Sorry - hadn't finished!
I went in to hospital that night but the contractions got slightly shorter and further apart overnight - by the next day I hadn't really progressed and he was still back to back. They let me stay, though, as I felt much safe and more comfortable in the hospital, and was also in a LOT of pain, and unable to sleep or lie down, from a water infection that was giving me horrible back pain, I think that was worse than contractions!
I had a shot of pethidine on Weds night, once they'd diagnosed the water infection, which helped me sleep a little.
On Thurs they transferred me to labour ward and I spent all morning in there on a birthing ball (still being monitored on CTG) and eventually they did an ARM and found meconium, so told me I couldn't have a water birth, which was demoralising. I agreed to a syntocinon drip (took 4 of them 5 attempts to insert the cannula - I now have arms like a meth addict) and they said they'd check progress in 4 hrs. (I was using gas and air by this point.)
After 2 hrs though they were worrying a bit abut the CTG results for the baby, so tried to take blood samples rom his head it it wasn't far down enough and I was still only 4cm dilated! At that point (late at night) the doctor advised EMCS as I was utterly exhausted after about more than two days, and she was worried about the baby. I cried but was relieved, in a way, to at least know what was going to happen! After we agreed on that, it felt like it was only about 20 mins before he squelched out, crying but very alert and utterly beautiful. They tidied me up and that was that!
The numbness from the caesarean anaesthesia wore off the next day and I was up and about and showering. We stayed in til Sunday and came home that night. He's just absolutely and utterly perfect, but we've had a few wobbles b/feeding-wise! (I think we both cried as much as each other last night, trying to pump for 24hrs now to give nipples a rest, and feeding via cup at the mo although may have to use bottles tonight, as the cup wasn't v successful.)
So, to sum up on the labour - the hypnobirthing techniques we used were invauluable (all the staff on the unit were amazed I'd had a caesarean with no morphine). The gas and air was possibly more placebo than anything else, but I was glad I had it. Sitting on the birthing ball and staying mobile as much as possible thought labour definitely made me more comfortable and made the contractions easier. I have to say, whilst the contractions were damned uncomfortable at times, I think it was the back pain that made it much worse. Whilst we didn't go in hoping for a caesarean, it was a means to an end, and that end result is pretty amazing :)
Thanks everyone very much for all your help and advice.