Edward James' Birth Story

I wasn't due for 2 wks and was fast asleep when I thought I needed to go to the loo. Much to my horror before I made it a clear liquid starting gushing down my legs!!!! My husband said "quick, you're weeing on the floor!" I knew it was my waters breaking and rang the hospital who told us to come in straight away. It was the most amazing feeling knowing that when I came home I would have a beautiful baby! On the way in to the hospital I had very slight contractions (5 mins apart) and thought they felt like period pains. The midwife said the baby wouldn't come until the next day and told us to get some sleep. I didn't sleep a wink because I was so excited and the contractions were getting more painful. All the next day we wandered the hospital halls trying to bring the birth on and unfortunately it stopped. at about 4.00pm I was exhausted and was put on a drip to bring the labour on fast and furiously. Talk about SHOCK! I wouldn't let my husband or the midwife near me and I leant against the bed swaying and trying to remember to breathe. My doctor was off delivering another baby and in the meantime my baby had turned and was posterior so I was pushing and there was no way he was going to come out naturally. I was given a shot of pethedine ( I had wanted a drug free birth but the pain was unbelievable) and that took the edge off the pain but made me feel out of control and dozy. Finally, two hours later (and screaming that I didn't want this baby, please let me go home) my doctor arrived, examined me and said that he would try and turn the baby and I would need an epidural. By this stage I had been in labour about 20 hours and was so exhausted and shocked that I agreed to anything just for it to be over. I was really worried about the pain of the injection in my back but didn't feel a thing - the hardest thing was to stay still in between contractions that were only about 30 seconds apart. When the epidural started to work it was BLISS and I just wanted to go to sleep but I pushed about 4 times and my beautiful son, Edward James was born - 7lbs with a very bruised head and face from the forceps delivery. I had HEAPS of internal and external stiches and couldn't walk for a few weeks but it was so worth it because my son is the light of my life and you do forget all the pain and exhaustion. For the next baby I will definately ask for an epidural IF the labour is going to stretch on and on like this one did.