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I had some pains all day Tues, put them down to braxton hicks- they were irregular and very copable with.
Woke 2am Wed morning with more pains, every 10 mins or so, didn't really think anything was happening. By 3.30 they were fairly painful, decided to put the tens on and start timing them, for about 30 mins. About 3 mins apart, but decided to hold on 30 mins just to check that it wasn't a false alarm, pain okish and copable with- going with our plan of staying home for as long as possible.
4.30am, they were slowing down to 5 mins apart, but v painful and I demanded we started making plans for going to hosp. Phoned my mum, and she drove over to look after Sam, she arrived at ours at 5am. By this time I was feeling pushy- but it didn't occur to us (doh!) that the slower contractions + pushyness might actually be second stage, we just assumed I was being rubbish at coping, and needed poo (had real problems with constipation last time...). Got in car, shouted at H 'the baby is coming'. his reply was yes, thats why we're going to hospital...I explained I meant really coming...
He suggested I have a feel to see if I could really feel the head, thinking I was just panicking...yes, I could feel the head 'its about to crown' 'the heads out' 'the body is out' all while he was driving through red lights, hazards on, blaring horn, to get to the hosp as soon as possible. After the body came out I remembered to check the cord, which was wrapped once around her head. I untangled it by feel (I couldn't see anything, I was kneeling up in the footwell of the car) and then we heard a cry.
I don't think the midwives knew quite what to make of it when we got to the hosp - they came out without a delivery pack, and had to go back in to get a cord clamp etc. In the meantime, I delivered the placenta, so I could then get out of the car ok. They rushed the baby inside to get her warming up, I was wheeled in. I gave her a bf asap, and by the time they took her temp, she was fine.
And thats about it! Overall, it could have been a lot worse. It was different in every aspect to last time, (36 hr induction), though I'm not sure I'd recommend either method! And I've already forgotten the pain -- completely. Very bizarre!!!