Just putting this down for me really.
On Wednesday the 26th May I was putting DD to bed and thought I had a bit of leaking water, so I rang the delivery suite and was told to come in and be checked. I packed a few extras into my bag, which had been sitting half packed for weeks but never truely believed I was going to have this baby. We called the ILs to come and watch DD, they took their time and had supper first . We left for the hospital at about 9.45 and when we arrived 45mins later I was having random contractions but nothing really going on. I was given a speculm exam to check for waters and they were still in tact. We left the hospital at just after midnight getting home at 1am. I sent DH to bed and couldn't sleep so I MN'd and read. At 1.30 contractions started and were instantly 2 mins apart I tried to my tens on but it annoyed me. I tried to have a bath and things got more painful so I woke DH and we left for the hospital at 1.50. It was the longest 20 mins of my life (or so I thought) I called the Ils at 1.30 and they made their way over. DH took the chance to test out the speed of his car and we made the 45 minute journey in 24minutes with me yelling slow down at frequent intervals. It took forever to walk across the carpark to the unit as I was now contracting constantly with very little break in the middle. We were checked in and I was examined and 5cms so taken to the delivery room and asked for epidural, first I had to have my GBS antibiotics then the anesthetist (sp?) appeared as if by magic minutes later. She sited the epidural catheter with me trying to sit as still as possible and I was all set for the pain relief to kick in. DH tried to help me get my legs on the bed before it all went numb and I bit him which he took very well! As my legs got onto the bed I had the strangest sensation and in the next contraction I felt I had to push. The MW looked at me and asked if I was pushing, I said 'No, I'm waiting for the epi to kick in!!' She check me and said The head is almost here just follow what your body is telling you to do, so I pushed and DD2 was born rather quickly still in her bag of water at 3.10am after 3mins of pushing. I was in shock by this point having expected at least hours more labour. She was put on my chest and fed almost instantly. It was only then that the MW told me that the epidural had not been connected as she had seen the signs of transition and felt it would be pointless to numb me for the pushing. DD2's birth was so very different to DD1's induction with epidural, second degree tear and stitches. DD2 was unintentionally natural with no pain relief (G&A made me sick) no tears, 1hr 10mins of recorded labour and rather amazing. All 8lb1oz of her is perfect and to top it all off DD1 loves her new baby sister.