I'm a first time mommy, so of course I went through my entire pregnancy just "knowing" that the experience of giving birth would be natural and amazing and profound. Well, perhaps not all sunshine and bubbles, but after lumbering around on swollen legs for 9 months, it could only be a relief right? =P

Anyway, I was firmly commited to having a natural birth, after all, I was a woman! a warrior! I was built to have babies and I would do it the way it was meant to be. This philosophy lasted until i was halfway to the hospital. By the time i actually made it to the maternity ward, I was already 8cm dialated. My son was on a mission to get out! The nurse told me it was too late for any drugs and could I please stop screaming because I was frightening the other pregnant women. That's all fine and well, but you try to keep quiet when the baby is coming out so fast, your body doesn't have time to stretch for his big ol' head. (as the doctor was doing the episiotomy, the baby tore me in two other places!)

So here I am, crying, pushing, and screaming and over the noise, I look up and suddenly realize that I don't remember my mother-in-law coming in.. and yet, there she is, holding one of my legs in the air, fighting with my husband about whether she is staring at my exposed bottom half, or watching the baby being born.

I will tell you that there is nothing in the world like having a baby to get rid of any feelings of self-consciousness!
All done, it was more worth it than I can describe every time I look into my beautiful boy's eyes.