Hello all!
Sugar - soooooo exciting. I have everything crossed for you.
It had taken me ages to do this - bet here we go.. My birth story...
So I expected baby to come early and got increasingly tired and fed up. I basically felt like a whale. In the middle of the night I couldn't turn over or move once I was in bed. I out it down to being a bit older (39 as compared with 35). At 39 weeks I had my midwife appointment and she measured me and said I was measuring four weeks ahead. (Previously she had measured me as two weeks ahead). She said that the change meant that I should see the consultant. The soonest appointment that she could get was four days later but not with my usual consultant. On the Friday we therefore trotted off to the hospital to see the consultant. He turned out to be this slightly bonkers young consultant who took one look at me, said it wasn't worth scanning me, that the baby was huge and he didn't need a scan to confirm that. He said he'd book me an induction. I was unsure but he convinced me to book it because he said I could change my mind if I wanted. The first date was a week later. He also told me I would have to give birth in e labour ward rather than midwife unit because of the risk of shoulder dystocia.
Fortunately, two days later, the day before my due date, I got my show. I was fairly sure that it would be the start of something and sure enough that evening I started to get what I though were more Brixton hicks, but they didn't stop. However they weren't strong enough to do anything about so having told DH we decided to go to bed. I fell asleep but was aware throughout the night that I woke up a couple of times in pain. In the morning DH said that I was moaning in my sleep.
The following morning the contractions continued and I had never had braxton hicks in the morning so I assumed that this was it and baby would turn up that day on my due date...
I phoned my mother who was supposed to be coming to look after my other two and disaster my father had an important medical appointment. We ended up having to drive down the motorway, meet her in a service station and transfer the boys into her car. Back home the contractions continued but didn't seem to be getting closer together. I eventually gave in and DH got out my tens machine at about 4pm. At 5.45pm we phoned the hospital who told us that we could come in but to leave the bag in the car in case I had to go home.
Fast forward to 7pm we arrive at the hospital and due to a shift change they asked me to wait 15 minutes. I was finally assessed at 7 45 (!!!) and told I was a good 5cm dilated and they would admit me to a room. I still had no pain relief as they won't give it to you until you are in your own room. At 7.50pm, whilst waiting for the room, my waters broke in the examination room. DH started to get slightly pushy about me getting a room as I was obviously distressed and in pain. On reflection I think they we're desperately trying to prepare me a room as they didn't have one and they told me I needed to stay put and be monitored as my blood pressure was slightly high. At 8pm they finally told me I could go into my room. I told them I couldn't walk, plus I was still in my (drenched) top and no bottoms for the examination. He draped a towel round me and supported me to walk down the corridor. I found the walk nearly impossible. When I got to the room I was given gas and air and immediately felt more relaxed.
DH left to get the bag from the car and a minute after he left the midwife left for an emergency in the room opposite. It was about 8.05pm and I was all alone and suddenly realised that my body was pushing. I tried to stop it but had no control over it and realised that baby was coming whether I wanted it to or not. I was in so much pain and was standing by the bed and couldn't reach above the bed to pull the emergency cord so walked the two steps to the door and shouted for help. Everyone seemed to be tied up with the emergency in the room opposite but I felt sure that a doctor in the room opposite had seen me so I walked back in and climbed onto the bed. Sure enjoy a few seconds later a midwife ran in with the midwife on reception. She was still pulling on her uniform. They pulled up my top and the reception midwife shoved my notes at my midwife and told her who I was and they told me that baby's head was there. They told me to push but I just kept asking where DH was. He then ran into the room (I found out that he had been standing the other side of the locked door to the labour ward - of course there was nobody on reception to let him in.) I said "the baby's coming" and he said "yes I know - I can see it's head, it's got dark hair!" Strangely all I could think was that I wasn't in my labour nightie and that I was absolutely drenched with my waters.
This was all at 8.10pm. At 8.14pm baby Arthur was born naturally with no pain relief except about 15 minutes of gas and air. There had been a slightly anxious moment after his head was born and the midwife gave me a pep talk on pushing hard to make sure he came out on the next contraction, but it turns out she was just being cautious because of the consultant's notes. He was pink and screaming and clearly fine! They said he was big but I don't think anyone expected him to weigh in at 10lb 6.5 oz. We left the hospital at 2.00am to go home (my choice).
He is a very very beautiful, laid back baby. I couldn't be happier.
Sorry for the essay!
nice to see you here 
not long now, Papa Smurf!!!
