Birth story - Emily and baby Barney

I went into labour at 3am, I started using the Freya app to keep track of what was going on as I was sure it was Braxton hicks again, I messaged my mum at 5am to work out I was in labour.

I left jack asleep as he was much more use to me well rested and I was managing okay with the pain on my own, just keeping track of the times and breathing.

My mum came to the flat at 7am by which time my back had really started to hurt, I rang the hospital and said “I’m in labour!” They told me to take some paracetamol and get in the bath. 

I was in the bath until about 10.30/11 by which time my contractions started to pick up, I went to the hospital at 12.30 to be told I was only 3 centimetres and had to go home. The midwife I had was amazing, she told me she finished her shift at 8pm and we would be having the baby by the time she finished- of course I absolutely didn’t believe her! The car ride there and back was a bit of a blur, the hospital gave me some painkillers for my back, I returned home and got back in the bath. I had a nap in the bath and was managing at home really well just breathing through the contractions and getting in a zone. At 2.30pm I rang the hospital and said “I need some gas and air now!” I got to the hospital at 3.30 (they were concerned as it took me and hour to get out the bath get ready and get in the car- I then had a contraction on the zebra crossing and mum stopped the traffic) I went straight into the birth suite with a pool. They examined me and I was 8.5cm I remember just crying that I was nearly there! I got into the pool at 4pm on the dot. I spent a lot of time in my own mind space whilst jack and my mum watched from the side-lines! I wanted to be on my own and just deal with the contractions on my own, coming up to 6pm I started to want jack to be near me and rub my back. I started to get really uncomfortable and the gas and air was just breezing me through it. When I transitioned I was quite violently sick, then I was ready, ready to start the hard work! 

I started to push, push like I’ve never pushed before!! 

After 2 hours pushing, my midwife left the room and said I am just going to do handover, my colleague is going to take over, and I’ll be back at 8 to see how your getting on.. well she left at 7.45 to walk back in at 8pm to see Barney being born. Barney arrived in this world at 8.08pm weighing a healthy 7lb 7oz, gas and air, breathing and no stitches needed. Best thing I’ve ever heard!!

He was nothing like I imagined, he had no hair, even though the amount of Gaviscon I swallowed whilst pregnant prepared me to have a really hairy baby.. nope he was bald! He came out really puffy and looking like a stranger, this tiny baby who I had grown for 9 months, yet I had no idea who he was, this is where the adventure started. We had a really big struggle with breastfeeding, it’s not like the movies and it’s not like a dolly on a knitted boob that you do in antenatal classes. This was hard work, trying to work as a team. Anyway, 6 months later, I have a healthy happy baby, I had the most perfect water birth, everything I wanted.