May 2016 

I went to bed on Sunday (40+6) night feeling a little unusual, slight period pains but thought nothing of it as you experience unusual sensations throughout pregnancy. I began waking in the early hours, on and off until about 6 am where I went to the toilet and my waters broke. I was unsure at first as to whether I had just lost control of my bladder but did eventually come to the conclusion it was my waters. I went back to bed to inform my husband who barely stirred.

Following a phone call to the maternity department, they advised that I should go up about lunchtime to be reviewed. An hour later I was having contractions every 3 mins, a further phone call to maternity indicated that we should go up right away.
After ensuring that we had gathered things and done essential tasks eg my husband blow drying his hair we arrived at maternity to be wired up to a machine monitoring my contractions and baby’s heartbeat for an hour and a half. This indicated that indeed my contractions were every 3 mins and that baby’s heart beat was higher than it should be.

I was examined by a midwife and was 4-5 cm dilated, which indicated that I was in labour. A doctor checked me over due to babies heart rate and through to the labour ward I went.

Over the course of the next 2 hrs contractions got very quickly more and more painful, so I utilised the gas and air which had a feeling of being drunk. This is where the undignified nature of labour began, having to go to the toilet numerous times as my body prepared for itself to deliver a baby whilst having contractions with my husband holding the gas and air.
My requests to go in the birthing pool were declined by the consultant due baby’s heart rate remaining high. The pain became unbearable, what I can only describe as a horrendous period pain. This part of labour is a little fuzzy for me, possibly due to the gas and air or the body’s ability to block out traumatic experiences.

I requested an epidural at this point, which, from what I remember took ages to happen, the anesthetist struggled to get the Cather into my back but the prodding of a needle in my back was nothing in comparison to the pain I was currently experiencing.
20 mins after the epidural was administered it was bliss! I could no longer feel the pain of the contractions, and my husband and I proceeded to play a board game. 3 hrs later the pushing feelings started, and the epidural was left to wear off. The pushing period totaled about an hour, of what I can describe as pooing a bowling ball. Next thing I knew there was a baby between my legs! What a miracle!

Guest Blog @ Relaxed Parenting by Cate from England

Follow me at: Facebook , Twitter, Instagram