Caylin's birth story

**Hids** · 10-05-2007, 08:35 PM

Finally getting round to doing this

Do excuse the rambling though!

I woke up at 3.50 on Monday morning after feeling a couple of drips on my leg. First thought was 'omg I've started to wee myself'

Then I woke up a bit more and realised it could be my waters. Made it to loo before they completely went (bet my carpet was glad!). About 10 minutes later my contractions started although they were very mild. I'm guessing they'd probably be the equivilant of braxton hicks, but I've never actually had these so couldn't say for sure

I woke Barry to tell him that things had started but told him to go back to sleep thinking it'd be ages and ages before anything happened. Went downstairs and phoned labour ward just to let them know things had started and then went to sort the kids clothes out to save having to think about it later. Contractions were a little stronger by then, so I went and woke Barry about 4.45am. He got up right away and got everything in living room organised (after a very strong coffee

). I can't believe how calm and organised he was getting the polythene sheet out, bringing the HB kit through and tidying up the bits and pieces that were kicking about in the living room.

By 5.30am my contractions were coming stronger again so I phoned labour ward to update them and went for a bath. By time I got out the bath the contractions were coming thick and fast (yeah it was deffo starting to hurt now!) so in between I managed to come downstairs and phone labour ward again asking them to send someone out. Then went and sat on loo and passed more of my waters but it took me about 5 mins to be able to actually get off the loo between contractions. Got through to living room and just wanted to get on all 4's leaning over settee. MW's got here about 5 mins later and about 5 mins after that I wanted to push! They had to kind of rush to get the stuff out of the birthing box but I wasn't paying much attention by this point

Barry phoned my mate across the road and asked if it was ok to take the kids over and he got them organised with jackets and shoes and took them over in their pj's after waking them up. He just got back when her head was crowning and 5 mins later she was born

I didn't even have a chance to have any of my lovely entonox

She needed a bit of oxygen and didn't give an ear piercing cry, more just a little wail but MW said this was because she had a bit of mucus. Took her until the next day to let us really hear her lungs, and let us hear them she did

All in all it was a very positive and great HB and I'm so glad I had her at home

Oh and Barry took to cloth nappies like a pro