My husband and I were talking about my births last night. I had made the comment that I felt like with the last one, I had truly experienced the perfect birth. He agreed, and likened the experience from his perspective to watching Lance Armstrong climbing L'Alpe D'Huez. It took a lot of preparation, dedication, and perseverence to obtain that birth. It was painful, but so long as you learn how to breathe through it just right, you come out alright in the end. Beyond that, as if I were my raising my arms across the finish line, I reached back and caught my daughter myself.

I really DID love labor and delivery with both of my last two, and most especially this one.