Hi everyone - hope you're all feeling good. I echo the earlier sentiments - try to keep living life until things kick off! I love that I was out for dinner a few hours before things started happening.
Again, for anyone who wants to know a few details. For everyone else, move onto the next message!:
My EDD was Sunday, and sure enough, about 1.30am I started having pains. Once I established it wasn't the delicious calamari it was about 2.30am and I couldn't sleep through them. So I came downstairs and used the ContractionMaster web site and lurked around MN, catching up with MelissaM. Initially pains were about 6/7 mins apart, so I had the tens on at a low pulse.... and basically so it continued. Pain very bearable, but couldn't sleep which was really frustrating. Things tailed off on Sunday afternoon but by about 8pm they were coming every 3 mins. Pain definitely still fine on the Tens.
Went into hosp at about 9pm and since I'd had no show and my waters hadn't broken, I fully expected to be sent home, however I was examined at 10.30pm and was 4cms. There was another check scheduled at 2.30am. I got onto G&A by this point.. God it was so good after 9 pretty much alco free months!!! By 12.30am pain was worse, but bearable, I was just really tired. So, thinking I'd be there for ages, I decided to have some Pethidine. This was a really tough decision for me because I had it in my mind that I could do it on G&A alone. Aaanyway, like the G&A I think it just spaced me out a bit. The last cms of dilation were the worst part for me, I found the constant contractions really hard.
My comedy moment was that I realised that if I made a monster sound (think lion roar impression) on the out breath of the G&A it felt REALLY good. So I did this, much to my DH's amusement, though he had the sense not to tell me this at the time. It was through this that the MW realised I was ready to push as I was clearly getting a bit of a kick from this and guessed that I was probably getting some kind of urge to push(which I found surprisingly pleasant albeit intense...am I a freak?). So she decided to examine me at 2am. My waters were bulging, she broke them, I got onto all fours, and at 2.16am Eva arrived.... She came out all at once in one push, and plopped onto the bed while the MW was about 10metres away. I could see my DH jump away from the bed and heard him exclaim 'it's a baby!' MW nearly died.. but Eva was fine. Good apgars, loud cry, 6lb13oz. Little tear but no stitches.
The last few days have been mad - just getting to know her, letting my body recover, trying to get the hang of bf-ing (ouch). It's just mindblowing and I don't think the reality has set in at all.
Now... having set out to put a brief post together, I have clearly failed! Seriously though, as a firsttimer I have really dreaded the birth part, and in fact my whole life have been scared about what would happen to me. SO mainly, I want to say that if there's anyone out there who feels/felt the same, please don't worry. Yes it hurts, yes it's not like anything you've felt before, yes it's scary when you're not in your comfort zone and don't know what's happening/what to do. However your body is amazing, and your mind gets you through it (and some drugs of course, if you wish). So I just want to wish everyone still to come every bit of luck in the world.... and I STRONGLY recommend the primal noise bit
Many apologies for all of this gushing firsttime nonsense and see you all on the PN thread!