I was due on the 3rd of March 2011. We were unaware of the sex of the baby and from the look and size of my belly, people were convinced I was having a boy whom would be smaller then Lily. I was preparing myself for a 10lbs baby, doctors thought about an 7-8lbs.

At 38 weeks, when I was admitted to hospital with dehydration from gastroenteritis, I was given a pelvic exam, and to my surprise I was told I was 2-3cms dilated with a soft cervix that was slightly posterior, and baby was 1/5 engaged! I lost most of my plug from that exam. I was told for the next 2 weeks I wouldn’t make the week!

I went to my 41 week hospital appointment and to my dismay, was told I would have to wait till I was 12 days post dates before they would induce me (15/3/11) they gave me a stretch and sweep gave me a bishop score of 9 (cervix 3cms, soft and thin, sitting in the middle baby 2/5 engaged) and sent me home. I started getting contractions 10 mins apart at 1:30pm 10/3/11 they were tolerable, and when I walked around, became irregular. I assume these were Braxton hicks! They settled overnight and I woke up to none during the night. once I started moving around again in the morning, the contractions started, slightly more painful then the day before but still as irregular. I asked my step father Andrew to come around and help with Lily and spend some time with me in case something happened. We spent the day shopping, keeping my mind off of things, even got to see dani and her family at Westfield! (And brought a new LCD TV!) We went home and Andrew left at 4pm.

As soon as he walked out the door, I started to get really strong contractions every 5 mins, they went to every 3 by 5:10pm and every 1-2mins by 5:20 We called mum and left Lily with our neighbors as we sped off to hospital. My contractions were really strong and long I had trouble concentrating on breathing. We hit peak hour traffic on our way in, made it to the hospital by 5:50, Kris dropped me at emergency while he parked the car. I had to be helped to labour ward by two random men I didn’t know as I couldn’t concentrate. When I got up to labour ward I was examined and was 6cms dilated, “oh great” I said in my head, expecting at least 4 more hours of this pain! Kris came in 10 mins later. An IV was put in as I had a previous PPH (post Partum Hemmorage) and they needed to do it as a precaution. The contractions were really strong and long by this point, but I soldiered on, I was given the gas to cope, and once it was turned up to high strength I began to cope better, the pressure pain I had at this point was unbelievable! I remember saying “oh god the pressure” and then suddenly as if my body was being pulled by strings I informed the midwives I needed to push, (right on hand over!!!) the new midwife encouraged me to listen to my body, (the midwife I came in with pissed me off my whole labour, asking me the same question every 3 mins, suggesting I try something then not following through, I think I asked for a heat pack 5 times and never got one!) I think I pushed around 8-10 times, on push 6 baby’s head was crowning, and i felt my waters break, all over the floor, few more pushes and the baby was out, I cried out in joy, yelling “I did it” as I went. What no one else understood was, that the reason why I said “I did it” was because I did it on my no drug policy! And completely natural! I was sooo proud! We still weren’t aware of what sex the baby was until the nurses helped me put the baby up on the bed (I labored and gave birth bending over the bed) I looked down, moved the cord, and looked at kris “it’s a girl…” he looked shocked, but in the same fleeting moment, he had a smile on his face and was happy.

I got to have her on my chest for an hour or two while the midwife stitched me up (1st degree perineal tear, didn’t count the stitches… But she was down there for about 30-45 mins…) and then gave us family time. Kris said I went into a trance while in labour, ignorant to those around me, ignoring instruction, I think it was because I was determined to do it the way I wanted to, and refused to have too much medical intervention!

On Friday 11th March 2011 at 7:07pm after 3 hours of established labour, 27 hours of early labour, Sophia Joy entered the world (hand to her face might I add…) weighing 8lbs 9oz, 50cms long and 35cm head circumference! I am so proud and happy that I got to have a positive birth experience, and I really feel it’s because I had built it up in my head that i could do it and that I would have a positive experience this time round. The powers of positive thinking!!!!

Thank you for reading my birth story