home today after 6 days making the most of the local MLU hotel respite care. not having an internet phone i've been out of MN reach and have spent all afternoon catching up. DH has been working 24/7 so i thought it best not to be at home alone when there's such a great service locally.
congratulations to all those who have had their babies - so many now!
thought maybe time for a birth story before migrating to post natal...
woke last tuesday at 4.30 with what felt like painful trapped wind, having had spicy food the night before (and thinking possibly i'd not cooked the chicken thoroughly too) really thought i just had a bad gut. spent a couple of hours between the loo (for a clear out), bed (pretending to DH that i was fine as i didn't want to disturb his sleep) and MN for reassurance. When i had woken up my first thought as i looked at the clock was 'i'm going to have a baby today', i just knew immediately but allowed myself a bit of denial.
the supposed trapped wind came in waves of pain of varying intervals, anything from 3/4mins to 15mins apart.
told DH very nonchalantly when he got up at 6 that i had a bad gut from the chicken but that all was fine - he should go to work but that maybe he should line someone up to take over the market later in the day if i still felt bad.
after DH left i hooked myself up to the tens machine and took a paracetamol. an hour later i rang MW with contractions 3 mins apart and was told to come in so rang my neighbour to ask for a lift - a week before he'd thought this was an idle threat! MLU's only 2 mins drive up the hill but i think i still owe him a bottle of wine. He left me at the door to MLU with my bags.
contractions continued for a couple of hours, constantly felt the need to poo but couldn't. MW examined me at about 10.30 and i was 5cm. left it until then to tell DH to come. got into the pool whilst contractions continued for another couple of hours but progress was slow. DH turned up about 2pm and suddenly things started moving again - got out to use the loo and my waters appeared but not burst - they came out (sorry tmi) whole as a sack - had to call the MW into the loo as i had no idea what this was, and she burst them manually.
back in the pool being showered by DH with warm water across my back and fed spoonfuls of honey. fierce contractions for the next 4 hrs. turned down pethidin and diamorphine as concerned about their possible effect on the baby. tried 2 puffs of gas & air but couldn't face it, hated the idea of not being entirely in control (flashbacks of drug addled youth).
very nearly there for about an hour - head could be seen but not quite coming out so eventually had to get out of the pool where after another 15 minutes of pushing the word episiotomy was spoken and all of a sudden the baby was out. it was 6.15 and he weighed in at 8lb 7oz.
i was passed the baby and realised i didn't know the gender so rolled him over myself to find out. i was too exhausted to hold him so DH took him for some skin to skin.
MW discovered i'd suffered a 3rd degree tear so had to be sent to the next town by ambulance to be sutured in theatre. after giving birth with nothing but tens machine, water and 3 paracetamol they then gave me an epidural to stitch me up!
now typing one handed with a sleepy bundle snuffling on my chest 
. all stitches healing nicely and Claude well though quite jaundiced.
DH has suddenly found himself utterly besotted after being quite nonplussed by the idea of a baby from the outset
sorry for going on a bit. i've really enjoyed reading others' birth stories and looking forward to more.