My birth story as a third time mother.

Late Tuesday afternoon I feel the first contractions as I set the table for dinner. I'm 39+6, and in both of my previous births, I've been 8 and 10 days overdue and had given birth in the hospital, so I don't even imagine that labor is underway.

I tell my husband that I can feel some slightly calm contractions, but that we probably shouldn't hope too much, since I've gone overdue the other times, and because third-time births can be tricky. There are many minutes between my contractions, and we eat dinner and the kids are put to bed. My boyfriend drives out for snacks, and the contractions are now 20-30 seconds long with 6-7 minute intervals. I relax nicely during my contractions and contact my parents, as they will be looking after our 2 oldest during the birth.

Around 10pm I go out and stand in the shower and have a lot of contractions. They are getting stronger now, but I can handle them. I use the breathing technique while counting to keep track of when the contractions peak and fall, which also worked for me during my previous births.

A few hours pass from the time I get out of the bath, where my girlfriend gets to rest on the couch. My contractions are about 45 seconds long with 5-6 minute intervals. I alternate between standing and rocking, sitting on a pilates ball, and lying on my knees over our couch.

My parents arrive a little after 1 and go in and sleep with our kids. My boyfriend is awake, and I tell him that he can call the midwife. The contractions are no longer fun, but I have a lot of energy due to my breathing, which is really a huge help. The contractions come every 5-6 minutes and last about 50 seconds. While we wait for the midwife, who I also had a check-up with, my boyfriend gets the birthing tub ready.

My mother wakes up and comes into the living room. I sit on the couch, where my mother is massaging and giving me some good pressure. Suddenly I can feel the contractions getting faster. I tell my boyfriend that my little sister will be here in a moment. He doesn't quite understand, because he's still preparing the tub, but shortly after I gasp and have contractions. At 2:14 we call the midwife, who is fortunately close by. My boyfriend sits in front of me on the couch, where I kneel over the chaise longue. My mother holds a cold, wet cloth over my forehead. I'm doing well despite the intense contractions with nice breaks in between. I have a few contractions, and my mother also wakes my father up for safety reasons, in case I give birth before the midwife arrives.

At 2:25 the midwife walks in the door and my water breaks. It was so nice to push along and know that I was allowed to push, even though my body knew it had to push. At 2:31, 3 more contractions, I go to meet our daughter myself.

Afterwards, I lie down on the couch, where I deliver the placenta a short time later. Then I get my first internal examination, and I escaped without any ruptures.

A little after 6 we wake up our 2 older children, 5 and 7, who come and greet their little sister, who weighs 3850 g and is 50 cm long.

I truly had a wonderful birth. It couldn't have gone better. I was never insecure, although I was a little nervous about whether the midwife would arrive before I gave birth.