Birth story - Kerry and baby girl

I woke up at 6am had some back pain and heaviness that I'd had every morning for the previous 4 days. I had a shower and got dressed.

At 8.04 my partner Paul came upstairs and I said I think I've just had a contraction but it could be braxton hicks again ☹. I then went to the toilet and wanted to go again 10 mins later. I felt very heavy. I asked him to get my tens machine and he put it on me.

He said "I'll drop kids off at school and we'll see how you are when I get back".

I went back in to the toilet when he left and the heaviness feeling was getting stronger. The tens machine went up to 6-7. 

I gathered my things and put them by the door because I knew we'd have to leave when he got back. 

I went in to the living room and was on my knees bent over the sofa burying my head into a cushion struggling to breath. I heard a voice in my head say "remove your shorts". As I did I heard an almighty scream and realised it was me as the head crowned.

What I had learned suddenly came back to me and I began to take slow deep breaths and gather my thoughts.

I then managed to crawl 6ft to hallway to get my phone from my bag and called Paul and said "call an ambulance, babys head is out"

Between 2 more surges I managed to tell myself 'with each surge you are one step closer to meeting your baby and this is what your body is designed to do'.

Then she fell out between my legs.

Paul walked through the front door less than 1 min later as I was picking her up and said "oh my god" as he saw me holding her on the living room rug. 

I looked at him and said we have a daughter. She's a girl. 

The ambulance arrived a few mins later and gave me gas and air for the placenta which took longer and was more painful than the birth which was 46 mins from the first surge to birth.

I honestly believe hypnobirthing stopped me from panicking. I would fully recommend it to anyone.  

I did't realise how much I had taken in when listening to it.