Launi,
I wanted to thank you for the great classes.  I am very happy with the way my labor and delivery turned out.  My labor was only 2 1/2 hours long.  The mood was calm and I never needed any interventions.  I attribute the speed and ease 100% to being relaxed and calm.  The breathing and filling my belly like a balloon totally helped each surge.  My husband did a few visualizations with me. They helped, all except at the end I was so hot (I think I was at a 10 and ready) and he kept having me visualize warm sun on the beach. I can laugh now, but I just kept telling him, ‘cool, cool’ But he didn’t get it for a minute or two.  He finally clued in and had me visualize cold things.  I tease him about that.  After about 2 hours I started to wonder if I could keep doing it.  I didn’t dare tell my husband that I wanted to give up already. The nurse came in and I told her that the surges were on top of each other and that I felt like I needed to go potty. ( I had been sitting on the toilet already because it was the most comfortable, so I knew there was no pottying that needed to be done)  Because I was so calm, she thought I still had more labor to do.  So she said, ‘Good that is what we want to keep happening. I will come check you in an hour or so.’  My husband and I had to basically beg her to have me checked.  Just then the doctor came in, so she checked me and said I was at a 10.  She saw on my birth plan that I did not want to be coached how and when to push, so she was trying to ask me if she should go and come back when I said I was ready.  I was on my side and I felt my body kind of convulse.  I told her, ‘No, he is coming now!’  I turned onto my back, it made the convulsing stop, but made me want to push more. So they hurried and got the room ready.  I did my own breath down and push combination.  It felt good to push a little, but I breathed calmly as I did so.  (Instead of the 3 10 second purple pushes they have you do with each contraction.)  I breathed as I gently pushed through the whole contraction.  A 15-20 minutes later, My 9 lb 7 oz baby boy Daxton was placed on my chest.  He nursed immediately.  It was a good experience.  I am just very happy that I did not introduce any chemicals to my baby boy.  He was much more alert than my first baby that I had pitocin and and epidural with.
The biggest difference I have noticed is the recovery.  HOly COw!!!! I was immediately up and around, ready to go home the next day.  I never got psycho emotional, never needed any pain killers like I did with my first baby.  My friends and family have been amazed at how easy coming home and dealing with life has been for me.  I tell them it is because my body was allowed to do what God made it to do.  No drugs confused it.
THANKS AGAIN for such a great class!
-Jana and Brett