When I got pregnant with my second child, I was so excited. My due date was August 29 and we were planning on an at home water birth, which is what we did for my first child. My husband had a business trip from the the 23rd to the 26th so we figured he'd be back on time, considering my first baby was a few days late. On the 24th, I started to have mild contractions. Nothing big and it didn't go anywhere, they just kind of ended. So the next day when I woke up and talked to my husband, he said don't worry about it, he'd be home tommorrow and try not to have the baby before he got home. I just laughed. Little did I know...

Later in the afternoon I was watching a video about birthing when I started having contractions again. Yikes. These felt real! And very painful! Since my husband wasn't home I decided on a trip to the hospital. The contractions were coming every three minutes. I hopped in my car and headed for the hospital about 15 minutes away. I was turning down a street when I got a bad contraction. Driving and labor don't mix!!! I was driving like a maniac! I was trying to stay calm, but that's hard when you're driving yourself to the hospital!

The hospital was about seven minutes away. Just then my water broke! I knew I wasn't going to make it to the hospital now. I pulled over on the side of the road -- which was a back road, by the way. I didn't want to have to deal with traffic. Now there was no one to help me! I climbed into the backseat and pulled off my maternity pants. I was panting and moaning! Each time a contraction came I grunted. This was very painful. I wasn't in the most comfortable position, so I tried leaning against the closed door and spreading my legs. I tried breathing and staying relaxed. The breathing didn't work, so I worked out a pattern of grunts and moans. I looked down to see the head crowing. I touched it and it felt so amazing. I felt the urge to push so I tried to push and let me tell you -- it hurt! I got this strong burning sensation. But in the same way, it felt good! I was having my baby! And I was delivering it, too!

The next contraction, I pushed harder and the head came out! I looked at my little darling and felt kind of an adrenaline rush! The next contraction, I pushed and pushed and screamed and grunted but the baby seemed a little stuck. When the next contraction came, I felt around a little while pushing. The one shoulder was stuck, so I reached back and gently tugged and it slid out. I pushed the baby all out on the next contraction into my waiting pants. It was a girl!

I brought her up to my abdomen and tried to get her to breastfeed. She was kind of stubborn so I just held her. A few minutes later, I pushed out the placenta into my hand and then put on a spare blanket. I cut her cord and then I wrapped her up in one of the blankets in the back. My little Angel. I sat there and smiled. We both took a short nap and then I drove us home. I called my mother and she brought over my 18 month old son who stayed with her!

I called my husband. He was a little disappointed that he missed her birth but he was still ecstatic! I'm now 38 weeks into my pregnancy with my third child! Good Luck to All!