People asked if I wanted a wheelchair, but I was determined to walk.

I was examined when we got in our room. I was six centimeters dilated and completely effaced. I was able to have intermittent fetal monitoring and was never given an IV. I sat on the birth ball, walked around, leaned over the ball, and spent a long time in the shower. Hospitals never run out of hot water! I even managed to play cards with my husband and a friend.

I stayed at six centimeters for a couple of hours. By the time my doctor got there it was 12:35. I was nine centimeters! I was so excited. I expected that transition might be something terrible, but I was still coping really well. My doctor broke my water to help move things along.

My contractions didn't get really tough until the very last bit I had to dilate. Andrew and I were in such a good rhythm, though. He was all I needed. He said everything I needed to hear. I had been trying to repeat positive thoughts to myself all day. I tried hard not to fight the contractions, but remember what purpose they were accomplishing.

I spent the end of my labor kneeling, facing backwards on the bed. Andrew stood at my head. He held my hands, wiped my face with a cool washcloth, and pulled back my hair. Andrew later told me that at one point he thought I was going to pull his arm out of the socket. I believe I must have. My biceps were sore for days after delivery. (I expected to be sore after labor, but not my biceps.)

At 1:45 I was urged to try pushing. It seemed it was just seconds later that my baby was born. At 2:18 we welcomed our boy into the world.

His shoulder got a little hung up, but he came out fast. Soon he was on me skin-to-skin and then he nursed. I told my doctor that labor and delivery "wasn't that bad." She said I had amnesia. Yeah, it hurt, but it really wasn't horrible. I was so proud that I did it without any drugs.

One of the nurses grabbed our camera and took pictures of our new family right away. There is no possible way that words can describe the flood of emotions at meeting our son. It was such a high. Dad was overcome as well. I've scarce seen him cry, but he shed quite a few tears. I don't think he stopped smiling for several days.

Our baby is so cute and just perfect. Our healthy little guy weighed in at eight pounds and six ounces. He measured twenty and a half inches long. As soon as they put him on me I wondered how he fit in there.

Baby was born with lots of dark hair. (I guess what they say about heartburn is true.) Our boy has really big feet and long toes. I couldn't stop looking at him. I just wanted to memorize what he looked like in those first moments. That little face became indelibly burned into my heart.

That night at the hospital Andrew slept in a cot next to me. I hardly slept. I heard every noise and worried over every sound. If the baby wasn't with me I was calling the nurse's station to see how he was. Mom and baby both slept best together.

One of the best things after baby was born was when I first hugged my husband. It was so nice to be able to hold him and have my entire torso press up against him without that big belly in the way. I found myself falling in love with my husband all over again. He was so awesome through pregnancy, labor, and delivery. I know he will be a great dad.

Everything changed the day my baby was born. I became a mother. My husband, a father. We both fell in love with this amazing little person. The three of us, just right.

Learn more about this author, Terra L. Fletcher.
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