rocket baby

Just a few minutes after Haven's birth. 

On Tuesday (May 3rd) after lunch I started to feel crampy and began having contractions that were a little different.  But I'd had contractions every day for weeks and intermittent cramps so I shrugged it off and went grocery shopping.  All afternoon and into the early evening those contractions came but I didn't think much of it.  My midwife, Flame, warned me over and over again that third births are wild cards.  So even though my labor/birth with Micah was about 3.5 hours long she told me not to expect a fast birth again.  I took it to heart and figured I'd have a nice long labor.  Ha!

According to my phone here's the timeline:

6:24 PM- call Flame and let her know we need some help finishing the birthing tub set-up (it's a little complicated) but I assure her that nothing much is going on contraction wise.
7:19 PM- call Kass (my sister) to report on contractions and chat, meanwhile I am doing some shopping at Target.  Those contractions start getting progressively longer, stronger and closer together.  I move at the pace of a snail since I have to keep stopping to close my eyes and breathe through the contractions.
8:13 PM- call Shane on my way home from Target and let him know this could be it but I'm not really sure.
8:30 PM-arrive home, Shane and I put away Target purchases.  At this point I am barely able to shuffle around.  The contractions are coming hard and fast but I still think if I can just lie down they'll ease up.
8:56 PM- call Flame, have a nice long contraction while we're on the phone and then she knows it's getting to be time.  She says she'll be on her way.
9 PM- call my doula (labor coach), Courtney, and tell her to come
9-9:22 PM- order Shane around..."fill up the tub," "get my toothbrush and toothpaste."  At this point I am in the basement and have no desire to go anywhere else.
9:22 PM-Shane calls Flame and leaves a message telling her I feel pushy.
9:23 PM- I kneel over the fireplace and suddenly I feel lots of pressure, I yell out, "Shane I need you!" Shane arrives, puts a hand on my shoulder and Bam! my water breaks all over the carpet.  Lovely.  With Sage and Micah my water broke in the last few minutes before they were born; now I know baby will be here any time.  Shane calls Flame to report....she is on her way but I swear she must be hitting every red light.
9:29 PM- (call time: 3 min 14 sec)- Shane calls Flame to tell her the latest.  I tell him to, "Get off the phone!!!" Am I bossy during labor or what?  He leaves the phone on, throws it next to me, we can hear Flame talking but have no idea what she's saying.

 I lay on the floor on my side (Flame told me to do this if I ever the baby is coming and she can't get there), tell Shane to pull off my pants (luckily they were leggings and easy to remove).  He does.  Then he looks down and says "I see the head."  And then Haven came shooting out, no pushing needed.  Shane catches her and holds on tight to that slippery little baby.  We look between her legs and are surprised to find that we have a girl!  Then we look at her full head of black hair and marvel.  Shane is cool as cool can be the whole time.  We hop back on the phone with Flame. She heard the whole birth including Haven's first cry so she is relieved and almost to our house.
9:38? PM- Flame arrives
9:40 PM- doula arrives

Easy peasy.  Can every birth be like this?  I loved sharing that sweet moment with Shane and Shane alone.  He was amazing.  Always calm, always steady Shane.  I sure love him. We were both amazed how normal everything felt...giving birth on the basement floor and having Shane catch our little baby.  I think we were more shocked that we got a girl with a full head of black hair.

We are so happy and grateful to have little Haven here with us.