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It was definitely a culmination of things!

I loved having my mom and my DH there - they were so supportive and encouraging.

Each time I started getting discouraged and feeling like I couldn't do it, something happened that pushed me to keep going. Like when I felt I could do it anymore and I wanted to give up (my mom said that I actually looked like I was going to pass out from the pain) they checked me and I was at 10cm! That gave me the motivation to keep going!

After about half an hour I was so weary and worn down, and felt like all my effort was going nowhere, and my midwife told me to reach down and feel his head! When I found out he was so close to being born I pushed SO hard!

Another thing though small, but effective: My midwife gave me a bracelet that said, "I was born to do this" and I just kept saying that to myself over and over

I think I just hit a point where it subconsciously set in that I didn't really have a choice in the matter, and my body just sort of went on auto-pilot and surrendered to the pain (this was during that super not fun period when my epidural failed during transition all the way through delivery). And reminding myself after every contraction that I never had to feel that contraction again and every contraction that passed was one contraction closer to meeting my baby.

My husband and mother were both wonderful. I didn't want to be touched, but just holding his hand and have him cheering my own was a huge help. And my mother had been a childbirth coach previously, in addition to birthing 4 babies herself, so she was a huge asset with keeping my breathing on track. She stayed calm and commanding and persistent whenever I was would start to get sucked under the pain--"Deep breath Sarah Caitlin, now let it out. And other..." (Yep, she middle named me during labor).

i think not having a set "plan" helped me.

and then the pain of pushing made me want to end it immediately. Thank goodness baby cooperated.

An epidural.

The nurses. They were amazing. I'm not a rah-rah type of girl but them telling me I was doing great made me feel like a rock star. They would tell me when I pushed well and I just wanted you please them and to get this baby out! It's weird thinking back on that now but, that's what worked for me! Oh, and having my husband stay completely silent. Lol!

This thread is really helpful to someone who is going in for her first delivery tomorrow night and is kind of freaking out about it....I am really hopeful that the Epidural will be my BFF. Especially since a Membrane Sweep nearly brought me to tears, and I know I ain't seen nothin' yet!

Me + Epidural = BFF

Probably the epidural bc labor and pushing took so long for me.

Like @Mrs. Pen: something happened each time I felt like giving up. Mostly I ended up dilating very quickly. When I got very tired during the pushing, it was really helpful to have DH, my midwife, & nurse all saying really encouraging things: You're great! Yea, push just like that! You are the best laborer ever! Etc

@FutureMrsMcK: my DH got stern with me too, but i liked it! He would say "pull yourself together!" When I lost focus/track of my breathing.

Also I really wanted to see what he looked like & if he had hair!

@London Mama: haha yep! Epidural was the best thing ever for me! I had an easy breezy labor!

@PrincessBaby: good luck! You will do great!

My support team got me thru. My doula, DH, and mom were amazing thru the whole thing. Every time I said I couldn't do it, my doula told me I could and told me to say "yes" b/c I would start to say "no" during contractions. My DH held me thru every contraction and whispered words of encouragement in my ear. My mom held my hand thru every contraction.

@mediagirl: haha I LOL'ed at your hubby being silent part. whatever works, right?!

what worked for me a lot was deep breathing. i also accredit my fast labor to strong and efficient contractions. I drank a lot of red raspberry leaf tea the weeks leading up to delivery to possibly help with that. it's supposed to tone your uterine muscles.

oh I also thought to myself, "every contraction has an endpoint". to mentally tell myself it was all a temporary experience really, really helped.

@bebefly: not having a plan helped me too. It was great to just go with the flow?
DH was amazing - supporting me by telling me each contraction would end, reminding me to relax my face (courtesy of prenatl yoga) and making me focus on him and nodding yes (insteadof no). And I fell in love with my nurse sherry who did not leave my side the last hour and knew just what to say and when.
I still have to write my birth story but I didn't get an epi until I was 8 or 9 cm and by that point I was shaking and vomiting. 20 minutes later I started pushing so I didn't get to enjoy the break from pain!