I didn't make it to the delivery room!

Relznik thought she just had a tummy ache … and then ended up giving birth in only 1.5 hours!

I was miserable and constantly uncomfortable!

Daniel Adam Clayman was born on Thursday 6th December 2001 at 4.35am, weighing 7lb 2oz and was 49cm long. Just the day before, I had all but convinced myself that not only would I go full term (despite being told by a doctor after an internal scan at 37 weeks that I would definitely be early) but that I would probably go over my due date. I'd had no twinges, didn't feel different; nothing. I was thoroughly miserable and constantly uncomfortable and even phoned a fellow member of the Babyworld December 2001 Antenatal Club for some sympathy!

It was a windy night!

Wednesday night I went to bed as usual... tossed and turned trying to get comfortable, as usual. At about 2am (now Thursday morning) I woke up with a bit of a tummy ache. As I suffer from a bowel disorder - Crohn's Disease - and I was also a bit 'bunged up' due to taking iron tablets, I didn't think anything of it. There's no delicate way to put this, but I also passed copious amounts of wind and so decided that I just had a tummy ache after all. At just after 3.00am, I got up to see if I needed the loo. Steve stirred as I got out of bed and I told him I was going to the bathroom for a while! After about ten or fifteen minutes, he came to check on me and I told him that I thought I was having pains. They weren't too bad and I was managing to breathe through them. Eventually, we decided to get Steve's watch and we timed a few contractions. They were just over a minute apart. I told Steve that he'd better phone the hospital to see what they said. (I'd had no show and my waters hadn't broken, so I didn't want to look silly and waste their time - although deep down I knew this was it.) The midwife told Steve that he'd better get me there, ASAP!

With every contraction I wanted to stand up

It was 3.45am by the time we'd got dressed and phoned my Mum to come over to babysit for Matthew. Then we phoned my cousin and very good friend Elaine to come over whilst Mum was on her way. Steve put the TENS machine on me, which did offer a little pain relief. Elaine arrived less than 5 minutes later. Steve went to put my hospital bags into the car, during which time I had about another two contractions! Elaine told him that he'd better get me there soon. Luckily, the hospital is only about a mile from our home and as it was the middle of the night there was no traffic.

We got to the hospital at around 4am. Steve dropped me off outside the A&E Dept. (the only way into the hospital, out of hours) and went to park the car. When he came back, he got a wheelchair for me and started to push me to the Maternity Unit. I made him stop a couple of times, because every time I got a contraction, I wanted to stand up! When we reached the labour suite, we were shown into the admission room and I was told to put on a gown and asked to provide a urine sample. Once in the bathroom, I decided that I REALLY needed the loo.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, the midwife was telling Steve "Get her off that toilet - I can hear her pushing! - or your baby will be born in the loo!" Apparently, it had actually happened not so long before. He eventually persuaded me that I wasn't in need of the toilet and that I should come out.

I walked over to the bed, having what seemed like a permanent contraction and was pushing all the time. I eventually managed to clamber up onto the bed and it just felt right to stay on my hands and knees. The midwife told me to breathe and not push as she didn't even have her gloves on yet! I just turned round and barked 'WELL PUT YOUR GLOVES ON THEN!' She told Steve to press the button to summon another midwife and then gave him instructions to get various things that she needed from a cupboard in the room. No one came and so she told Steve to quickly run and tell someone at the desk that they needed another midwife NOW as the baby was coming.

Steve came back into the room and another midwife shortly followed. I was still on my hands and knees on the bed and I asked for some gas & air. I didn't realise it at the time, but as I was asking for gas & air, the midwife had her hand up my nether regions and was about to deliver the baby's head. Then there was a gush of warm fluid and then the baby's head was delivered. The rest of him followed seconds afterwards.

The midwife announced, "It's a boy" and cut the cord. The other midwife wrapped Daniel in a towel and gave him to Steve to hold. I turned over and laid down on my back for the delivery of the placenta. Afterwards, I needed some stitches for a second-degree tear, but I didn't feel a thing, as I was given a local anaesthetic.

Eventually, the three of us were left alone. I breastfed Daniel and it just felt so right! Steve then held Daniel again, whilst I went for a shower. I still can't believe just how well it went and how amazing I felt immediately afterwards; I felt so high.

My labour was just 1.5 hours! There had been no time to put me on the monitor to check the baby, or anything. I didn't even make it to a delivery room - Daniel was born in the admission room.

Both Steve and I have always said that we wanted two children. Now our family is complete. I'm so happy!

Where to next?

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