Birth Stories

Birth Stories....

Obviously this was a while ago hehe!! My waters broke at 31 weeks and I gave birth at 33 weeks: Hi Girls, Well, what a week its been! I mentioned I had been getting cramps down low - well, that was labour! They got a lot worse last fri night, so went in for a routine checkup on sat morning, 8 am as I was thinking it could be something more than just cramps, as I had been up all night with them, getting more painful and closer together. Well, I was looked at by the doc and wasn't dilated, but was told I would go into labour most probably. Well! An hour and a half later I was in such agony I asked to be examined again. 3cm dilated! OMG! Things happened very quickly then. I was taken into the labour ward where I started asking for the epidural. A while later (4pm) I was 8CM DILATED! By 6pm I knew the baby was coming and was fully dilated. Started to push at 6.10, and little Eoin was born at 6.36! We went in for a routine checkup at 8am and I had had a baby by 6.30 that evening! I have to admit I had it easy as he was small, but still weighed 4lbs 8 oz. He is beautiful, and even though he will be in NICU for a couple of weeks, he was breathing on his own from the word go, and scored 8 and 9 on the Apgar test. He is gobbling down my breast milk which I express, and things seem to be going fine. Thanks for asking after me, and I will post a pic of him soon. It is amazing, and the love you feel for that little person is so overwhelming. Love Wave

Here's mine from last October..... So here’s my birth story. Sorry I think it’ll be a long one. I wasn’t due until the 11th Nov but baby was born on 23rd Oct – serves me right for spending so much time in the Oct Mammies post!!!!! Called into the Rotunda on the way home from work on the Monday 22nd, as I suspected my waters started leaking on Saturday. I started having pains on Sun night and had them most of Mon, all in my lower back but I really didn’t think anything of it. Turned out my hind waters had started to leak so they kept me in to induce me the next day. Got up to the ward at about 10pm and they told DH he could stay for a few hours but would then have to go. At 11.30pm the doctor came in and told us I’d be induced that night. My chart was at home so they asked DH to go and get it. He raced home to Navan and got back at 1am. Up to the delivery suite, doc had a quick look they decided not to bother inducing me until the morning. So DH was sent home again and told to come back in at 7am. I felt so sorry for him. I couldn’t sleep coz the pains were getting more uncomfortable so I walked the corridors for the night. Finally morning came and they broke my waters at 9am. I kept walking the corridors trying to speed things up – I was constantly running to the loo too. We were brought into the delivery suite and put on the drip at 12pm. The midwife we had was so nice. It was the same guy who had seen me in the emergency room the previous evening so it was really nice having the same person with me all the way through it. I had decided not to have the epidural, but when I heard I was going on the drip I opted to get the epi coz I knew I’d never last the distance without it. Getting the epi was one of the worse things to ever happen to me. It’s definitely put me off having one again. The doc couldn’t find a gap between my vertebrae (sp) and kept hitting bone. I could feel it everytime she hit the bone, like bone grinding on bone. Then I get a shooting pain on my right side. As I said it was one of the worse things I’ve ever gone through. I just sat there bent over silently crying for what felt like an eternity. She even called for backup but before it could arrive she managed to hit the spot. I can’t describe the fear I had the whole time she was doing it. At one point I just gave up and resigned myself to the fact I’d probably have some serious damage done because of her. She said she had trouble doing it coz I have good posture and no gaps between the bones – fat lot of good that was to hear at the time. Anyway to get back to it. I couldn’t believe how effective the epi was in the end. I couldn’t feel a thing and the 3 of us sat around chatting and laughing for 7-8 hours until it was time to push. The only side effect I had was the shakes, which is fairly normal and they came and went so at least it wasn’t constant. Pushing is the hard part. The epi was turned down so I could feel the pressure and knew when to push. I couldn’t imagine having to do it when you can’t feel anything. I couldn’t believe how hard it was, everybody tells you but I think you have to go through it to really understand. Baby Alannah was born 45 mins later weighing a healthy 7lb13. I had a 2nd degree tear and was sucking away on the gas while I was stitched up. I didn’t find the gas that effective and had to take in loads for it to work. Then I was high as a kite – and kept telling DH that the doctor doing the stitches was also the TV chef guy! I think I even asked him for a recipe! So that’s it guys. I can’t believe I just posted my birth story. Because Alannah was early she couldn’t fight the jaundice like most babies. So she was brought down to NICU and put on phototherapy. We brought her home the Sat after she was born but she had to go back in again on the Mon and then finally she came home on Halloween night for good. All the staff I dealt with in the Rotunda were fantastic – midwives and nurses. I did have problems with the paeds doctors. Every paeds doctor that saw Alannah had a different diagnosis. So I should say everybody except the paeds doctors were fantastic and I definitely will go back there if I’m lucky enough to have more babies. Thanks all for reading and to all the girls here Thank You. I wouldn’t have made it through the 9mths with my sanity intact without all of you and your advice.

