So here's my birth story:
Stuffed face on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Was sure baby wouldn't arrive until early Jan and no real signs of anything except one strong ish Braxton hicks during the day which went away again quickly. Continued stuffing face.....then went to bed about midnight and suddenly needed to fart! It was quite painful, so I thought I'd better see if I needed the loo. Sat on loo. Wind came out. Went back to bed. Tummy ache and back ache began. Thought "no way baby won't arrive until Jan" but then found myself deep breathing leaning over the side of the bed so we thought we should probably take it seriously! Rang hospital, got parents round to look after DD1 and went in.
I was 5cm when I got in which I was pleased with as it was easy peasey. Then obviously I shouldn't have thought that as spent the next 12 hours with my tens machine on and breathing in lots of gas and air having very painful contractions in my back every 3 minutes. (not having stronger pain relief was more about me liking to be in control rather than being particularly brave. I'm more scared of pain relief than pain!) Anyways, laboured all in my back just like last time as baby was back to back I guess. I do remember imagining blowing out 'Fork Handles' though which made me laugh and helped a bit!
So after 12 hours got to 9.5cm and then....nothing. Had midwife and doctor rummaging around trying to get me to 10cm but it didn't work (blimey that was the most painful thing of all). I'd had a good swear and kept saying I felt I needed a poo (funny the things you remember saying afterwards!).
This may sound odd to some but my biggest fear was needing a c-section because I have a bit if a phobia of operations. But lo and behold that's what I needed. I shook all the way through it as I was so scared! My blood pressure was going stupidly high then really low as well so I thought I'd had it. I also remember them saying the midwife had shaved me down there - and then during the c-section me saying "well no one wants a rampant bush" which made them all laugh, and then I thought I should check that laughing hadn't made them drop a knife in me which they might forget to remove (I was actually joking about that too but afterwards when the doctor came to see me she said quite seriously that they had counted all the instruments and nothing was left behind - well I should think so!!).
Anyways, all ended well and my beautiful little girl arrived safely. And 2.5 weeks on I'm recovering pretty well. I would actually have another c-section if needed so it hasn't completely put me off having more!