A good inducement

• I thought my mind was playing tricks on me
• My husband didn't believe me
• The takeaway wasn't such a great idea!
• She was perfect in every way

I thought my mind was playing tricks on me

At 38 weeks, the big day was near. Due to my circumstances the consultant had agreed to induce me, so I was going in to hospital on Monday 29th April. On the Sunday, my husband came to help me muck out and see to the horse. We went up there first thing and totally bottomed the stable, making sure everything was ready for my friend to take over from Monday. This was really hard work, so didn't really pay too much attention to the twinges I was getting.

Back at home, as I checked and double-checked my hospital bag, I realised my twinges were ten minutes apart, like clockwork. Thought my mind was playing tricks on me as I so wanted to go into labour naturally. Went about business as normal all day. In the evening my husband and I were going out for a meal, you know, our last meal alone etc etc. I had my shower, got ready, then timed a few more of the twinges. Every five minutes!

We decided to postpone the meal, so drove to a takeaway place and I had a massive burger and chips, yummy.

The pains were not bad but regular and frequent. Because I wasn't complaining, my husband didn't believe me when I said I thought we should go to hospital. Eventually persuaded him, then my mother, and off we went. We got to hospital at about 10pm, where midwife examined me. I was at 4-5cm dilated, waters bulging.

I was taken down to the delivery suite. Cruelly, the only room available was the pool room, and I wasn't allowed to go in it, due to my previous section. They hooked me up to monitors, I laid on the bed, and nothing else happened. Four hours later, I was at the same stage, still having regular twinges. My husband was bored, Mum was bored, I had a nap!

The midwife decided to break my waters, which was really uncomfortable, but it did the trick. Minutes later the contractions became much stronger, and midwife said the baby had really dropped.

After an hour of this, I wanted gas and air. I found being stuck on the bed worse, so I stood up but had to hold the monitor in place, which was frustrating. Then panicked a bit when I realised I needed the loo, badly. I went to bathroom ... in hindsight, maybe the takeaway wasn't such a great move! I felt really crap, wanted to cry, told midwife I wasn't playing anymore, I wanted to go home. She decided this was transition and examined me. I was fully dilated and allowed to push.

I had forgotten about gas and air, at this point, so started to push. The pushing bit actually felt pretty good, the contractions didn't hurt nearly as much if I pushed through them. After 15 minutes of pushing, something started to really hurt. I was sure baby was coming out of my bum, that's what it felt like! I begged for epidural, or another section. The midwife just laughed and asked me to touch my baby. I could not believe that I could feel her head! One more push and she was out.

We welcomed Ruby Jean at 04:42. The midwife had to pull on the cord to get the placenta out, so my husband did skin-to-skin, as I needed gas and air at this point. I can't believe I had a natural birth without painkillers but needed some relief to get placenta out!

Ruby weighed 8lb 5.5oz, and was perfect in every way.

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