Just adding my Birth story from the 10th of July 2008 Well on wednesday evening i was getting really strong BH and decided to go for a bath and to bed early and try get some sleep (no such luck) from wednesday night right through until thursday morning i was gettting pains every half hour. I got up on Thursday morning and washed and dressed my kids and myself and dropped the my 2ds to pre school and went to the CU and the shops for dinner while still getting these pains at the time i thought it was just another false alarm, but by 10.30-11 they started getting stronger so i went over to my MILs as i started to really panic, when she seen me she said i really think this is it for you and we started timing them every 20 mins they were coming then 10 so i rang my dh and told him to come home. My DH arrived homw at 12 and my pains were still there but didnt seem so bad so at 1 he went back to work as i said i thought it was a false alarm and would be ok! how wrong was i by 2.30 i was on my hands and knees trying to rock the contractions away and the pain was getting really intence so i called my DH and he was back home again, he put my Tens Machine on and we headed off to the hospital. All the way down to the hospital i felt really pressure and kept thinking oh shes going to come in the car my poor Hubby was in a panic and at one point seen and ambulance and sent to pull it over, but i told him just to keep going we'll be there soon and it'll be ok. 4pm we arrived at the hospital and got sent straight to the delivery suite, where i was checked and was told im sorry your getting contractions but your not dilating, so at 5pm they sent me to a ward to get me walking to try progress things but i couldnt get out of the bed by 6.50 i called a nurse to check to see if i was dilated as the pains were every 3 mins, the poor nurse nearly hit the floor i was 5cms and she was wonder WTF the doctor was doing sending me to the ward when i was in labour. she got me to put on my nightdress and walk back over to the DS. We arrived back over to the DS and the midwife asked what pain relief i'd like and i said im grand i have my tens machine, girls i swear by this it got me through my whole labour with no drugs what so ever. By 8.50 the pains were getting stronger and the midwife seem to be in shcok i was 9cm and there wasnt a scream or moan from me, she kept saying your some woman you must have a really strong pain trash hold. Honestly girls i could feel pain but it was bearable i think the tens was working at 9.05 i got the urge to push and started to push my little girl out, it was amazing i could feel her head starting to come out and was told Mrs Babybop look down she has loads of hair 3 more pushes and she'll be out so with all my strenght i gave 3 hard pushes and my little girl was born. Oh girls it was the most amazing feeling ever and a great labour after all my fears and worries about the labour it was the best labour i've had and felt great after it, i was even able to get out of the bed and hour later and jump into the shower. 4 things i done that i'd recommend Yoga really helped with the breathing Relaxation cds helps you stay focused and strong Rescue remedy kept my nerves calm and last but not least Tens Machine i was getting really strong contactions well so the nurse told me, but to me it felt like really strong period pains. Baby Kara weighed 7lbs 14oz and arrived into the world the 10th July at 9.12pm, 8 days early God girls i feel terrible didnt even thank my hubby i really wouldnt have done it without him, he was my rock and gave me the encouragement i needed. Hope you enjoyed reading my birth story and best of luck to everyone expecting there LOs

