I think that same force was heightened when it came to actually giving birth. After being in labor for 36 hours at home , I had to come to terms with having to go to the hospital. Although my doula and midwife were both trying to respect my plans for a home birth, I knew something was not right. My partner drove us to Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn (a building I always thought looked drab and dreary as a child growing up in the neighborhood). After waiting almost three hours, I was told I had to have an emergency C-section. During the surgery, I lost a lot of blood and needed four blood transfusions. But as soon as I heard my son crying — as though someone snapped their fingers — I woke up. I just wanted to know that he was okay. He was perfect.