Hi Kirby
Childbirth is different for everyone sweetie so everyone will have a different story, but it's always wonderful at the end of the day, whether it took 2 hours or 2 days!
I can tell you that mine was wonderful, honestly and was 6 hours from first contraction to holding her.
I took castor oil becasue I was 10 days late and didn't want to be induced and about 2 hours after drinking the vile stuff my contractions started. They were mild and like everyone had said were like period pains that came in waves, they got gradually worse until I new i couldn't take much more and I must be nearly there so got in the car and Dom drove me to the hospital. I got through my contractions by getting on my hands and knees and putting my head on the sofa and just locked into my own little world, in between pacing up and down the hall and going upstairs and then thinking, I don't want to be up here about a hundred times! You feel a bit out of it, everything goes a bit kind of unreal.
So anyway got to the hospital and I was fully dilated, so I had to start pushing straight away virtually. I didn't do any drugs, I wanted to feel every bit of the birth and was lucky enough to be able to. i had her standing up and the best advice I have is as follows:
- When the head is out, DO NOT PUSH, PANT ONLY. If you pant hard you can't push and it means the midwife will have a chance to make sure she/he comes out slowly anf hopefully this means you won't tear.
- It will probably feel like you are having the baby out of your bottom, it didn't feel like I thought it would but thank God someone warned me about that and I didn't panic
- Also the last bit of pushing stings, and burns a bit, don't worry it's normal and will end the second she/he is out.
- It's never as bad as you think it's going to be
- try and enjoy it, it's an amazing thing and needn't be a terrifying ordeal.
- Each contraction you get through is bringing that baby closer to being in your arms
Good luck babes, XX