Just adding mine ...... Ok think this is going to be a long one ... Due date was Sunday 22nd June, was in my mam's when i felt a little gush (honestly it was only about a teaspoon of fluid) so i thought i had just had a leak and said nothing to anyone. When i got home Sunday evening told my DH that perhaps it had been a bit and perhaps my waters would go that night. Well nothing happened. Had my next hospital appointment Tuesday at 2.30pm in Holles St. Woke about 11am with a slight pain, next one came at 11.20am. Told myself they weren't contractions as weren't painful - had been having twinges on and off for a week at this stage. So had a shower, got ready and hopped on the bus into town. Still getting pains every 20 mins. Got to Holles st semi private clinic and there was a bit of a queue so took a seat. Then noticed that Dr McParland wasn't around there was a stand in consultant. It was 3.30 by the time i was to go in, DH arrived and in we went. I told the consultant that i was getting pains every 20 mins lasting 30 seconds. She said that it didn't sound like active labour to go home and if they got closer come back. I asked if she could do an internal as i thought i might have lost some fluid. She said no they don't like to intervene they want things to happen naturally. She said to come back on the 4th July for induction if i hadn't gone in the meantime. I persisted and said i would rather she did an internal. She then just done the normal, checked blood pressure and stomach and said head was well down but not complete so she really didn't think it was the start of labour. In the end i must have just went on and on so much that she said she would do an internal. So she done the internal and said i had just had a show as a result of it. Asked if she wanted me to do a sweep and i said sure you might aswell. So she tried to do a sweep and said that it didn't feel like i had any fluid there. She needed to scan me. So got dressed and moved into the scan room. We told her we didn't know the sex so we both looked away as she put the scanner on us. She said that yes i had no forewaters and only a small bit of fluid at the top. Then she said "oh", we looked at each other and said whats wrong. She said there's the head, we couldn't make out the scan and just said Yeah !! She said there at the top, your baby is breech, you will have to be sectioned now. Get dressed i need to make some calls. So i got dressed and took a seat outside, by this time it was 4.15pm. She came back and said go up to the pre-natal ward and they will check you in, you are due to go down for a section at 6pm . My DH came up with me while i checked in but then had to rush off home to get the bags. The gave me a tablet to reduce acid in my stomach, then hooked me up to a heart trace monitor for the baby. DH got back at 6pm (i was a bit scared he wouldn't get back in time). While he was gone the anesitist (spelling??) came down and told me what would happen, then the consultant that would preform section came down and talked me through it). So at 6pm i got into my gown, then a nurse came up and said there was an emergency eptopic that had come in so there would be a delay. They came to get me at 7.45, we went through forms, gave DH cap, gown etc. At 8.15pm i was brought in to theatre, given the spinal block (quiet painful but only lasted 5 mins), they brought DH in once they had started the section. About 3 mins later they said bum is out !! Another 2 mins of tugging 8.56pm (you can feel tugging but there is no pain at all) i did feel very cold and a bit sick but that's just the medication, baby arrived. Doctor held the baby's face over the screen, then slowly moved the body up - until we could see that it was a boy we both shed a few tears then. He was brought off to be checked and weighed (8lb 50zs) and then handed to his Daddy. Daddy and baby were then brought off to get baby dressed and fed etc while i was stitched up and brought into recovery. I was in recovery from 9.20 until 10.45 and brought up to my ward. For anyone that is scared of the idea of a section please don't be. I was up walking around the following day at 12 to have a shower, yes it was a bit uncomfortable but honestly not nearly as bad as i thought. Stayed 5 nights in Holles st and must say the nurses etc are the nicest and most helpful ladies, couldn't have done enough for us. We got home Sunday 29th June and i must say he is a brilliant baby. Is taking 4oz bottles every 4 hours, so sleep at night is going good so far - long may it continue. Sorry i went on a bit, but trust me i could have blabbed all day, but Luke has just begun to wake up. For all of you mum's to be the very best of luck but please don't be scared it is so worth it and the pain does go away, you do get better and you have the most precious thing possible at the end of the day.

