I woke up at about 3am on the 23rd with strong enough contractions that I couldn't sleep, wandered around the house a bit doing a few things and at about 6am I woke Michael to let him know the baby was coming, as Seamus had only been a 2hr labour I thought it could happen quickly so we got things organised so we were free to just concentrate on the birth.

I had strong contractions all day, sometimes 3 mins apart and other times up to 45 mins apart, it seemed to be dragging on a bit but I was feeling good and there's always things to do here so I just kept busy. The children were in bed by 8pm and I was labouring quite consistantly by then and thinking transition and babe would happen any minute.

By midnight I was struggling through deep painful contractions and backache, I changed positions regularly using my birth ball, squatting and standing. Michael rubbed my back earlier on and that was nice but by this time I didn't want to be touched or talked to, I made sure I drank lots of water.

Sometimes I lost control and made excessive noise, others I got myself together and said things like 'come on baby you can do it' and some I counted or deep breathed through. My Michael told me about 12:15 that is was now my dads birthday and that encouraged me, Michael often came in and told me he loved me, was there anything I needed etc but all the others were awake with my noise by this time and Seamus 2 needed lots of attention and I was happier focusing without anyone around me.

I was becoming very impatient, even though I believed that it wasn't necessary to push a baby out [my last 2 literally slipped out] I started trying to push during the contractions. I felt between my legs regularly hoping to feel a head and then I felt something and my waters popped and I thought great this is it [both my last babes birthed as the waters broke] but there was no head, I was so so disappointed and frustrated.

I decided to really push then I told myself to take it easy [I didn't want to tear, I've had 4 births with tears and really wanted to avoid it] but the need to get the baby out was excessive and pushed and moaned and cried with all my might in a semi squatting position.

I felt the head come out then go back in, it felt unbearable but I kept pushing and pushing, he seemed to be stuck so I just pushed harder and then he plopped out onto the beanbag directly under me. I twisted around and picked him up and put him on my leg and called out to my Michael, he came in as I wrapped babe up.

We talked and cuddled for a bit, then Michael left me to relax for a bit and deliver the placenta. When he came back it was about 3 am [Angus arrived at 2:12 am so my oldest daughter noted] we slowly cleaned up, there was so much more 'mess' than my last birth and we were both so much more tired but Michael got in there and got most of it done. I had time with the children, decided not to go with a lotus birth and I used a clamp and cut the cord, had a shower and went to bed with Angus.

It wasn't a particularly beautiful birth experience but it was very primal, Michael has been telling everyone how wonderful I was, strong, confident and positive. To me it was a job that had to be done and I did whatever it took to do it.

Angus is feeding well and though he was very strange looking at birth [odd head shape with no neck and very different from my other babes] he's looking good now. We have an approximate weight of between 10 and 11 pounds. I didn't tear and haven't had much sleep since the event but I'm feeling great, a little overwhelmed and we're having a difficult time with Seamus who
doesn't seem to be coping too well with the changes.

Orlenna: "This is Angus at a couple of days old with me slinging him.
The other picture is of Angus at only one hour old.
He was very red, dry and messy."