This was almost a year and a half ago, so let me remember...
It was a Monday morning, about 8.30. Mark had the day off work because he wasn't feeling well, when i suddenly had a sharp pain. I didnt think anything of it at that point, but a few moments later I had another one. I dismissed it as Braxton Hicks like I had had a week earlier. (I was 10 days overdue at this point, and I was schedualed for an induction that afternoon.) Mark and I decided to take a walk around our backyard, hoping that they would go away, but after I walked down our stairs, the pain became worse. Mark finaly convinced me to go to the hospital, and we jumped in the car, forgetting my labour bag.
We got to the hospital and I explained to the receptionist "I think I'm in labour" (i think she was more panicked than me!) I took a seat in the waiting room where a friend and a workmate of Mark's were waiting. (we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone.) Him and his wife were trying to give me breathing tips, as they had done this 4 times, before my mum and my sister turned up.
About half an hour later, we were taken into a ward and were seen by a midwife. She asked if I needed anything, and after I told her I wanted the gas, she dismissed as me being a sook! By this time I had been having contractions for about an hour and a half.
The midwife came back and asked if she could get me anything, and again i told her i wanted the gas. She said there was no harm in showing me how to use it and helped me into the labour suite. While we were there she did and examination while Mark went home to get my bag.
She left the room and my mum and my sister came back in, and she explained to us that I was 10cm dialated. Then she left again, and I told my family "I told her I needed the f*ing gas!"
Mark was still gone when I started pushing, so my Mum ran out and called him, just as he got back. They came back in, and kailey's head was showing. Soon after that, the rest of her followed, and Mark (who stayed by my top end the whole time) was asked if he wanted to see. He took one look as she came out black and blue, and ran to the toilet and vomited! (where the toilet is, there are mirrors which allow you to see straight back onto the labour bed, so he spued again!)
The umbillical cord was tied in a knot (she was a very active fetus, and they say she swam around when she was smaller and tied herself up!) So the doctors rushed in after my sister panicked and kept pressing the emergency button. But when they cut the cord, she was ok, and then she was bathed and handed to Mark (who was over his sickness!) I layed in bed unable to move from the adrenalin, for almost an hour. Then I held my baby for the first time (when i was sure I wasnt going to drop her).
Kailey Michelle was born at exactly 11.30, weighing 7lb1oz, after my 3 hour labour. And at 12 oçlock it started raining, and didnt stop for over a week, which is the longest continuous rainfall that I can ever remember in my poor drought stricken country town.
Mark was sick for the next 3 days while I was in hospital, but tried his hardest to see us, and if he wasnt there, we were on the phone. I went home on the Wednesday, and since then, everything has been a breeze. Kailey would hardly ever cry unless she was hungry, and from about 2 months old she would sleep for most of the night.
So thats how my beautiful little daughter came into the world.
Take care, Hannah and Family