Great idea to make a sticky for this.. here's our story. Well I can't believe I'm finally writing my own birth story. I LOVED reading other stories before my little one arrived and found them so helpful in preparing me for labour. I hope some of you find this helpful too. I woke at 3am with wet pjs and pains. Hubbie was fast asleep and it being a school night I was reluctant to wake him until I was totally sure that it was really happening. I was 2 days past my due date and had been feeling twinges the days before. The night before I must have drank about 3 pints of water too! Everything in those days before was looked at with suspicion, wondering is it a sign of something starting. Anyway, I waited for almost an hour, watching the clock and sure enough I was getting pains every 5 - 6 mins. They were like period cramps, but manageable. I woke hubbie and we very calmly contacted the hospital and timed contractions. The hospital got me to make sure that my waters had indeed gone and as they had I had to go into the hospital due to risk of infection. We took our time getting in. Had showers and brekkie. It was all very surreal and hubbie couldn't believe how calm everything felt! I was assessed in the hospital, although they wouldn't perform an internal because of the risk of infection. They transferred me down to the regular ward for pre-labour and at that point the enormity of what was beginning hit me and I burst into tears. I felt so embarrassed, but I suppose the whole experience is so emotionally charged that it was to be expected. Hubbie was going to leave for work at that time, as we were told nothing was going to happen soon, but I was too anxious. We walked the corridors and I bounced on my ball (which I recommend - good for getting things moving and opening up the pelvis!). I was so anxious to do everything that I could to get things moving, but it turned out to be a long day. By the time evening was coming round and visiting hours were approaching an end, hubbie was being told he would have to go home. They still didn't want to examine me so they needed me to tell them when I needed to be moved to the delivery suite, where hubbie could stay. I would have lied so he didn't have to leave, but as it turned out I didn't have to. When I got to the delivery suite assessment room they hooked me up to a monitor for the ocntractions and the babies heart beat and a while later they reluctantly examined me to check progress. I felt that the whole waters breaking took a little bit of the control away from me. I didn't know how things were progressing up until that point. So when they examined me and told me that I was already 2 cm dilated I was delighted. The pains were beginning to become unbearable at that point. The midwife performed a "stretch" of my cervix to speed things up. My God was that painful. I was then moved to the delivery suite itself I was encouraged to try pethidine but I was determined not to take anything that would affect the baby and I stuck with my guns. I also had no interest in feeling sick or drunk. I was strongly encouraged to try gas and air and as it leaves your system almost immediately after you take it I agreed to give it a go. It made me feel dizzy and nauseous and it didn't help the pain at all. After about 3 hours of contractions I simply couldn't take any more and was begging for the epidural (part of my birth plan). I was examined and found to be 4 cm. They like you to try to go as far as you can without the epidural, which can slow dilation down, so I was delighted to have gotten that far. It's mad waiting to be told how many inches! It's like checking your lottery ticket and finding you've won something! You need to get IV fluids before the epidural, which takes about 20 - 30 minutes and then they call the anaesethist. I couldn't believe it would all take so long! I thought couldn't they call the guy now and tell him I'd be ready in 20 mins???? I had visions of him being busy or something, but seems that's how things are done. Hubbie was amazing through those hours. All I wanted to hear was that the pain would come to an end. I wanted to cry my heart out it hurt so much, but I had nothing left to cry. The breaks between contractions were the only thing that kept me going. The anaesethist finally arrived and I could have kissed him. He could see how anxious I was to get things started and he went ahead and gave me the epidural without the midwife present and without me signing the disclaimer (very bold, but I loved him for those few minutes!!). The epidural is the most amazing invention ever! I thought I would die from the pain and before too long and with a top up (it didn't take totally on one side at first) I was totally pain free and able to snooze!! Just amazing. Poor hubbie was distraught after watching me go through so much and found the whole thing very emotional. The whole day was exhausting for him too. I think it's unfair to dismiss the affect it has on the fellas. Obviously it's not the same as what we go through, but they go through a lot. Anyway, baby wasn't moving down as quickly as they would like and although I quickly dilated to 10cm they gave me oxytocin to try to get the little one moving. It didn't work very well and after another number of hours they told me to start pushing. The pushing is a little difficult with the epidural. It's like punching into thin air. I