Hello, I am going to try and post birth story quickly while my parents are out as will be rude otherwise.
So Jam was right, everything started on Tues night/Weds morning, I woke up for a wee at about midnight and just before I got out of bed felt a bit of a pop, and did wonder if that was something, went for a wee, got back to bed and then it became obvious that it was my waters as they started dribbling out. And hurrah there was no meconium this time.
Called the hospital and they told me to come in.
So got in about 12:30. Talked to the hospital and it became obvious that all the stuff they go on about being flexible about continuous montitoring with a VBAC, etc is bollocks as they wouldn't let me. Which didn't really bother me apart from they tell you they have mobile monitors and they don't, and they won't let you in the pool with the montiors (obviously). They did say that they would keep me off the monitors until i was in established labour though. By now contractions had started and were getting quite strong. They put me on the monitor and all was good, regular contractions and happy baby. They did an exam and I was 0cm dilated though! Boo.
So then they said I could come off the monitor and go for a wander around. By now I was feeling a bit crappy and threw up everywhere but still decided to put TENS machine on and go for a wander around. So DH and I went for a wander round hospital for about an hour or so. Until contractions were getting painful enough that it was embarrassing and I wanted to make noise and so we went back to the birthing bit.
This was now the worst bit for me. I think I was due to be examined again at 3:45 and I didn't want to ask for an examination early as then they would fuss and put me on the monitor but things were getting v painful and i was wondering how I would cope and I felt like a wuss for asking for gas and air when they hadn't figured out I was in established labour (didn't know if they would give it me anyway, plus I was scared of gas and air after hallucinatory experience last time). SO I just made a big fuss and cranked up teh TENS. Main problem was that it was quite painful between contractions and they were close together as well so I wasn't getting much break.
Anyway when they checked me at 3:45 or so I was 4cm. I was very disappointed with this as i was secretly hoping I was about 8 (haha, opimist me!). But this meant that I was in established labour and so they said it was good!
So discussed with them how I was doing and said that I would think about pethidine and they also got the gas and air out but i didn't start using it as I was still scared of it. However, things got better as things seemed to space out and feel like they were actually doing something somehow. I was sitting on a ball though and standing up between contractions and they seemed worry that I would get tired, as a wee test had shown I had ketones in urine meaning I had no glucose supplies left. Time to break out the haribo at the instistence of the midwives.
Eventually contractinos got a bit longer so started using gas and air and discovered that this stuff is magic! Should have Ace, much happier. TENS machine ace as well though.
(Right posting this now as parents reappeared!!) Sorry it is long but I thought I would past full details as wg wanted to know. YES it does end with having a baby!