Thank you both! I have a gorgeous snuffly baby asleep on my lap while we wait for the next feed, so I'm having a lovely moment right now. Fast forward an hour and a non-latching baby later, I may feel less joyful, but the lows make the highs so much sweeter.
My birth story? Well, let's just say my birth plan makes me burst into hysterical laughter at how fantastical it is compared to what happened! Essentially, after my waters broke, I was admitted but they found I had high blood pressure, so that sort of set into motion a very medicalised birth. I had a sweep, was given blood pressure meds and the baby needed constant obs. I was taken into a delivery room in the labour ward and laboured without pain relief for about 8 hours until I moved onto gas and air (amazing - four G&Ts merry kinda feeling!). Dilation stalled at 8cm so I went into a hormone drip and had an epidural. That was the most painful moment: insertion of epidural in the uncomfortable position necessary for that while having contractions - woah, mama!! But after it took effect, mmmmmmm. I then felt tightenings but no pain from contractions, and managed to snooze a little until I was 10cm and ready to push, which I did for 1hr15 mins. Then the scary part: her shoulders got stuck which promoted an emergency call out, so they pushed on my belly as I bore down and she popped out (amazing feeling!), but had to be taken away to be recussitated, which was horrible. And I lost a litre of blood. But she was okay, thankfully, and we did some delayed skin to skin, which was another amazing feeling, full of tears and smiles. 21 hours of labour totally worth it.
I then had a pretty miserable three nights on the post natal ward, but that's a story for another day! Suffice to say, coming home was the best feeling ever.
Phew!