gave it my all and puked my lungs up from the effort. After about an hour of pushing a doctor came in and said it was long enough and that she wanted to intervene. I hadn't wanted any forceps because I didn't want to hurt the baby, but I took the doctors advise. I was given an episiotomy, which I had also really not wanted and had dreaded, but at that point I didn't care. With one push and the forceps are little guys head was out. I roared my head off with that push and I felt him being pulled from me. They told me to look at his head coming out and it was the craziest sight! Another push and he was totally out and on my chest. Our little boy was born 7lb 5oz after a 28 hour rollercoaster! He looked straight up at me and held my gaze. I fell head over heals in love in that instant. Myself and hubbie were in floods of tears. It was the most moving experience of my entire life. The pediatrician checked him over and all was fine. We had tea and toast delivered to us and soaked up the moment together before we were moved back to the regular wards. The nights in the hospital were exhausting and I got very little sleep. When we got home we were fraught with anxiety wondering were the funny noises ok and when he wasn't making any noise, we were poking him to check he was ok! I've never felt so exhausted and dilirious from tiredness. Hubbie has been doing everything for me that he can and we're slowly finding our feet. We're all so loved up! The love we feel for eachother seems to have multiplied by about 10 times after the birth experience and the joy we have in the birth of our little man. He is the most amazing little thing and I am reduced to tears of happiness when I look at him. I'm breast feeding and finding it tough going and painful, but am determined to keep it going and am assured things will improve. For those of you still waiting you have the most amazing life changing experience to look forward to. For the rest of you I’ll be seeing ya over in Mums and Babies! Thanks for all the help and support over the past year.

My story - 13th March 2008 This should be fairly short – as the whole thing was over in about 6 hours! I woke at 3am on March 13th, with what I thought were wind/constipation pains, so after about half an hour of trying to sleep through them, I went downstairs for a cup of tea to get things moving. I watched some tv, bounced on my yoga ball and even knitted a few rows of a baby cardigan (I had been shopping the day before and bought nice wool for a cardigan to bring the baby home in!!) At this stage I didn’t really think it was anything happening – I still had 16 days to go, but after trying a bath, lying down (to check for false labour) I was getting a bit worried. I couldn’t really time the pains though, because they didn’t really go away. They got a bit stronger and weaker alright but they certainly didn’t feel like I thought they would. I woke DH about 5 and he just followed me around the house trying to help. At this point I had a dose of diarrhoea and in between going to the bathroom, was wandering around with a banana in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. (Strange how you can be in such pain and still hungry.) I also got a little blood on the tissue, so thought it might be a show. DH was supposed to leave for work at 6 so I rang the hospital to see what they thought. The midwife said it could be a bug or it could be early labour, and to come in when the pains got unbearable. We live about an hour away from the hospital and DH was worried about traffic, so he suggested we take a trip in and at least find out if I was starting. The drive into Cork was horrendous – I was getting really bad pains about every 5 minutes, and I’d say DH was grey by the time we go there. I was put on the monitors and was examined. The monitors weren’t really measuring any contractions, and the midwife who examined me said that the head was well down which was what was causing the pain, but that I was only 1 cm dilated. I nearly cried at that, because I knew it could take days from that point, and I didn’t know how much more pain I could take. The nurses changed shift at 8, and another girl came to take a look at me. She gave me 2 paracetamol, which was a start. She didn’t think the readings on the monitor were accurate and checked them out – turned out it wasn’t working properly. So she examined me, disappeared for a minute, and came ack to know if she could examine me again. At that point she told me that she thought I was fully dilated, popped me into a wheelchair and hurried me to the delivery room. There was time for no more than gas and air at that stage, and Claire was born at 9:22. She needed to be helped out by vacuum as her heart rate was dropping so I have a nice collection of stitches! I also gave myself a fright when I looked in the mirror, my face was covered in red spots – I was after bursting loads of blood vessels, and my eyes were all bloodshot!!It took quite a while for me to believe that she was actually here, but I have the black bags under my eyes to remind me now if I need it!! And I have to agree with the other girs who said that the tea and toast after was the best ever! Or anyone going to CUMH, from my experience you have nothing to worry about – everyone was just fantastic there. OK, not as short as planned - but where Claire is concerned, I just can't stop going on about her!!!

