My Birthing Experience

So, I was extremely surprised when my little girl decided to make her appearance on 9/11/2017 at 5:54 AM, four days before my due date.

I've decided to share my very REAL experience! Be warned: There will be no beating around the bush.

I began feeling contractions at about 10 PM on 7/11/2017. I wasn't worried about it as I hadn't yet fully lost my mucus plug, and my waters were still intact! They weren't really strong enough or close together enough for me to panic — YET! I did time them though, and they were about ten minutes apart, and very infrequent. No biggie. I went through the next day — 8/11/2017 — in the same amount of pain, and it didn't seem to be getting worse or closer together so I put it down to Braxton Hicks. I wasn't bothered much about it all. I had my tea, and settled down to watch my usual evening TV. It got to about 8 PM and they were beginning to hurt to the point where I couldn't deal with it, so I rang the hospital to let them know that I was in pain. They told me to take pain killers, and ring back in an hour if I felt no different. So, an hour passed and they just got worse. They told me to go in and get checked. 10pm and I was lying on a bed with a monitor around my stomach. Listening to the baby's heartbeat just made me feel content and happy. Then the midwife came and said she needed to check my cervix — WHAT?! That pain was enough for me, and little was I aware that I was actually three centimeters dilated!

"You'll be very mucusy down there so here's some tissue."

Yes. I was. Very. She had basically removed my mucus plug.

I was given the option of being admitted and having a bed, or going home. I didn't really think this part through. I decided to go home, because I didn't think it all would've moved so quickly.

Myself and my Dad got home about 12 AM and I decided to go straight to sleep. I was still in pain but at the time, I just wanted my bed! I tried to sleep and I think I managed about one hour in total and found myself waking my Dad up at 3 AM in excruciating pain. I honestly thought I was in full-blown labour and was about to have my baby on my bed! I rang the hospital to tell them that I think I'm ready to have her, and I needed to somehow get to the hospital. They told me to get a taxi! That's £10 each way and the way I was making noises, the taxi man wouldn't have appreciated it. So, regardless of the midwife's advice, I rang an ambulance. They spoke on the phone to me and my Dad until they arrived. They even gave my Dad the shock of his life saying that he might have to deliver the baby. His face went so white!

They had to help me to the ambulance because I could barely walk and only wanted to sit down. I was given gas and air which, to a certain extent, didn't work and I didn't like it. It made me feel drunk. Every bump in the road felt like a rip to my uterus! Then we finally arrived at the hospital. PHEW!

I was taken into the same room I was in just short of four hours before and the pains seem to intensify. I couldn't get hold of my original birthing partner, so my Dad stuck by me through it all. I think I may have broken a few bones in his hand but I'm sure he didn't mind!

My cervix was checked again and I was five centimeters dilated and taken straight into the labour ward. I was put back on gas and air but was sick about three times. Thanks Dad for passing me the bowl in time!! Gas and air then became my best friend. I was in the labour ward from 4:30 AM. I was put comfortable and all of the monitors were set up. My midwife was amazing, as was my Dad. I was being reassured and cheered on the entire time.

It was about 5:10 AM when I was sure that I needed to push, that I felt like she was just going to fly out. I was offered the Epidural, which I took! Anything to get rid of the pain. Not only that, but my waters were slowly breaking! They put the epidural in, but nothing happened. It was pretty pointless. Nothing went numb and I felt everything. I told (or screamed) at my midwife and told her I needed to push. She just told me to go with what my body was telling me. I pushed three times before the midwife said that the most painful part was coming up and it would sting. STING? TOO RIGHT. The baby's head was about to be pushed out. So, me being me, I was adamant that I was done for the day, was going to suck the baby back up and walk out as if nothing had happened. Nope. My body was continuing to tell me to push, and so I did — hard. I pushed twice more and her head came out, OUCH. Then I had to push the rest out. Twice again, and the midwife grabbed her out and placed her body against my own. She didn't cry, but the midwife reassured me it was shock. Within ten seconds she let out a little whimper. Myself and my Dad let out a huge sigh of relief and started to cry. Then the baby was taken to be weighed and clothed. My Dad gave her her first feed, and then I had to deliver the placenta. It was the best feeling in the world! I was given an injection to make it come quickly and my midwife just had a hold of the cord and was slowly pulling. She then told me to cough, which I did and it just slipped out. I don't know why it felt good, but I think it was more relief and warmth over what had just happened. Then I was told that I needed stitches, and I had a second degree tear. That was also weird as I had to have anesthetic, which stung a bit and then all I felt was pressure, but I was so wary of everything that I was tensing all parts of my body. I was then allowed to have a shower while my Dad took care of the baby (who I decided to call Harlow Rae) and then I was moved onto the main ward. I was sent home the same day with my little girl, and that was the best feeling.

Harlow is now 17-days-old and she's a precious gem.