TopBanana gets her little girl

[TopBanana]

Little Sophie was born on Sunday 10th September at 7:45am. Shes 6lb 12 and looks exactly like her big sister

I remember waking up a few times on Saturday night thinking hmmm was that a contraction and then falling back to sleep. So about half 2 I thought I'll get up and time them, see if they're regular but they weren't painful.
They were coming every 6 mins but were no more than uncomfortable. I rang the hospital to let them know and said I was dealing with the pain fine and was happy at home.
I went and had a bath at half 5 and the contractions hit me they were so close together and were killing me! I rang back at 6 and said I was coming in.
Dp got dd up and dressed, all into the car and dropped her at Grannys.
Got to the hospital about half 6, was examined and was 6cm. The pool was filled and I got in. I tried the gas and air but as I found out later I wasn't doing it right so it did nothing for me.
About half an hour later I decided I needed to push. The midwife said to breathe through if I could but if I couldn't do anything else then go for it.
This is when it got weird. Because this time I had no drugs I knew everything that was going on and its just the most strange sensation when the head is right there! I kept touching it and calmly telling the midwife between contractions that it was rather too big to come out of there and I was feeling a little scared that I might tear!! She just looked at me and said you are remarkably calm for someone about to give birth!!
2 big pushes and the head was born and her body came with the next. And up she came out of the water covered in that white stuff
Had the injection and the placenta came out easily. When she was checking me after to make sure I didn't need stitches I finally got how to use the gas and air and its bloody good stuff!! I had no idea what she said to me and just announced I wanted to do it again now I knew how to do the gas and air!
So all in all a much different birth than last time and probably about as enjoyable a birth as you can get without pain relief
Sophie is lovely, sleeps alot during the day and not much at night and Dd1 seems to love her to bits (when shes not poking her).
Thanks for listening, it feels so good to get all that out

[ShowOfHands]

What a lovely birth story.

Many congratulations and a big welcome to little Sophie!

[puppy]

Congratulations topbanana

[muminaquandary]

Top Banana what a great birth story well done you & welcome to Sophie. MIAQ xxxx.

[Gem13]

Congratulations and welcome to Sophie

Lovely birth story!

[carol3]

Congratulations wonderful birth story,

[Beauregard]

Congratulations

[Thalia]

Congratulations, am hoping to go pretty much the same way myself. Sophie is such a pretty name. Was the pool good ? Did it make you feel better ? I'm really keen on a waterbirth so whatever your thoughts were on that I'd really like to hear. I heard waterbirth mums tear a lot less. Did it stay warm ? Enjoy your baby girl, thanks for sharing with us.

[lucy5]

Congratulations!

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

Many congratulations on Sophie's safe arrival. Sweet name

[Lio]

Well done topbanana!

[Socci]

Message withdrawn

[TopBanana]

Thanks everyone

Thalia, I think the water did help but I was probably nearly fully dilated by the time I got in so there wasn't much time to see how it helped with the contractions. The midwife said I would probably have torn had I not been in the water, she kept telling me to keep my bum in the water!
The water has to be body temp so it just feels warm. I didn't feel cold until I got out and I was really shaky but apparently thats normal.