Originally posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:57 pm Post subject: Sphynx's birth story God I'm so nostalgic and broody after copying this! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well here's the story of how baby Christopher arrived one week ago today... I had been to my consultant the day before (my due date) and got a shock when she strongly advised getting induced the next evening. This was because I had severely itchy skin which she couldn't explain and because the baby was a big one. I felt quite dazed and confused and pretty scared to be honest as I'd always heard that induced labours were more difficult. But I got loads of reassurance from you guys and so was calm enough on the Wednesday I was due to go in. I still really wanted things to start naturally though, so I spent a while bouncing on my gym ball drinking raspberry leaf tea and eating fresh pineapple in a last-ditch attempt! Still had absolutely NO inkling of anything happening. Then at 13:15 my waters broke as I was sitting on the loo (perfect!), five mins before DH arrived home to bring me to the hospital. The timing couldn't have been better. Rang the hospital and they said to come in but not in a major rush. We decided to go straight away, thank god. Started getting contractions straight away that were like v. bad period pain. Was examined at 15:00 and all was well but only 2 cm dilated with the contractions pretty bad at that stage. At 15:30, the waters became very heavily stained with meconium and my consultant was called. She said she had never seen such bad staining (indicates feetal distress) with such a strong fetal heartbeat on the monitor. They didn't want to risk baby swallowing any and so decided on an emergency C-section- just what I had always dreaded! My biggest fear was being put asleep but they said they would probably be able to do it with a spinal block and DH would be with me. I felt much better about that and tbh at that stage I felt I couldn't take any more of the contractions. I really have to say hats off to anyone who manages to go through a full labour with no pain relief... I honestly thought I could give it a go but after my brief taster I know now that I couldn't! I would have gladly taken any pain relief going but they couldn't give me anything until I got the spinal. I was in theatre by 17:00 and girls it wasn't scary at all. There were 6 people fussing over me and making sure I was fine. The block worked straight away and I was also a little high on morphine! DH was brought in just in time for the delivery, looking v. handsome in his blue scrubs. I couldn't see a thing with the screen up (thankfully!) and just felt like someone tickling my tummy when they made the incision (think I actually said "that feels nice" ). Next thing I knew baby Christopher was announcing his arrival by bawling his head off! All the staff were laughing at just how loud he was and he kept that up for 30 mins while he was examined and I recovered. Before that though they brought him over to me and put him on my chest for a few secconds and that was enough for me to fall head over heels in love with him!! He has the most amazing big soulful eyes that just stared into mine and it was the only time he stopped crying. I was then brought up to the ward where DH had him in his arms and I finally got to hold him. All in all it was a really positive experience and v short and relatively easy compared with a lot of labours. I was sad and disappointed initially that things didn't work out "naturally" but I was just so relieved that all worked out well in the end. I think our angel was looking out for us with the way the timing worked out so well - it's scary to think what might have happened otherwise. The staff in the hospital were just brilliant and I felt in safe hands all along. The funniest thing is that I must have had the best packed labour bag ever but didn't get to use anything at all from it and my birthing ball stayed in the boot of the car !!! Just goes to show you really can't prepare for every eventuality! One week on and I am still v. sore and swollen (look about 6 months pregnant!). But I am so so happy and feel like Christopher has always been here - I can't imagine life without him. He is mostly v placid but knows v. much what he likes and dislikes and has a powerful set of lungs! He is v. long and has a big broad boy's chest so I think he is going to be a hunk! Dh and I are feeling v. blessed. So that's it - can't believe I just posted my birth story! Looking forward to reading some more from my WOL pals soon! (PS: I tried breast feeding for 12 hours but it was just too hard and the formula feeding is so far working out really well and Dh is delighted to be able to be so hands-on...hope that will last!!!)

