Here is the sixth in my birth story series. Real birth stories, from real Mums. If you enjoy this I will be posting a different story every Thursday so make sure to pop back each week for a new one. If you would like to share your story please contact me using any of my social media.

Thank you to the Mum who wrote this weeks story and congratulations on your gorgeous girl.

My due date was 25th October, as Isabella was my first child I was very scared, nervous and anxious. I knew I would go over and end up being induced. The days ticked by  and numerous sweeps were taken. On the 4th November at 10 days overdue I went in to the day clinic to be checked over and monitored, this was for my induction meeting. Our local hospital leave you until you are 14 days past due before they induce. However they allowed me to choose the day I wanted to go in to be induced. We decided we would go in on 6th November, that day was significant to myself as it was my late Grandads birthday.

The day arrived and at 4am I started getting pains (as a first timer I didn’t know these pains were contractions). I went downstairs and got a glass of water and sat and watched some tv. I decided to time the pains as they were becoming very regular. It turns out they were around 30 minutes apart. I got a bath and decided to call the labour ward at around 8am. As I was due in to be induced at 10am they advised me to come in for 10 unless they became more regular.

I waited at home and went in for 10am and was checked over. I was 1cm which made me feel better as then I knew the pains were definitely contraction. The midwife inserted a pessary and then I was left for 6 hours.  We went for some dinner in the hospital and did a lot of walking around. At around 4pm the contractions were closer but still around 20 minutes apart. The midwife checked me over again and by this point I was 3cm dilated. She decided I didn’t need another pessary and was ready to go down to the labour ward, however there was no space for me so I had to stay on the induction ward. We ended up going to the family room and watching some tele. It was very uncomfortable as my contractions were now every 9/10 minutes. We went back to the ward and basically just chatted away. It got to around 10pm and we were advised that as I wasn’t on the labour ward and because there still wasn’t any room that Jay had to go home. I got very emotional, I was really scared about staying in hospital on my own so knowing I now potentially had 2 nights on my own really scared me.

Jay went home and I decided to get some sleep, however the contractions were still around 9/10 minutes apart but a lot stronger. Every time I got a contraction I ran to the toilet expecting to have a wee. I went and asked for some pain relief (paracetamol and codeine was all they would give me as I wasn’t on the labour ward). The contractions started coming even stronger to the point I was doubled over in pain. I managed to get up and go back to the midwife for more pain relief, they wouldn’t give me any as they had only just given me some. To me it felt like a lifetime ago that I last had some. I was told to go back to the bed and a midwife would be over to check on me. At this point I felt a big wave of nausea come over me and I ended up being sick everywhere.

Once I was sorted I went to get checked over. It was 4am and the midwife told me I was in fact 7cm dilated. She advised me that I needed to get Jay back here immediately but told me to tell him not to rush to save him having a accident but he needed to get there ASAP. I did this and was then wheeled down to a labour suite.

I was hooked up to monitors and given gas and air, Jay then turned up. I started to feel really sick again and ended up running to the sink forgetting I was hooked up to the monitors and pulling them all with me. I was sick a number of times during the labour. At around 6am my contractions were still 9/10 minutes apart and at this point the pain was ridiculous, I started asking the midwife for a epidural. The midwife said it was pointless as I had done so well on my own. I always said I didn’t want one but the pain was unbearable so I pleaded with her. In the end we agreed on one shot (cant remember the amount) of pethidine, she advised one shot would be enough just to take the edge of the pain as at this point i was 9cm. My waters still hadn’t gone and my contractions were still far apart.

I started feeling like I needed a wee again every time I contracted> I told the midwife to which she replied I wasn’t allowed to go to the toilet. She placed a bed pan under me but as I wasn’t in my normal ‘toilet’ position I told her it wasn’t going to work. Her and Jay then lifted me and placed me on the bed pan but on jays chair. I then got a contraction again and pushed to try and wee as the feeling of really needing one was almost worse than the contraction pain. I pushed and my waters went, as I was mid contraction so I couldn’t tell them that my waters had gone. Once I had finished contracting I was able to tell the midwife who confirmed they had gone. Had the waters not gone I was informed it was too late for them to break these so Isabella would need to be born in her waters.

It got to around 9am and I was checked over and I was 10cm, the midwife told me if I felt the need to push then I should. My contractions were still 9/10 minutes apart which raised concern so they added a hormone drip to speed up the contractions. They placed this on a high volume which meant I was then in one massive contraction. It was then turned down and they started coming every minute or so. I started to push and then before I knew it this beautiful gorgeous healthy 6lb 13 baby was born. I have never felt emotion like it before, it was the best experience of my life and I cant wait to do it all over again. Afterwards I didn’t really get any complications. I had 2nd degree tears which needed stitching up and my face was covered in burst blood vessels but apart from that I was absolutely fine.