I have finally got round to writing my birth story and must apologise as it's very long and some of it you will already have heard. Please feel free to skip, it's been a useful process for me to remember as it was all a little muddled in my mind!
So I'd gone to bed on Thursday 24th feeling a bit uncomfortable but nothing that suggested an imminent labour. I'd spoken to my SiL on the phone that afternoon and agreed to keep my legs crossed as 25th is my nephew's birthday. At 4am I woke to go for a wee and whilst sitting on the loo suddenly realised I was getting period type stomach cramps. I sat there for a while and had a bit of a 'uh oh' moment, but thought it's probably nothing so I'll try to go back to sleep.
Got back into bed and DH had woken up and asked if I was ok. I said I thought I was having contractions and he was awake then to time them (quite excited bless him, being a week overdue was playing havoc with his punctual tendencies!)
So contractions were coming every 5 mins and lasting 30-40 seconds so I called the birth centre. The MW listened to me through a contraction and we agreed as I was coping ok I'd call back again when the contractions were 3 mins apart and lasting a minute. I got up to put my TENs machine on and have a bounce on my ball whilst DH had a shower. It was nearly 5am by now and I called my Mom to let her know.
For the next 40 mins I used the TENs and breathing plus had a hot shower, which all helped me through contractions. At just before 6am the contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes and lasting a good minute each time. DH called the birth centre as I was curled over a pillow on the bed in my 'happy place' just dealing with contractions. They said to come in but to go to maternity triage as the centre was full. We got a cab and arrived at the hospital at around half 6.
So we were sent to the waiting room as all of the rooms were full. I was less than impressed and took myself off to sit on the toilet as it was the most comfortable place to sit. I lost track of time at this point but it felt like not too long and I started getting a pushing urge, which I couldn't really do much about and I was making some interesting noises with each contraction! After about 3 of these a midwife came at the insistence of DH and got me into an exam room (I walked as couldn't bear to sit in a wheelchair)
On examining me, all hell broke loose as she shouted to the other midwife that I was fully dilated and the baby was ready to come. They got me off the bed and into a hospital gown and my waters broke pretty much all over the place.
I got into a delivery room and they strapped me to a monitor as there was meconium in my waters. I was there for about 30 mins and straining with every contraction, but having horrible back pain.
At 8am the midwives changed over and the new one came in, asked why 'this low risk lady' was strapped, immobile, to the bed. At that, she got me off the monitor and helped me to kneel on the bed, leaning over the back. She also explained how to push through each contraction and manage me breathing to stay quiet and channel all my energy into pushing. After 3 pushes the head was ready to come out and it was really stinging. The MW offered me G&A but I'd had it before and felt sick so said no. The TENs was still on and was comforting so I stuck with that. DH was great, mopping my brow, kissing my forehead and relaying the MW's instructions, plus generally just cheerleading for me.
I summoned all of my strength and pushed the head out, which was an immediate relief. DH went to look and came back a little moist-eyed saying 'it's got a face!' (to my relief!)
It took another 2-3 pushes for the body to be born and our baby arrived at 0907. After the MW wiped some of the meconium off DH told me he was a boy and I remember being surprised. He was passed up to me and I wiped him and cuddled him but was really conscious of the cord still being attached for some reason. DH cut the cord (he'd always said he wouldn't want to do this) and I got some help to turn around and sit up on the bed. I held him and breastfed whilst the placenta was delivered (my notes say this took 8 minutes!) and then passed him to DH for cuddles whilst I was examined.
I needed a few stitches for 2 tears (one 2nd degree and a graze) and I think the anaesthetic going in was the worst of all the pain. Whilst I was getting sorted out the paediatrician checked the baby out (and weighed him as 7lb 13oz) and DH made a few calls in between telling me I was brilliant and had done an amazing job - he was just great.
By 1030 I was showered and moved into another room and managed some skin to skin time while the baby slept. We were sharing a room as it was so busy, but didn't really notice. We had some time pretty much on our own until my Mom, sister and brother, plus DH's parents arrived to visit at around 3pm.
We spent some time discussing name options and decided to name him Lucas Christopher (Lucas was on our shortlist and Christopher is after DH's cousin, whom we have asked to be Lucas' Godfather). As my labour was so quick (recorded as 5hrs 15 mins in my notes) there wasn't time to get anti-biotics in for my group B strep so Lucas needed IV ABs every 12 hours for 2 days, which meant we had to stay in. We were moved to our own room on the post natal ward at about 6pm and stayed there until we were discharged on Sunday night.
We're now day 11 and I'm feeling good, he's feeding well and not bad at sleeping so things are good at the moment. I'm sure it won't be as plain sailing forever but it's a nice start. We move house a week on Saturday so I'm looking forward to being closer to everyone, it's lovely to have our own time to get settled but I feel a bit far away from everyone now.