i may as well start while you're deciding!
i phoned labour ward to tell them what was happening and then a lovely mw called Jackie phoned me back. and we decided to wait for a couple of hours before getting her round
i then phoned my favourite mw, she was off duty but told me she was coming anyway
not sure when they arrived but they immediately made themselves at home, eating biscuits, drinking coffee and just generally keeping out the way in a very relaxed manner
meanwhile, i was coping with contractions fine. they were getting closer and closer and very very strong but i was managing to breath through them ok, kept active etc
i stuck my hypnobirth cd on at 11.30 to make sure i was calm for the next exam at 12.was amazing, i pretty much fell asleep! Despite all the contractions and the strength of them, mw said i was only 4cm but that she was certain that it was because my waters hadn't gone by that point and she offered an ARM. bit of a discussion with dh meant that we decided to go for it. i was really wanting to get in the pool but obviously couldn't because i wasn't dilated enough
well the hour or so from 12.10 til 13.11 was the most intense of my life!!!! when i found out what time she wasn't born, i didn't believe them! it seemed like ages.
i got straight in the pool after waters were broken, and the relief was immediate but unfortunately didn't last long, presumably because i was in transition by then (but didn't realise at the time!). i asked for gas and air but they delayed it (as per my birth plan and because they knew Pea was only minutes away!)
So, she popped out and i had trouble getting her because she swam away from me!