Birth story - Aimee and baby Henry

*Trigger warning* - second degree tear, use of word contractions.

PREGNANCY

I found out I was pregnant in Qatar. It was planned so we were obviously over the moon. However, the health care system in Qatar is very confusing and not what I'm used to in the UK. The first appointment was an ultrasound at 8 weeks. My husband was allowed to come in with me for this one. In Qatar, men are not usually allowed to be with women during these appointments or even the birth so the fact he was able to see just a little blob and hear the heartbeat was so special. However, after that appointment it got stressful every time I went to the health centre. I had to go on my own, sent to different desks all the time when there wasn't anyone there and then there was a language barrier on top of this. I decided at this point to head back to the UK.

It was the end of march when I came back to the UK. Being a teacher, my husband had to finish his school in Qatar so couldn't come back until June. I moved in with my parents which was great and they were so supportive and helpful. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of stress because I had to get our 2 dogs back from Qatar and find a place to live/rent in a new city before baby was born!

I had to have a few extra scans in the UK as baby boy decided to lie in awkward positions so would appear to be on the smaller side. When I was in Qatar they diagnosed me with gestational diabetes which I found terrifying as I had no idea what it was. I did enjoy after awhile though finding snacks and foods that I could eat and found the research interesting. When I got back to the UK who did the test on me (Qatar had diagnosed it at 8 weeks) and found I didn't have it which was a bit of a relief.

DAY BEFORE BIRTH

We had moved in to the house on 2nd July so by the 14th we had unpacked quite a lot. My husband had started painting the kitchen and I decided to strim and cut the lawn. We had already deep cleaned the house and this was the last thing to do before I felt 'right the baby can come now'... It is as if Henry knew....

LABOUR DAY

12:30am I woke up with period cramps and the needing to go to the toilet. As this was the first time I had had this I wasn't sure if this meant labour was imminent or still a few days away.

1:30am I woke my husband to say I think my contractions had started as they were coming every 10 minutes. I couldn't sleep so I thought I would go and do the washing up (I knew my parents would be coming). The contractions really intensified at this point but my app still said I was ok.

3am my husband took over the timing of contractions whilst I had a shower. The shower felt great and really helped with the pain of the contractions. They were coming every 3-4 minutes at this point and my app was saying go to the hospital. I was in denial as it was my first. My husband kept saying we need to go, in a calm but the way he was saying it too me whilst I lay on the bed, I could tell he was getting worried

4:30am I finally get in the car to go to the hospital. In hind sight I am glad I stayed at home so long but I maybe should have listened to the app!

5am we get to the hospital. The contractions picked up pace and intensity now. Walking into the hospital, I had to lie on the ground in the carpark to ease the pain. When we made it to the maternity unit my waters broke and I just kept telling my husband I needed to push. The midwife came in, expecting to tell me to go home as I was easily talking to her, but when she examined me, Henry's head was ready to come out!

I was at transition stage at this point and I thought I couldn't do it. My husband told me to just look at him and then counted my up breathing. We were then wheeled into a delivery suite. They offered me gas and air but it wasnt doing a lot and was taking my concentration away from breathing.

6.02am Henry was born

AFTER BIRTH

The midwife said I needed stitches for a second degree tear. I used gas and air for this and I was as high as a kite! I was having a lot of fun... Until we got to the point where there was no anaesthetic or very little and she couldn't give me anymore. That was painful but writing this now I can't remember the pain.

Giving birth was a euphoric moment for me and I felt like a superwoman. I would do it again tomorrow! Up breathing made the labour so much easier to handle. I had always expected to have epidural and all the pain relief under the sun but he positive birthing course gave me the confidence to try it without pain relief.