It happened in the end!

• A memorable Halloween!
• Stop start, stop start
• I was told to take a couple of paracetamol
• In the end, I needed a little help
• The look on his face will stay with me forever

Well, my story starts on Hallowe'en. My community midwife and friend came to have a look (uh hum, if you know what I mean) and informed me that this baby, like the last one, was not coming anytime soon. She said that I could have a show the following day (what with her poking around in there!) and that I should ignore it. Well, I didn't but, boy, did I have a show on the Sunday! Urg!

Later that night, at about 2am, I started having contractions! So much so that I called my dear mother-in-law just in case this was it. Bless her, she travelled over 20 miles in the pouring rain and, at 5am, they stopped. How silly did I feel!

Anyway, she spent the day with me and nothing further happened. I was still losing my plug big time and called a midwife to make sure everything was ok. She said that I was no more than 1cm dilated and that was normal for a second baby and this was not proper labour. However, that evening I started getting contractions again (True Lies was on the telly, as I recall) but I went to bed and, as soon as I lay down, they stopped.

Wednesday, my dear mother-in-law spent all day with me. Since I had got up that morning, I had been having contractions, nothing to get excited about but they were coming regularly. I sent my mother-in-law home but they started to become a little stronger and I started to time them. They were nice and regular so I called my mother-in-law back again and, by 9.30pm, they were getting a little uncomfortable, so my husband and I went to the hospital. I was told to take a couple of paracetamol

I was told that I was only 2cm dilated and I had two choices: either go home, take a couple of paracetamol and have a warm bath, or go up on the antenatal ward (on my own, as visiting time was over). I decided that I would go home via a shop that sold tablets.

I took a couple and then decided to have a bath. In the middle of running the bath my waters broke! I was stunned! This was so different from last time. There I was, with my knickers and trousers round my ankles and my waters running down my legs onto the bathroom floor, calling my husband quietly so as not to wake our daughter!

We hurried back to the hospital and was told there was no change and that now I would have to go up to the antenatal ward. So, a little frightened by being on my own, I laid on the bed while everything was quiet around me. I felt like screaming in pain as the contractions were getting stronger and stronger. In the end, I begged for some pain relief and had a half dose of pethidine. This didn't even touch the sides and all they could offer me was a bath! I did have it but it made things worse and, by about 6am, I wanted more pain relief so I was sent back down to delivery.

I asked for my epidural but was told that the technician was busy elsewhere but that they were due a shift change at 8am so I would get one then. I struggled on with gas and air. Sure enough, after their morning meeting, I was their first port of call, which was just as well as I felt that I needed to push and that was way too soon to be doing that, so when the epidural took effect I was so relieved!

My husband joined me and my midwife popped in to see how I was doing. I think she was a tad surprised to see me there under my own steam! The day progressed slowly but steadily and, by 8pm, I was fully dilated and then we began the pushing process. I was unaware that they would only allow me to push for an hour or so because of my previous c-section scar but they felt I needed a little help towards the end and helped my lovely little boy into the world with forceps at 9.27pm.

I am so grateful to all the staff at the hospital, for letting my body do its job without even mentioning another section and just letting my body set its own pace. My husband cut the cord (bless him) and he said that he was so proud of me! I thought I would burst! I had to have en episiotomy but, in the long run, the whole experience from start to finish couldn't have been more relaxed and wonderful.

My son was delivered onto my stomach and I had first cuddle! My husband said that he would stay at the non-mucky end, did he heck! The expression on his face when our little man's head was born will stay with me forever.

Where to next?

• Read the full birth story
• Read accounts of different types of birth
• Read accounts of other assisted births