Hey everyone.

I posted on here on 9th April asking whether Braxton hicks were suppose to be painful, at the time i was 38 + 2 days pregnant. These werent braxton hicks but actual contractions.

I woke up at 4.30am on the 9th with what i can describe as very painful period pains. Everytime i moved around in the bed to get in a comfortable position it seemed to bring on the pain so as your probably guessing i didnt get back to sleep! By about 11am i had timed them to be between 10 - 15 minutes apart & lasting less than a minute but i hadnt had a show & my waters hadnt broken so i thort it was braxton hicks. I ran a bath which helped ALOT but it didnt stop the pain, i then had a shower straight after which is when i lost my show. I then got out & rang the labour ward & was told to have another bath & take some paracetamol & to ring back later!!! Paraceamol didnt touch the pain at all & i didnt want another bath so i pottered round my room getting myself sorted incase i went into hospital! A couple of hours later i rang the labour ward back up - the contractions were now every 3 - 4 minutes apart & lasting for over a minute, i was told to go in. So off my boyfriend & i went to find that when we got there, there was no free rooms & we had to wait in the waiting room for 2 hours!!! Me, on my knees leaning over a chair with contractions as visitors were coming in & out of the room - we wernt happy at all! Eventually at 6.00pm we went into a room & were left to our own devices for another couple of hrs, no one checked me over or anything, jst showed me how to use the gas & air & gave me a tens machine. The pain got worse & worse - the tens machine didnt help at all & i was against having an epidural. Eventually i gave in & asked for one! I was told by the midwife she didnt think i was in established labour yet which is why we got left on our own but when she examined me at 8.00pm i was 8cm dilated!!! So was too late for an epidural & was told it was best to stick with the gas & air. The night shift staff took over & luckily i got a nicer midwife who calmed me down, talked me through everything, kept checking the baby's heart beat & my pulse every 10 minutes. She ran me a bath & bought in a birthing ball - i would highly recommend these, they helped alot! She examined me at 10.00pm & i was fully dilated & ready to push & by 11.28pm, 11 days early our little girl, Ashleigh Jayne was born, weighing 7lbs,4. Apparently because i didnt rush pushing her out it helped to stretch everything which meant i had didnt tear anything & i only had 2 stitches were i had slightly grazed.

Pushing her out was the most painful thing ive ever experienced but definatley well worth it & its true what they say, you forget the pain very quickly!

My boyfriend was brilliant throughout it all, rubbing my back, blowing in my face to cool me down & letting me squeeze the hell out of his hands, lol!!! He kept me calm & kept encouraging me - i couldnt have done it without him.

We now have a little cutie who is getting bigger & bigger by the day. She's definatley going to be spoilt.

Natty x x x x

Sounds like you did really well, can't believe how rubbish hospitals can be sometimes!

xxx

What a lovely story, except for early experience at the hosptal!!! congrats hun xxx

AWWWW i LOVED YOUR STORY! IT WAS VERY iNTERESTiNG AND VERY HELPFUL ALSO!! CONGRATULATiONS!!!

...aw hun, you did brilliantly, I hope I'm as brave...

Enjoy the precious moments together....

Liz+28wk Squiggle...xxxx

We were all wondering what had happened to you as I'd thought it sounded like your contractions had started!!!

Sounds mad at the hospital - at least they didn't send you to another one as I've heard that can happen if they are really busy! I guess it was too late on for the tens machine to have any effect for you. I'm hoping mine will help at home before I go in. Crazy that they didn't examine you when you got there!!!

I hope my OH helps like your's did. We've been going to NCT classes and the last one is tues evening so think he's learnt enough now!

You must be really proud! Can't believe it's all over for you now!

Enjoy being a mummy and keep in touch!

Anne x x x 38 + 4

"Well done natty! "

Congratulations on the birth of baby Ashleigh Jayne! What a lovely name! You did really well Natty just on the gas and air....thanks for posting such a nice birth story!

tc Sharon 20+6wk bump xx

She sounds like a little dink. My smallest was 7lbs 7ozs, biggest 8lbs 12 1/2 ozs.

Even though its the most horrendous pain ever I would do it a thousand times over.

Take care

Sarah 26+4 blue bump

xx

""

congratulations hun
Lis 36wks

WELL DONE!

I'd be very disappointed not to be given a room when I arrived at hospital! Enjoy your little girl.

Take Care

Rachael & Eleanor (1 month, 1 day old)
XxxX

Hi Natty!

Congratulations! Glad it all worked out in the end and you eventually got a room, I would have freaked out if I'd have got there and there wasn't a room!

Well done for just having gas and air too!

Everyone on here at the moment seems to be having their babies early! I want mine!!!

Emily and a stubborn 39+3 girl bump
xxxx