My birth story

First ever picture taken of me and my son

Hello! I have now finally put together my birth story as lots of you have requested it. If you have any questions pls drop me an email or leave me a comment here on the blog, and I will be happy to reply. Happy reading!





Let’s start off with me confessing that I was VERY ready to have this baby--I was tired of being pregnant, especially when I went overdue, and the thought of being induced had me very depressed and very scared!
Well I was due in the Lindo Wing at 12pm Thursday 27 November to get a little help, a kick start with the labour as it didn’t seem to want to start naturally.

However, on the night before - Wednesday evening at 9pm (we had gone to bed really early in order to be fresh and prepared for the induction the next day), the contractions started. I dozed off in between but was fairly sure this was the real thing. By 11pm they were so strong that I couldn’t keep quiet nor lay still and woke up Bear. He supported me though them until 2am when they were so strong that we thought it was time to wake up Mum.

The contractions were coming in the next few hours every 3 minutes and lasted approx 30 seconds. Mum and Bear took turns rubbing my back and massaging it. By 4am I decided to have a shower as I knew it was getting close to us going in to the hospital and I wanted to freshen up. The three minutes in between each contraction seemed so incredibly short and I remember shouting angrily “Oh my God, I can’t believe the three minutes are up already!”

By 5 am, I was in real agony and could not stand the pain any longer. Bear then called the labour suite at the Lindo wing and told them that we were planning to come in. The midwife asked to speak to me and she asked me a few questions which I now don’t remember. In any case, they told us to come in so Bear stepped outside and hailed a cab and off we went. The hospital is only a few minutes drive away but I had a contraction in the actual cab, and I had to kneel down and was on all fours on the cab floor whilst it took its turn.

Once there, they examined me, told me that I had only dilated 1 cm. I was then hooked up to all the machines and fitted a catheter to my bladder as I had no urge to go to the toilet and was simply not able to wee once my contractions started.

Whilst waiting for the anesthetist I tried the gas and air, which only made me dizzy. Once she arrived, she gave me an epidural, which worked on the first attempt and I didn’t feel much more than stinging. Pretty soon after I started to itch everywhere. On my arms, head and stomach and it was so annoying. I couldn’t stop scratching myself and eventually I had to tell the midwife who explained that can happen with the epidural. She gave me some anti-histamine tablets which soon kicked in thankfully.

My consultant, Mr. Wright, came to check on me first at 8am then again at 12pm, and both times he examined me and told me to my huge disappointment that I was still only 1cm dilated! He explained that Sean was positioned back to back and was pointing his head upwards, which was slowing down the process and said he hoped Sean would during the course of the evening change position or else I would have to have a caesarian section. They then fitted a drip which was supposed to speed up the contractions and at 1pm Mr. Wright came back and broke my waters. That way he hoped it would speed things up and that Sean would turn around in to the right position.

The epidural was topped up every half an hour which was nice. Bear left to get some fresh air a couple of times, and bought some low calorie chocolate that I requested. Imagine that I thought of being healthy even when giving birth! Ha ha

By 4.30pm I started to feel an immense pain that was indescribable. It felt as if I didn’t have any pain relief and it baffled the midwives. I was tossing and turning on the bed, crying and shaking and Bear shouted to top up my epidural more often, but it didn’t seem to make any difference.

After 2-3 top ups each 20 minutes they noticed that the epidural was leaking. No wonder I was in so much pain. I remember feeling wet on my back but thought that was only me sweating. Once again, they had to call an anesthetist to fit the epidural properly again and it was not until 7pm was I pain free again. Mr. Wright came to check on me and then told me I had opened 7cm and the he was sorry for what had happened to me, but that also now I can say I know what it’s like to give birth without any pain relief! He said he would be back 10pm and that it would be the most important examination and everything was down to that.

If Sean by then had not turned around, they would have to cut me open to deliver him. I called my Mum to tell her the news as she waited impatiently at home with only the odd email sent from Bears blackberry and also a couple of phone calls much earlier.

I remember looking at the clock hanging up on the wall right in front of me and at exactly 10pm my consultant came to have a look. I was so very nervous and had tears coming down my cheeks. He then looked up at me, gave me the thumbs up and said: Now we will deliver your baby. Are you ready to do some real work?!

I couldn’t feel when to push because I could not feel the contractions apart from how the top of my stomach tensed up. They had me sit up and spread my legs and hold onto my knees and with very careful directions by Mr. Wright, I pushed when was told to. Towards the end, my partner, Bear, was watching the head all the time and within about 30 minutes, my baby boy entered the world, without forceps or ventouse and without tearing or stitching my privates - he made his entrance at 10:35 pm on Thursday 27 November 2008

He measured 51 cm and weighed 3.21kg and he was 12 days late. Mr. Wright clamped the cord and Bear cut it. Because he was overdue I couldn’t hold him straight away as they had to examine him to make sure he hadn’t swallowed any amniotic water which could have had poo in it. It took a few minutes and they also gave him a vitamin K shot. Those were the longest minutes I have ever experienced and when they eventually put him on my chest I cried, looked at Bear and said “he is perfect”, and then I kissed him on his tiny little adorable face. I was so happy, Sean was so beautiful and I wasn’t in pain at all, anywhere, and mostly was so grateful how everything turned out so good in the end after all obstacles. This was undoubtedly the most wonderful day of my life.