As it turns out, I'm now really glad this thread exists, because it gives me some reassurance that life will go on eventually. Penelope Ramona was born on August 4 after 38 hours of back labor, mostly unmedicated, and although at the end she turned so she came out facing the right way after all, she had the cord wrapped around her neck and her heart rate had started to drop. Similar to Knotted's story, she had to come out ASAP, and it was too late for a c-section because she had descended too far. She was delivered with an episiotomy and a vacuum and four big pushes.

So I don't regret my episiotomy, either, although things are pretty painful right now and I'm feeling a little down about how fragile I feel. My doctor wouldn't tell me how many stitches I had -- he said he didn't count -- and just said it was as long as it needed to be.

And I guess it was, because she's here and she's perfect.