Oliver's Birth Story

I went on maternity leave Monday, April 14 and that night I felt bad so I called the hospital and they told me to come in. We arrived around 3 AM and when they examined me, they told me my waters broke. This worried me as I was only 34 weeks. I live in England and I was told when the baby was born he would be taken to SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit, in Scarborough Hospital), and for me not to worry about a thing.

I was just breathing my way through the contractions and at 6:45 AM they examined me again and said I was three centimeters. I received some medicine to relax me and I was able to rest between contractions. I was told they would check me again at 10 AM.

As 10 AM approached, I told them I could feel something happening, and when they asked me what I meant, I said I wanted to push and they said to do what my body was telling me to do.

At 11:16 AM, my little boy was here with a huge scream. He gave us both a kiss before he was taken to SCBU. My friend, a midwife, was with me, and after she fed me tea and toast and I had a shower, we then went over to meet my little boy who was with his Daddy. When I saw him, it all sunk in what had happened and how early he was. They told me he was fine, that he just needed lots of sleep and food to grow, but to expect him to be in the hospital until May 24. I felt so sad thinking my little boy would be in the hospital for six weeks but I was determined to stay by his side day and night.

After being with him for nine days, the nurses told me I had to go home and get some rest as I was going to be no good to him when he went home. I did this and it made a huge difference. My baby was then moved to a normal cot, which was great news. Three days after that, he came home. It was such a shock as we had prepared for him to be in the hospital for so long, but he came home early and did so well! He is such a character and makes every day so wonderful! We call him Oliver and it so suits him! If you go into early labor, try not to panic as hospital staff is so well-trained and they really made a very hard situation into a bearable one!