A and J transferred care to me at 26 weeks gestation. A was expecting her second baby.  Her first was born in the hospital after 96 hours of labor.  She was hoping for a quicker, gentler experience having her daughter in the birthing pool in the comfort of her home. On the morning of baby’s birthing day, A text me saying that she had been contracting since the night before and although her contractions were distant, about every 10-15 minutes apart, they felt much different.  After talking we decided A should come over and we could check on the progress of things. A arrived at my home a little over an hour later. I found her cervix to be 3cm dilated, which was 2 more cm’s than a few days earlier.  We did a membrane sweep and I took A out to curb walk.  A and J decided they wanted to go walk around, eat and come back to do one more sweep before going home. After the second sweep, it seemed that things were getting more serious.  We reviewed stages of labor and I encouraged A to keep in touch and call me whenever she was ready for me to join her at home. At 4:30 in the afternoon, A text saying her water had broke.  Her contractions were now 3-4 minutes apart, and intense.  I packed up and headed her way. My birth assistant at I arrived close to 6pm.  Contractions seemed to be 5 minutes apart and short.  Cervical exam found A to be 5cm dilated and her water to be intact. A walked around the house, but was trying to be hostess instead of mama in labor.  She said around 7pm that she was tired.  I encouraged her to rest.  It was decided that the birth team would go down the road to get dinner to give A some privacy to rest, let go and labor. When we arrived back, it was clear that active labor had begun.  Contractions were now coming every 3 minutes, lasting at least a minute long. Through the 9 o’clock hour, we worked on making the birth pool an ideal temperature while A listened to her body and moved at its cues.  She did knee chest for awhile, with her doula doing the “booty shake” with the rebozo.  Then went to bouncing on the birth ball, and hip circle lunges on the chair, and finally sitting, resting on J through contractions. At 10pm, A asked to be checked.  She had made tremendous change.  She was now 7cm dilated, 100% effaced and baby was engaged at a 0 station.  The birth pool was ready, and so was A!  She sat down in the pool and melted into the warmth of the birthing pool. Soon we could see bloody show in the water.  It seemed that her birthing time was nearing.  At 10:40, A’s water ruptured in the birthing pool.  Contractions got more intense, and A began leaning forward over the pool with contractions. Minutes before 11pm, A said she felt like her body was pushing with contractions.  Cervical check found her to be completely dilated and effaced, and baby was at a +3 station. A pushed with each contraction.  At 11:07, the baby’s head began to crown.  Four minutes later, baby Olivia was born earthside in the comfort of the birthing pool. A was amazed at how “quick” this labor was compared to her last!  She was amazing and powerful through her labor journey. Welcome to the world Olivia Grace, born on January 29, 2014 at 11:11pm, weighing in at 6.14#, 19″ long.  So blessed to have been part of your birthing journey!