Our baby girl arrived Sunday July 27th at 7:03 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds exactly and was 19 3/4 inches in length. Most importantly she is perfect and healthy! Since we didn't have an ultrasound, we didn't know she was a she until her birth, and hadn't settled on any names. After about a week though, we finally settled on the name Esperanza Flor Valencia (or Espy for short). We love the name and hope she will too. 
The birthing experience at home was peaceful and surreal. My rushes started in the middle of the night. I woke around 1:00 a.m with a mild but noticable contraction. Armando woke up at the same time and got sick for some reason. About a half hour later, same thing, I got a contraction and Mando was back in the bathroom getting sick. He wasn't really ill with the flu or anything...so, I'd kinda like to think he was feeling my pain. I didn't say anything to him about my pains and we just went back to sleep. I got up early, ate breakfast, called my midwife to let her know we'd probably be having a baby that day, then spent most of the morning enjoying the sensations of my body and baby. Eventually, I sent my sisters and thier boyfriends off so Armando and I could go through the early stages of labor alone. The labor pains didn't get intense or consistent until late that morning. Armando and I went for a short walk and not long after we came back home, the contractions picked up very quickly. We called our midwife when a contraction finally put me into tears. She sent one of the assistants (or apprentice - still can't get it straight which is which) to check me. When she showed up and checked me, I was between 5 & 6 cm dialated. The rest of the happenings around me are somewhat of a blur as I entered into 'laborland'. I spent most of my hard laboring on all fours, on a birthing ball, leaning against my husband and/or sister, leaning against pillows, etc. My water broke while I was leaning over my bed with a contraction. I think I remember being told I was 9 cm dialated around that same time. It wasn't long after that that I started pushing and eventually chose to birth our baby on our bed. I labored for about 7 hours plus an hour or so of pushing time. I am so thankful and blessed to have been at home for the entire process, as I can't imagine a hospital would have allowed active labor to the extent that I needed, or that they'd have had the staff comparable to my midwife Nora and her assistant/apprentice all from A Gentle Beginning. I am also greatful to have had the support from my closest friends and family that were present for the birth. It was a magical experience for all of us.
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