, "The baby is already here!"  My son weighed 10 lbs, 4 ounces.  He was 23 inches long.  I did not tear or even feel pain with his birth.  I made love with God's help, deep in the night and am blessed by my experience.