Dear Jessica and Kula,

Wow, I have set a record for not only the longest labor but also longest period before writing my birth experience.

On August 21 I spent the evening watching a marathon of "My So Called Life" on DVD. I finished the episode where Jordan grabs Angela's hand in the hallway, come on people.

I went to bed at around midnight and forty minutes later I was having intense contractions. They lasted regularly for an hour so I called my birth partner. We timed them for six hours and they were consistent. We called the midwife and she stayed on the phone through a series and said come to the hospital.

But I had been told if you can speak through the contractions you're not ready. Nevertheless we went; 80% effaced 1cm dilated! I think I wanted to cry but didn't. Went back home where contractions were unmistakably strong no more talking for me!

I labored only in the bathroom, and though I did not realize I was in back labor I sat either on the toilet or in the bathtub and need major pressure on my back. At this time I used my yoga practice as much as possible, and it turned out to be true that the positions that were most uncomfortable for me in class were the ones I used the most.

17 hours of labor and I needed to return to the hospital. When I got there I was still only 4 cm! What and 90% effaced my mucus plug had broke. I was having one contraction on top of another and they were all in my back. My birth partner had to park, so I had the nurse push on my back through the contractions as I howled.

I had been worried that I might be humble and not be able to express my needs, wrong, I was very able to demand things from anybody available.

My first doula arrived as I decided for an epidural. She helped me breathe through my excruciating back pain; I did not think I would survive before they even had time to give me an epidural. Unfortunately no one figured out I was having back labor. After the epidural was administered was the most bliss I had known Ever?

Then my next doula, the goddess Jessica Jennings herself enters. Contractions seemed to be progressing at a nice rate. Fast-forward 24 hours into labor. My midwife is getting impatient at the rate of my labor and suggests intervention to which I adamantly replied no way. I was comfortable with my labor and my baby was doing excellently. My epidural wore off shortly after she left the room and I was in transition. Wahoo werewolf of L.A.! I could not deal with the pain that I had feared hours earlier would return; what was worse was that I had no mobility whatsoever so I could not move and just had to deal with my back. Maybe an hour to two hours later I was given another epidural.

Fast-forward ten centimeters your baby is face up! Let's try pushing, didn't work caused me unfathomable anguish. I tried so hard but baby was not in position she wasn't having it. I had everyone in the room work on countering the back pain but only an elephant's foot on my back could have done it.

Somehow I was given really good drugs because I woke up so grateful and with a new midwife, Anne, who is my favorite angel to this day. She was from heaven; her voice alone calmed me down. We are now at over 30 hours, Anne explains that baby is face up hence back labor and I have to turn from side to side in 1/2-hour increments.

I had to be manually turned by the nurse because I was that exhausted and affected by epidural. Anne explains that my uterus is getting exhausted and I have to consider intervention because it will just give up. As she walked away my water broke, my daughter was ready to come. About 45 minutes after my water broke we went for the push, baby still face up. After an hour and forty-five minutes of pushing through my back Mudi Emille was born on August 23 at 12:45 PM 8lbs and 1oz and I love her more each moment.

After retelling-the short version! -of Mudi's birth I have to say, no wonder it took me so long to share it. I will say that I have been advised by midwife and multiple mamas who had back labor and other parties, that a cesarean birth would have been typical with this positioning especially for a big baby, so I am very happy that although I wasn't drug free I had an incredible powerful birthing experience that I actually can almost, almost, look back on with nostalgia.

Love and light to all, and as I tell all of my pregnant homies, "your birth is not going to be like mine! Trust me."

Betsy!