Saturday Rosh Hashana 2020 1:00 AM I experienced my first contraction, it was a light sensation

compared to what I experienced later on. I managed to drift back to sleep. Throughout the early

morning, I kept experiencing the same sensation every 20 minutes.
 
By the time it was, 8:00 AM I decided to call my midwife Leigh and let her know what was

happening. She explained to me that this is the beginning and that I should rest and sleep

as much as possible "drink a cup of wine if you have to" was one of her recommendations.

(pretty cool midwife) so I decided to rest and sleep as much as my body would allow me.
 
Dinner came around and I made sure to eat well because I knew there was a long night

ahead of us
 
By the time it was around 8:00 PM contractions were 6 minutes apart that's when I called

my mom and Leigh. 
I remember describing to Leigh that I feel "high" as if my head was in another place.

She said that that's really normal.
Soon after they came over. 
 
At this point, my contractions were somewhat more painful, but I was new to birth and

was experiencing the sensation sitting down on the couch in a cross-legged position,

very reserved and in control, it didn’t cross my mind that I could be moving around and leave

my comfort spot.
 
When things started getting more intense I moved to the bath, which gave me relief and

things were moving along fast, contractions more intense, almost too intense for me. 
As my mother was helping me come out of the bath I threw up from the intensity, Leigh

made me some water with honey to bring up my blood sugar. 
 
Throwing up was a turning point for me, it took out a lot of energy, I felt weak. It slowed me

down.I was lightheaded and, felt nauseous and faint, that's when Leigh decided to give me

a drip, I lost lots of fluids and needed the extra boost. 
 
Ariel my husband helped insert the needle in order to hook me up to the drip, and he sat by my side the whole time making sure it's working and flowing correctly into my veins. 
 
Contractions were continuing and I threw up again on the floor. It felt so horrible and I felt weak, this was my lowest point, I felt helpless and didn't want to continue, I had no energy. I remember looking at Leigh and just feeling so hopeless, and tired.
 
This is when Leigh looked at me and said lie down you need to rest. This was hard because

I was still experiencing strong contractions, but once she started rubbing my back and calming

me, I managed to lie down and close my eyes. Every so often I sat up for a contraction, but I

also managed to let them pass through me while I was lying down, which was great. 
 
At some point Ariel switched Leigh and laid with me rubbing my back, then my mom switched

him and stayed with me for a while. There was something very comforting about having my

mother there during my lowest moment. I dosed and so did she. Ariel and Leigh fell asleep on the couch while this was happening. We were all having a much-needed break. 
 
Around two hours passed of me coming in and out of consciousness, and waves of contractions.
That's when things started picking up again, my contractions were getting stronger, I wasn't lying in bed anymore but rather sitting up. Leigh suggested sitting on the bouncy ball, so I did and she placed 3 pillows in front of me on the bed, one on top of the other - as contractions would pass through me I bounced on the ball and exhaled like a horse, screamed at times and cried. When they finished passing I would rest falling forward onto the pillows, it was such a great system and really helped me get through this stage. The bouncy ball was a real Savior. I remember experiencing extreme feelings of hot and cold, one moment I was being covered with a blanket and shivering, the next moment I was boiling. 
 
As this was going on, Leigh and Ariel started filling up the birthing pool. (little did I know that the pool wasn't blown up enough, so Ariel spent 40 minutes pumping it up for me with a broken pump which he somehow made work, my hero!!)
 
5:30 AM (around) I walked to our living room and stepped into the warm pool, it was really nice.
 
At this point contractions were really strong, Ariel was pouring water on my back which helped with the pain, my mom was cooling down my face with a washcloth. 
Every so often I’d look at Leigh to receive reassurance that what’s happening is normal and OK!
 
Leigh suggested to feel Hodayas head inside of me, I remember it felt soft. 
Half an hour later I noticed her head hadn’t progressed downward.
 
I was in the pool for about two hours when Leigh suggested I change positions, “try standing”. 
At this point, the last thing I wanted to do was change positions, let alone stand,  but at the same time, I just wanted it to be over.
 
From an inner force and lots of strength, I managed to stand. This was one of the craziest stages of the birth.
I was standing and just wanted to get her out of me, so I decided to shimmy, move my hips, almost dance while holding onto my mother's hands. We were dancing together while I was screaming. But I knew that this was how I'll get her down. 
At this point Ariel started playing music, he asked me what instrument I prefer, "I don't care"  is what I said, so he decided to play his drum, but the second he started playing I said "no not the drum" I just wasn't vibing that energy. Instead, he played the guitar and harmonica and sang.
 
Soon after the pushing stage began and my water broke. (till now my water still hadn't broken) 
Leigh took this as a sign that things were progressing and she started to get the room ready for a baby. 
 
I was pushing and screaming, a scream I never knew I possessed. Leigh said to me "push as hard as you could but when you think you're at the end push a little more" best piece of advice because it really helped move things along. 
Sure enough, Hodaya was descending, Leigh and my mom were right next to me, as well as Ariel and they started screaming " we see her hair we see her hair".
I looked down and sure enough, there was black hair sticking out.
 
As I was pushing we started hearing shofars being blown from outside. Because of Covid, all the shuls were closed and as a result, everyone was blowing their shofars outside.
 
I gave two more powerful pushes from an inner source and Hodaya came out (9:50 AM), Leigh caught her, and soon after she started crying strong Powerful cries. 
 
She was born on Rosh Hashana morning to the sound of the Shofar, Ariel's music, an amazing midwife, and a dancing mother.
 
I was so relieved it was over, it took me some time to process the having a baby part. 
I sat down on the couch with her umbilical cord still attached to her placenta inside of me, holding her close to my chest while she's crying. I couldn't really hear the cries. I was more fixated on her interesting unique long fingers.
That was my first interaction with her. 
 
Soon after I birthed the placenta, Ariel then cut the umbilical cord and Heald Hodaya. He held her so naturally, it was love at first sight. 
 
Leigh then took care of me and stitched me up, weighed Hodaya, and taught me how to breastfeed as well as a few other things. 
 
By 11:00 AM my mom had left and soon after when I was settled and ready to be on my own Leigh followed. leaving us to wind down and sleep for the first time all three of us together in one bed.