After nine months, the last few weeks of pregnancy can speed by, leaving you on the way to the hospital, or at home waiting for the midwife and wondering what on earth you've let yourself in for. No-one can tell you exactly what to expect - but we've asked our readers to share their birth stories in the hope of giving you an insight into the event this has all been leading up to.
Slow Start Still no appearance from first-to-be-born at 12 days over
due date. Well, tell a lie. Contractions from very early Tuesday morning (a mere
10 days past 'the date') until Thursday morning. Managed to get to the grand total of 1cm dilated at that point. Even with the addition of the picotin drip, by half nine on Thursday night, after having my waters broken by a Lord Flashheart-alike (Blackadder – remember him?), I was still only 4cms. After no food for a day, no sleep for three, a c-section was looking like a Coke machine in the middle of a desert. And that's what happened. Stayed in hospital for three days after (still no sleep) but was on the happy hormones for most of it so had no idea how tired I was. (Really, REALLY tired). RK's Baby Blogger
Bathroom Floor
My youngest son was born after a very short labour, 3 contractions and no pain relief on my bathroom floor!! Delivered safely by the ambulance man who was tucked beside the toilet and my husband who was "wedged" under the sink (we don't have the biggest bathroom by any stretch).
If I hadn't run up the stairs after the second contraction, I would have had my son on the drive as we were about to get in the car to go to the hospital, think the bathroom floor is preferrable to the drive!!
I would say it was a very positive experience but would have been much more scary if it had been my first!! RK Member: Scatty
Super Speedy Went to Triage dept of hospital at 6.30pm as I was bleeding but no pain. So the maternity ward didn't want to know me.
Was 7cm dilated when they had a peep.
Gave birth 2 hours later at 8.30pm. Took me longer to get over the shock than it did to give birth.
Got around of applause from the lovely midwives and stitches. Ow!
P.S. It was a boy and my first and anyone who had an awful time is allowed to pinch me really hard! RK Member: Samc100
A Home Affair Youngest son - after consultation with midwife and doctor we decided to go for a home birth this time ... 13 days overdue (due 13 Dec so a long and miserable Xmas with nobody wanting me to go to their house, sob sob), two eldest children safely deposited with grandparents, went into labour at 11:30pm, waddled home from pub where we'd been sitting in quiet desperation, and phoned midwife. To my delight, the midwife on duty had been my community midwife throughout my pregnancy so it was lovely to have the baby delivered by her. Slight concern about baby's heartrate so an ambulance summoned, but by the time it arrived our son (all 8lb of him) had appeared, safe and well. No pain relief because everything went so quickly that I couldn't ask for the gas and air that was laying on the bedroom floor even though I was desperate. Once again, luckily, all well and no need to go to hospital. Hubby for one very very grateful to have had some help this time... RK Member: Nightowl27
Ice, Ice Baby
(Day 3) Had the epidural and fell asleep. They woke me up at 3 in the morning and told me to start pushing. My whole body felt dead. I didn't know if I was pushing, as I had little feeling. 05.30 they took me into theatre, tried forceps and venteuse. At this time they still could not see the head. I could hear the monitor getting slower and slower. Time for an emergency c-section. The big thing that stands out for me was the anaesthetist with his bloody ice cube keep saying can you feel this. He was really annoying me. I nearly said that I could not feel it when it dawned on me if I could feel his ice cube I would feel the knife. Eventually I could not feel his ice cube. And our daughter was delivered. I was told it was a girl they gave me a quick glance and rushed her off. At this stage I noticed the heartbeat getting quicker and realised it was my one that I could hear!! She was born at 6.13 am weighing 7.13lb. She was back with me in no time and latched on straight away for a feed; I fell in love immediately and felt it had all been worth it. RK Member: Enterprize
Share Your Story To read lots more birth stories, and to add your own account when it's all over, click here for our forum.
After nine months, the last few weeks of pregnancy can speed by, leaving you on the way to the hospital, or at home waiting for the midwife and wondering what on earth you've let yourself in for. No-one can tell you exactly what to expect - but we've asked our readers to share their birth stories in the hope of giving you an insight into the event this has all been leading up to.
