Don't Push!!

I normally don't post twice in a day, but I was privileged enough to attend another birth yesterday. It was really amazing and surprisingly easy (for me anyway). I got woke up at 7am and told my client was in labor. I got a call back at 8am and then finally at 9am asking me to come. My friend Christina attended this birth with me for her childbirth educator certification. We both got there about 9:30am. My client was definitely in labor, but we didn't know how long it would take since her last labor was 36 hours. I really thought I was in for the long haul. Shortly after we got there things got more intense and she was doubting herself. These are signs that her labor was pretty far along, but a lot of my clients reach this point at 5 cm, so I still thought we had a while to go. I suggested a bath after a while and once she got in the water, she was better able to handle her labor and got herself back in control. Shortly, she starts telling me she is feeling pressure. Her husband starts wanting to call the midwife, but my client never said we needed to. After a few more contractions she tells me she feels like she might need to push. So I talk to her to see if this is really it. I finally decide that she is in fact wanting to push and we call the midwife to tell them we are on the way. Her husband is gathering things quickly and Christina and I are getting her dressed. She is definitely starting to push at this point, so we are start going faster. I tell hubby to call back and tell them we're coming and she's already pushing. We rush to the car and I ride with my client while Christina follows. Keep in mind, this is happening just 2 hours after I got there. During the ride I'm telling my client to breathe out and not to push and she has her hand down there like it will stop the baby from coming. She was worried that she really wasn't that far and that we wouldn't make it before the baby was born at the same time. We passed 2 cops who luckily didn't notice us. I knew she was close, but at no time did I feel panicky or that we wouldn't make it. We got to the hospital and pulled up and 5 nurses run out with a stretcher. They put my client on it and pulled her underwear off and her water broke. They rush inside and get her in a room. She is pushing, but they are asking her not to since the midwife is not there yet, then they decide to let her go ahead. The midwife walks in when the head is halfway out and doesn't have time to put a gown on or anything. Another push or two and the baby was out. All this in the 2 and 1/2 hours I was with her. This is the first time I have been with someone who waited this long to go to the hospital and I truly didn't think she was that close until she said she was pushing. In my opinion, it worked out great. She didn't have to be tethered to machines for hours or lay in bed or have an IV, etc. She labored totally at home and got to the hospital just in time for them to catch the baby. It was really exciting too. Rarely do I attend a birth where I get a good night's sleep before, stay with the client for so short a time, and was home with my family that afternoon. So it was really a good birth for me and the client went natural which she was unable to do the first time. Have I ever said I love my job??