Samuel.

I can finally announce that I have indeed had that baby.

Seeing as Samuel came a week 'early,' we felt like we had been waiting forever for him to arrive. Once I hit 37 weeks I said to myself 'Any time now!.' Er...no. Bad mistake. Did not help that my mum kept going on about when he was going to come. My advice to future mothers, is don't dwell on arrival time and distract yourself with something else or you will go INSANE! I was reading up on natural ways to induce labour. We tried the lot. Every twinge and I was wondering if this was it.

Well, I have my own labour-inducing tip now. Orange Wednesdays and a humungous bag of pick n mix. Yup, that's what we were up to the night I went into labour. We went to see Django (very good film by the way.) 

We turned the lights out after getting back and I couldn't settle off to sleep. I was tossing and turning, and about midnight I felt that sudden gush of warm fluid between my legs. Your first thought is 'Pants I've actually wet myself.' Followed by the terrifying realisation what it actually is. I kind of felt like a kid on christmas morning. Coupled with the fear of impending agony/doom. 

So off to the hospital we headed to be examined, as advised by the triage staff. Followed by a trip back home to 'wait for things to start.' Now I was not too happy to go back home, as I could already feel things getting going down there. I told the midwife that in my family the second baby is quick. She replied it might not be the case with me. Fair enough.

On arriving back home Ryan got me my hot water bottle and we settled down under the covers for a night of    pain. Half an hour later, Ryan was snoring and I was biting the bed covers so as not to cry out. They were coming every 5-10 minutes. I was sure these contraction were stronger and more painful than with Lizzie; at least in the early stages. I managed a whole hour before having to wake up my snoring husband and beg him to take me to hospital. At least in the middle of a contraction I begged him, then afterwards worried I was being a wuss. Then I had an exceedingly painful one and I decided I was indeed going back in. How I managed to walk from the car park to the triage unit I am not sure. I hung on to the walls, wheelchairs, anything available to help me through the pains.

Once we got there I was more or less contracting constantly. Once I had finally got into the labour suite I had started to cry out..yes, like those mothers you see on OBEM (so ashamed!) They examined me -6cm. SIX??!! I was upset to say the least. 4cm left. Could I manage it? I was talking all methods of pain relief when they got me on the bed. Gas and air, pethidine, even epidural -which I was SO determined to prove I was too much of an awesome, amazing super-mum to have. Once they handed me the gas and air however, after a few breaths I was floating. Floating in agony yes, but floating. Amongst the clouds. I told the midwife this was good stuff. 

Within an hour though the contractions had got that step further and once again I was climbing the walls. I felt the need to push, although the midwife said there was still cervix in the way. She told me to pant through the urge to push, but within 15 minutes she changed her mind.

Every woman who had undergone labour will know this part is now the exciting part. Although the stingy bit to push the head out (ugh) is agony. But you know your baby is nearly here. About 20 minutes of pushing and our wonderful baby boy was born, at 05:54, weighing 9lb.

Having more than one child has made us realise we had it easy with just Lizzie. The sleepness nights are followed by a little alarm clock at 8am. Just when your baby who has screamed the majority of the night is just settling off to a peaceful slumber. But I would not have it any differently. Our two sprogs mean the world  to us. Having said that, I cannot wait to wean this little one onto solids!!