ments. Immediately upon entering the delivery room, two of the nurses transferred me to the gurney in the delivery room, where the doctor checked me and said I had a ways to go but that I had already dilated to 7 centimeters (the amount the cervix has opened in preparation for childbirth). The doctor proceeded to break my water (membranes that surrounds the fetus) and said he would be back later. While the doctor was out of the room I had several contractions. They were coming every two minutes with such a force that I was left breathless. My husband and one of the nurses coached me through the contractions reminding me to breath and not push until asked to do so. The pain caused by the contractions seemed to get stronger and stronger. About 15 minutes later I began to scream from the excruciating pain. While one of the nurses went to get the doctor the other checked me. I had dilated to 10 centimeters in only 15 minutes. I was ready to push! As soon as the doctor arrived, he sat at the foot of the gurney, where he placed my legs on the stirrups and instructed me to push only when he asked me to do so. My daughter Anais was born at 1:37 p.m. after only three pushes, and the pain magically disappeared! Immediately upon my daughter’s birth, my feelings at that moment were just amazing. I was so awake, amazed, flabbergasted, delighted, ecstatic, happy and tremendously on a high (which I never came down for three weeks later and then with a terrific bang). I felt every emotion under the sun. I felt complete euphoria as the nurse put my daughter in my waiting arms. I just sat with my new little miracle in my arms, just so emotional and just so in awe of her. I could not believe that the 6lb 7oz baby who looked gigantic was just a few minutes before, inside me. Oh, it was wonderful. I remember crying from the strong emotions that were flowing through me. I said something like, “I can’t believe she is mine, she’...
