Labour ain't no joke

I'm going to do this post while it is still fresh in my mind and I remember the pain. For me labour was a labourious process ha .

I had planned to go to a nearby birth Centre so that my husband would be able to stay with me overnight after the birth. The birth centre would mean no strong pain relief only pethidine and gas and air. There'd also be baths for water births which is what I wanted. They always look so easy and relaxing. 

My due date came and went I was bouncing on my bouncy ball like a loon, eating pineapple, curry, raspberry leaf tea, speed bumps you name it I did it. He wasn't shifting. I had been feeling cramp like pains for a week when they suddenly intensified on Monday 7th October. 2 days after my due date at 1am I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep. We called the birth centre they said the 'cramps' seemed like early contractions Yess!! Hallelujah! We had to time them and when they got regular and 3-5mins apart to go in. They got closer but not close enough by Tuesday they were starting to really hurt so we went to the birth centre they checked me I was 2-3cm. Yes on the right track. They gave me a TENS machine for pain relief so I could sleep as I hadn't slept Monday due to the pain. I didn't sleep Tuesday either. I was in agony pacing the bedroom and banging on the wall every time I had a contraction.I went back again when my waters broke one of the midwives checked me said I was 4cm yippee right not. I was admitted but had to wait for a room to be cleaned we waited 4 hours then another midwife checked me and said I was 3cm what??? They said go home wait it out. I told them I was in too much pain they told me to go to the hospital and they could give me pain relief tablets but I would have to go to hospital in 24 hours anyway because my waters had broken and there was risk of infection. I went in the next day there wasn't any room on delivery suite as they were extremely busy. We had to stay on the maternity ward till there was room! From 5pm till 4am I was writhing around in pain on the ward. I would doze off as at this point I was reaching 72 hours without sleep, then wake up screaming because of the contractions. Finally at 4 we went up to delivery. I wanted the EPIDURAL. My whole pregnancy I was against it for so many reasons the risks the after effects, the back problems possibly in the future but I was exhausted  and just wanted the pain to stop. Ironically we were in the room with the only birthing pool! Anyway fast forward gas in air, anesthetist leaving half way through for emergency, getting fluids pumped into me as I had a temperature another one then finished off administering the epidural,getting the drip to speed up my irregular contractions and me Ed and my sister Michelle enjoying a nice relaxing morning waiting for when it was time to push. My sister is a trainee midwife and knew the midwife who was looking after me which was nice. Bev was lovely. With the epidural I couldn't feel anything the pain was completely gone but after about 5 hours I said Bev I can feel him moving when he moves she just said yeah ok. When she came back from her quick lunch break I told her I could feel him the baby again she checked and then said oh I can see the head. She asked Michelle to pass her the delivery gloves. 15mins of pushing later and he was out our little Gary wasn't in my belly anymore. It was amazing and overwhelming. After all the sleepless nights and hours of excruciating pain our little boy was in our arms. I felt so blessed and so grateful for my sister being there and telling me to push and my husband for rubbing my back constantly all through the night without complaint. He was brave for me cause I hate the sight of blood and had to literally go overboard on the gas in air so I wasn't fully aware of what was going on. My husband is my hero. I'm glad our son has a dad like him. Welcome to the world Hunter Maxon Wild you were totally worth every minute of pain. 7lbs 5oz.