Here's mine from Feb 19th 2008. Got all teary reading it again, can't believe I will be going through it again soon, please God. IT's a brilliant experience though... Hi girls, Firstly thanks Agie for posting my news and a big thank you for all your kind replies. Well myself and Meabh came home today so just wanted to say a quick hi. Firstly I can't express how in love I am with my daughter. DH and I are on cloud nine, she is absolutely beautiful and perfect. I don't know what we did before we had her, as we are so in love with her now. To the Feb mums left and all the March mums, good luck, enjoy every minute of the birth it was such a great experience and worth every minute of it. It's such a miracle. Well as you know I went into admissions on Monday, was around 3.30pm when we got admitted and assigned a room (semi private but to be honest glad now I wasn't alone as girl in with me was lovely and great company). I was to be induced at 10pm and gyne came in around 10.30 and gave me first tablet. Had to stay on trace for 30mins and lie flat for 1 hour. Gyne said he would review at 6am and would probably have to give me a second one in the morning. Well I didn't sleep at all, played DS Lite for most the night. Was starving to. Night went quite fast, had a few cramps but and show but was told to expect this. Oh forgot to mention I was 2cm dilated before he gave me tablet. Anyway I was put on trace at 5.30 and got bad backache and cramps when on this, think it was way I was lying. Gyne came in after 6am and examined me and said I had progressed to 2-4cm dilated and was ready to move to labour ward at 8am to get waters broken and no need for anymore tablets. I couldn't believe it was thrilled. Texted DH to say he needed to come in for 8am. Anyway around 8.40am I was moved to labour ward. Got assigned midwife and student midwife and have to say they were an absolute joy. Midwife tried to break my waters and had difficulty so called the sister and she got it no problem (wasn't painful at all) I was on trace then and asked if I had pains and I didn't they said they were picking up contractions and said I must of had a high pain threshold. I was happy out laughing and enjoying myself. 2 hours later got examined and hadn't progressed, so gyne came in and agreed I needed to go on drip. Drip was hooked up and not long later the I could feel cramps and then contractions. Wasn't too bad was able to breath through it. DH went for lunch as I was fine and when he came back I was still ok but just started on gas and air as they were getting stronger. Found gas and air fine as a distaction but did nothing for the pain. DH met his sister (public health nurse) for lunch and when he came back he told me she said get epidural now as drip brings on contractions very fast and hard. I said ok i'll see how it goes but willl if it got worse. Next few were stronger but kept going with gas and air. Then next two got very strong and poor DH kept saying get the epi please. So I said I would like it. Then contractions were coming faster and very strong at this point. Each one worse than the first. Before I knew it I was getting 9 in 10mins. They said I was over contracting and starting to hyperventilate. Girls it was agony I started getting upset. I couldn't believe the pain and how fast they were coming. I asked was it normal and kept saying examine me please this isn't right. So at 3pm I was examined and only 5cm. Anethetist came in the middle of all this and was worried to as I was very bad. I said to him how long will it take and he said 20mins, I was terrified as I knew I wouldn't of been able to sit still. I said to him I can't do it I can't sit still that long. (oh forgot to say drip was turned off to at his point as I was over contracting). Anyway I managed some how to sit still (don't ask me where I got willpower to do this, I had tears rolling down my face). Anethtist was brilliant and with me an hour in total. After the hour I was sitting back in bed and back smiling and joking with the