In the early hours of Tuesday 30th June (due date was 28th) I started having some uncomfortable tightenings which continued through the night. When I woke in the morning around 8am, I had a show and the contractions started, 20 mins apart.

I had a routine appt. with my MW who confirmed that I was in early labour, 2cm dilated and my cervix was thin.

The contractions continued through the day, not than painful but uncomfortable like a bad period. They were then every 15 mins by late lunchtime. By 5pm, they were 11 minutes apart and then some were 8 mins apart and they continued to be 8 - 11 mins apart until late evening. I went to bed around 11pm and told my husband to be on alert incase this was it! 9I had been warned however by my MW that they could stop at any time and they did not mean that I would have my baby that day)

By midnight, they were definitely 8 mins apart and painful but bearable. I paced for the next 2 hours to try and help things along. By 3am they were 5 mins apart and lasting up to 1 minute and so I called the delivery suite.

They advised me to arrange for childcare for my daughter and then come over to be checked out.

By 3.30am we had arrived and I was alone in the hospital car park having painful contractions whilst my husband parked the car in the nearest car park - a fair walk away!

When I got there they hooked me up to a monitor and said that I 'had a while to go yet'. The contractions got progressively worse and so much more painful but I still didnt request any pain relief as I wanted to do it on my own for as long as possible.

An hour later I was 3-4cm dilated.

They made me stand up for gravity to help and by 6am I just had to have the gas and air as the contractions were coming thick and fast and I was in agony. By this point I was around 6cm dilated.

Three different mw's tried to break my waters but no one could do it. I thought it was odd and then a doctor examined me and said that they had already gone! I told them that last week but they told me it was 'heavy discharge as there was no evidence of a leak'.

They then called the registrar in as well as extra mw's due to my babys heartrate dipping each time I contracted. They also kept losing the heartbeat trace on the monitor so the registrar hooked up a monitor onto my baby's head before he was even born! I had a wire coming out of me with the end taped to my leg - it would have been funny if I wasnt in so much pain!

I had so much gas and air so a lot of the rest is hazy but I do remember a bit of a panic about my babys welfare so they put a gown on me ready to take me down to theatre should they need to.

I then heard that I was 7cm dilated and I was breathing in the gas and air like oxygen!

I told the registrar off on a number of occasions as he was so heavy-handed when he examined me each time and had I had the strength, I could have gladly punched him!

Shortly after I had an overwhelming urge to push and I told him so. He said '' you arent ready yet'' 10 minutes later the urge was still there and so I told him again. Again he said ''you are not fully dilated, I will tell you when you are ready''

my husband told me that an older, experienced mw then walked in, looked at me and said ''listen to her, she is ready to push''

within a few minutes of pushing, my baby was born but was whisked away so that they could clear the lungs of mucus.

in the drama and trying to see past the 5 mw's, registrar and a doctor, i realised that my husband hadnt told me whether we had a boy or a girl.

When they brought my baby over I had a little peak and saw that I had been blessed with a boy! I was so pleased as we have a daughter already and I fell in love with him instantly.

He was born at 8.10am on the 1st July weighing 8lb 10oz! The heat was unbearable but I got through it and on nothing but gas and air which I was so pleased at myself for doing.

I asked my husband if I 'behaved' and he said that I was quite noisy and did shout at the registrar but I was ok. He said that he could see I was in a lot of pain and so just let me behave how I felt I needed to, bless him!

One mw said that it was eventful like my first pregnancy, almost the exact same things happened 'it was like de ja vu'.

She said that I was good at giving birth but my body doesnt cope that well.

I am so in love with my baby and I never thought I could be happier than I was already with my husband and 7 year old daughter.

Follow the link for a little picture of my new arrival - Xander Marcus Lim.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2912668&l=150d4e7a61&id=639182742

mummyagain09

Congratulations :) he looks gorgeous!

[Modified by: Katie18c on July 03, 2009 07:49 PM]

What an incredible story! Congratulations!! Your baby boy is gorgeous!!

Dx
18+5

He really is beautiful

Thanks for writing your story, I love reading them so much and I think hearing about the reality of birth can prepare us first time mums for the experience xxx

congratulations he is gorgeous xx

Wow a great birth story and a beautiful baby boy!
Dx
26+5

i want him!!! he's gorgeous hun, congrats and well done xxx

He's gorgeous! Congratulations and well done on just gas and air!

xx

30 weeks today - woohoo!!

he's beautiful x x x Congratulations x x

He's lovely my you had a tough time those few days were very hot!

31+5

[Modified by: rebecca1975 on July 04, 2009 09:59 AM]

congrats to u hun hes adorable and well done with the labour u should be proud of urself

donna 16+6 xx

Congratulations hon he is lovely.x

Sorry for crashing over from the ttc forum but i just love reading the birth stories congratulations huni! So pleased for you he is gorgeous! xxxx

Thank you, Im besotted with my new baby!

I hope that my birth story didnt put anyone off. I found that when I was a first time mum, it helped to read all kinds of birth experiences as many arent text book and go that smoothly. I think it helps people be prepared for what could happen.

Its all well worth it, no matter how much it hurts!

Congratulations, and well done. He's lovely! xx

12+1

congratulations hes gorgeous! xx

congratulations! i love reading birth stories- they;re fascinating x

Soo adorable makes me even more broody for my baby to come in oct lol! I like reading birth stories i think its a way of researching what might happen! xx