Here's my birth story:
Contractions began at about 7pm on Saturday 11th and ramped up over night, getting to every 3 mins, then dying down at about 7am to about every 10-15 - a pattern that continued every night then day until Wednesday 15th (by which time I was shattered as I hadn't slept apart from in between them since Sat am!). I was booked for a midwife visit and stretch and sweep on Wednesday. When they came at about midday I was examined by the midwife and the student midwife, who both told me I was at least 4cm.
Contractions kept getting stronger throughout the afternoon and back to 3 every 10 mins or so, and I eventually went to the hospital at about 9:30pm, only to be told I was only 3cm dilated and should really go home. Once home they were immediately stronger and more frequent, and I howled and wailed through the next few hours with my DH, Mum and Sis - my Dad went for a nap! The main issue was that baby was back to back (having not been at midday) so there was no let up from the pain in between contractions which after 4-5 days with no sleep I found really hard to deal with!
At 2am DH insisted on ringing labour ward back and telling them I couldn't cope anymore (he was right - I think it was me begging him to sever my spine to make the pain stop that gave me away...). I was re-examined at 2:20am and found to now be 6cm and told I could have pain relief. I was adamant on the way in I was having an epidural asap, but the midwife moved me to a delivery room and gave me the gas and air tube and immediately I felt like I could manage again, especially when I got on a bigger birthing ball and she gave DH a lesson in rubbing my back effectively to help!
Over the next couple of hours we filled in paper work and discussed pain relief etc in between contractions, and just after I had explained that I thought I could cope with gas and air for now, by waters exploded all over the floor and I felt like I'd be pushing very soon! Waters were green so the (amazing) midwife got me straight on the monitor to check on baby. We were struggling to pick up her heart beat properly due to her position so unfortunately I had to lie on the bed (which wasn't how I had planned to give birth) and DH had to firmly hold the monitor on me. The midwife called for a back up team who stood in the corner of the room while I delivered (luckily she came out quickly - from waters going to delivery took about 14 mins - 5 contractions as the midwife managed to manipulate her position so she wasn't back to back for delivery) and as soon as she'd pinked and screamed the team all left without saying a word - I was so impressed that everyone stayed so calm but they were so fully prepared in case anything went wrong that I felt safe, making delivery much easier. I was also lucky to get away with a small 1st degree labial graze and not a lot else!
Baby came straight up for skin to skin (and pooing on my tummy) after my Mum cut her cord and I had the injection for the third stage, which took another 15 or so mins.
Overall it was amazing! I feel like I was really very well looked after by everyone at the hospital and they did an amazing job, and 4 days on, I am starting to think I could do it all again at some point!