Lisa and Bill lived across the street from the hospital, and were hoping to labor at home as long as possible with me there as their doula. When she called me around 5pm on Friday her water had just broken, and she reported that her contractions had kept her up most of the night before. When I arrived at their home, she was up and about, and they were both excited about things moving along. I suggested that she might like to get some rest as it could be another long night. We put on some music and I helped her to relax and lie down, and her contractions sped up and intensified rather quickly. She got up to move around, and went to the bathroom, but didn’t seem to settle in. She was anxious to get to where she was planning to have her waterbirth, in the tub at the hospital. Contractions were 4 or 5 minutes apart when we decided to walk over. They monitored and checked her, which was a bit frustrating for her, but soon she was allowed to get in the tub In the water, she was immediately in her primal power, and not afraid to make noise. Bill got in with her after about an hour, when things were getting more intense. Very soon after that, she was bearing down and asking where her doctor was. She looked right into my eyes with a question. I can’t remember if she spoke. She wanted to make sure she could go ahead with what her body was asking her to do, even though her doctor hadn’t yet arrived. The nurse and I told her to listen to her body and not hold back, and she trusted. Baby crowned and his head came out, without anyone’s knowledge but Lisa's. She helped him as he turned, and then he shot out into the water. The nurse was there to help her bring him up to her chest, and her doctor arrived soon afterwards!