midwives. DH came back in and couldn't believe the difference in me. He was thrilled as he got scared when he saw how bad I was before hand. I was examined at 5pm and I was 6.5cm. Examined again at 7pm and I was 9 (almost 10). Examined at 8pm and I was 10cm. Midwife made me comfy turned down lights and gave me an hour before I was allowed to start pushing. Epi was still working at 9pm. Midwives switched over at this point to. (now 12 hours in labour room). Got another lovely midwife and she got me ready for pushing stage. Explained everything and said she'd have to tell me when to push as I wasn't feeling any contractions or pressure. So 9pm came and I started pushing. Lucky for me head was well down. Gyne came in and they knew Meabh was facing upwards this means a hard delivery but they didn't tell me this. At this point all we wanted was our baby so I used everything I had and 1hour and 20mins later Meabh arrived. Gyne said I was brilliant and very determined and only for me she had a lovely delivery and no trauma. Her little head had marking from cervix but it's gone now. She was so alert when she came out, we were just over joyed. I am very proud of myself and how well delivery went as everything was against me with regards to not knowing when to push and being led blind I suppose. Anyway all in all it was a brilliant experience. My parents were outside labour ward and were let in once I was stiched etc: Sorry girls for the rush birth story but wanted to reply asap. I am now taking Meabh up to bed but will try and get on tomorrow. To all the march mums, please do not worry or be scared. I have to say I really enjoyed the whole experience and would do it all again in a heartbeat. Thanks again for all your support and advice.

number 2 : my birth story : At midnight i started to get tummy ache & after being constipated in previous days had alittle bit of the runs ( tho nothing too severe ) ..the cramps continued & at 1am they turned to contractions tho nothing i could time as such, then about 1.30 they were more clear in terms of timing & intensity so i decided to watch johnathan Ross repeat..5mins into it tho i couldnt concentrate on the tv at all,got pains every 3mins so rang the hospital & they said to make my way in over the next half hour. at 2am i woke DH who took a shower - he came out of the ensuite to find me on the bed moaning so rang for his mam to come mind dd straight away. She arrived at 2.30& we headed to the hospital.. on the journey in the pains intensified even more & i was howling like a cow, DH got nervous as dd's birth had been so calm so he knew i meant business & so really put the foot to the floor. Arrived at the maternity unit & was taken straight to the delivery room & on examination was told i was 5cm.. told midwife i wanted Epi but she said she didnt think i had time...3 contractions later & i shouted "i need to push".she examined me again very quickly & found i was 10cm.. waters broke with next contraction & the pushing began, pushing lasted about 5-10mins.. not sure tbh & then suddenly there she was a beautiful baby girl with loads of black hair & big rosy lips : ) i looked at DH & his tear filled eyes made my heart thump & feel sooo proud ......then suddenly i heard him moan & a big thud ...talk about stealing my thunder lol...he had collapsed & was out cold on the floor, nurses put him in recovery position & had to step around him , he was out cold for ages ( he's trying to convince himself it was the heat..lol.think my shouting & the fact he hadnt time to prepare himself might not have helped either ! ) ...anyway thats it, thats the arrival of our 2nd little girl. she looks the image of her big sis as a newborn & were just so so happy she's here. I cant believe we have 2girls !!! Good luck to everyone about to have a little one.. i cant say it was easy & during the labour i said to DH that we were stopping at two , but once i got to hold dd properly i thought to myself "il never stop having babies - this is the best feeling ever!" and it is .