MY LABOUR & BIRTH STORY.

On Sunday the 12th of February I didn't feel my baby move. I was one day overdue and very anxious about why she wasn't wriggling. Throughout the whole of my pregnancy she was always on the go. Wriggling, kicking, sticking her limbs in my ribs. I thought something was seriously wrong. For peace of mind I went to the Maternity unit for a heart trace to make sure she was still breathing. The trace came back fine and said I was having irregular contractions.. however I still could not feel the movements, nor the contractions. The doctors decided to give me a Stretch and Sweep, just to ease my worries. Upon doing this, they told me I was 2cm and ready to drop. 
With Triston by my side I headed home to await the arrival of our baby girl.
That night I woke with awful back ache, and pains across my stomach. I didn't know what labour felt like, obviously as a first time mum. & I wasn't too informed of 'period pains' either as I had never suffered them before.. So I went on to do my Paper round and go for a walk to town with Triston.
On the Monday afternoon, things were getting more painful and I was sure it was time.. Arriving at the hospital expecting my baby to arrive, I was still only 2cm and having irregular contractions. I was sent home to 'rest' and have a wriggle on my birthing ball.

That night I did not sleep, the pains were intense but manageable without pain relief and I wanted my baby more than ever.

Tuesday came and again, I did my paperround and went for a walk.. I was tired at this point having no sleep, and desperate for things to progress. We went to town and brought Fresh Pineapple, and I spent the day on the birthing ball eating.. again in lots of pain.

That night things started picking up and I was struggling to breath through the contractions. Triston was timing and eventually at 2 in the morning, they hit 3 minutes apart. We phoned my Mum to pick us up and off we went to the hospital.

The midwives looked at me as if to say 'Ergh, not her again.. you're not in labour so go home'. I demanded an internal examination.. by this time I had missed two nights sleep and was in agony.

What happened next was a shock, to us all and my emotions started kicking in. I thought I was going to meet my baby girl. The internal examination showed that I was 8cm dilated.. Too far dilated for a water birth. They informed me that my baby would be in my arms within a couple of hours.

For 8.5 hours we waited in the small delivery room. In and out of the bathroom and the ward. Not once did I sit down, apart from the on the birthing ball. Triston and my mum were tired, and we were all impatient.. Stuffing our faces with sweeties and hot chocolate, trying to stay awake. Why was my daughter being a pain, she 'should' have been here according to the doctors. At 11:00 another internal examination showed that I was finally at 10cm and ready to push. This is where the Gas and Air came in.. At first it was great, but I went light headed and thought I was going to pass out. I had to give it up, and go it alone. 

After an hour and twent three minutes of pushing, with my Mum, Triston, The Midwife and Student Midwife by my side, Alyssa-Mae Lillian Sedgwick entered the world. I was so excited, relieved, tired.. and scared. The doctors were rushing around, worried about the blood loss. I had torn internally and externally and was losing a lot of blood. Alyssa was in my arms and I didn't even focus on what was happening at the end of the bed. Deep down, beyond the worry, I was exstatic, over the moon. My precious Rainbow baby was here. 

The doctors were amazing and managed to stitch me up without having to have full on surgery.

Everyone was crying with happiness, including the student midwife.. she had just helped deliver her first ever baby! :')
Alyssa was weighed and we found out she was a perfect 7lbs 8oz.

We were discharged the next day after a 24 hour observation due to Alyssa inhaling Macconium(sp). But  all was well and we were thrown into life as a family of three. :)

In labour, listening to Justin Bieber!!

First born cuddles :)

Finally going home!