So as my due date got ever closer, I asked myself daily….how will I know when I am in labour? Stupid really as you will know, but I still wondered with some excitement and anticipation about the arrival of my baby girl.
I worked until 1.5 weeks before my due date so was pretty large and fed up by the end but I wanted as much time at the other end as I could afford. The waiting began and I didn’t have to wait too long really. I started getting contractions at about 9pm on my due date and thought they were braxton hicks so went to bed. By 5am the next morning they were pretty strong and regular. My partner had gone to work so I was left alone with my two dogs…one of which was also pregnant and due any day.
I felt my waters go and I called my mum as I was worried I hadn’t felt her move.
I won’t go into all the gory details as I don’t want to relive it completely 😂 but the gist of it was the baby was in distress so I went into hospital at 10am and the birth plan went straight out the window! Tip to future mums – don’t get too hung up on the perfect birth plan as it doesn’t always go to plan! Nothing was happening fast and I suffered endless epidural attempts that didn’t work however for some strange reason, time seemed to fly so quickly.
One thing I will never forget was that the light in the room didn’t work so it kept flickering on and off!! I had my very own disco which seemed cooler especially on the gas and air! My mum had to help the midwife using my iPhone torch which was a bit ridiculous.
Anyway, despite the flickering light, my baby girl was born at 3.17am on 13 October weighing 7lb 4oz.
I can’t believe I did it to be honest and did feel like I couldn’t do it at the end!
My aftercare from the evening midwife wasn’t great and I have put that down to them being overstretched. It is a shame really as the midwives were all great until they changed shifts.
My partner – if you’re wondering after his fainting episode during the tour – managed to visit a few times but my mum was my rock throughout. After I had Isabella they then had to go and deliver 9 puppies as Crumble had gone into labour as well! Talk about being insync!
Here are a few pics of the lovely pups and one of Isabella and I.
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Mersham Mummy 