I woke on Tues 5 July not feeling too well. just a bit off colour and nausea. I did not think much of it as I had good days and bad days. Steve left for work around 8.30 and I was still in bed. Just after Steve left i thought i had wet myself - just a little (how embarassing) So I went to the toilet. I then went to my computer to email work and let them know I was staying home sick today. As I sat at the computer I wet myself again and thought this is a bit strange and went to the toilet again. This time I checked I had not "wet" myself - this was water??? Hmmm I was only 36weeks pregnant so waters breaking was not my first thought. I decided to have a relaxing bath as I was a bit crampy and uncomfortable - not in pain. I then rang a friend of mine who is a nurse and told her what was happening - she paniced and told me to "get out of the bath NOW and get yourself to the hospital - you are in labour" no way I thought and laughed at her.

After hanging up the phone I lay in the bath a little longer thinking about it all before getting out. I then went back to my computer with just a towel around me when I sat down I had a gush of water - opps... Now I think I will ring the hospital. When I spoke to the midwife and told her what was happening she said "Now would be a good time to come to the hospital" I tried to phone Steve but got his message service - this was not something I wanted to leave on a message service. I proceeded to pack my bag for hospital and put it in the back of the car. By now I was getting rather nervous and excitted too. Just before I left I tried to phone Steve again. This time he answered. He was excitted and said he was coming straight home. I told him I was just going to get things checked and I would get the nurses to call him if anything was happening. He insisted he was on his way home and would meet me at the hospital. So I drove tot he hospital and Steve arrived at the same time.

At the hospital they did a test to confirm if my waters had broken and yes they had. The nurse smiled and said "you will be having a baby today" This was around 11am. Steve and I just looked at each other. Steve looked happy and proud Me well I was excitted but scared. We were moved to a delivery room and I got changed (see picture of me in hospital gown) Our Doctor had been called but he did not arrive till about 1.30pm. I was quite nervous by now and he advised I would be induced. I was hooked up to the drip and induced around 3pm. There was a lot of sitting around and I commented to Steve this could be a long afternoon/night. Not much was happening and I was already restless and bored. I spoke too soon - not long after the contractions started. Not too bad the first one... I can handle this. Within an hour I was in full labour and the contractions had increased in pain each time and gotten closer together. This was painful and the contractions were straight after one another so I could not relax. I tried the gas but had trouble concentrating on my breathing. I hyperventilated and ended up being sick. It was not much fun at this point. They checked me and said I was 1cm dialated - WHAT THE... I knew that I had to be 10cm dialated and this happens at about 1cm per hour. Very quickly my mind did the sums and this was not going to happen " I want and epidural NOW" I said. I started apologising as Steve and I had discussed pain relief and decided not to have the epidural however this pain was like nothing I had felt before and my body still had so much to do before our baby was going to arrive. At that point I felt like I was the biggest whimp that I was not coping and I had really lost control. The gas had made my head spin and everything became a blur (although I remember it all) I was given the epidural around 5pm and it started to feel better very soon after. From then on I was relaxed and although I had to lay on the bed the whole time but I was a bit tired and cat napped while we watched our afternoon shows - Price is right, Temptation, WIN News, Current affair.

Around 7.30pm the nurse came in and advised my parents had arrived. They came into the delivery room for a chat. They were interested in all the gadgets and high tech equipment. I was feeling pretty good - relaxed and drowsy. After they left around 8.15pm the nurse came back in to check me and advised I was 8-9cm dialated and she would come back around 9pm so we could start pushing. Steves face beamed the biggest smile and I tried to smile but knew my hard work was about to begin. 9pm came and went as another woman had arrived in the meantime and her baby was in even more of a rush than ours. When the nurses and our doctor arrived it was all go. I was given antibiotics which it turned out I had a reaction to as I started vomiting and continued to do so through the whole birth and for an hour after. I was still num so they told me when a contraction was coming so I could push. I had the push thing happening quite well and could feel what was happening but without pain - go the epidural. The hardest part was trying to concentrate on pushing while vomitting non stop. They ended up using forceps to deliver as the baby heart rate was unstable and I was so exhausted.

As our little girl started to enter the world Steve tapped my shoulder and told me to look down and out came this little baby all covered in white goo. They put her on my chest and at that point I felt so proud. She let out a tiny cry and I told her it was ok then she opened her eyes and looked at me - that was a very special moment. The nurses took a photo of Rachel on my chest. Then Steve cut the cord The three of us looked at each other and Steve confirmed she would be called Rachel.

The Doctor proceeded to stitch me up and there were a lot of stitiches. Steve was surprised at how much blood there was around me and on the floor. The whole experience was so amazing. Rachel was then taken away to be cleaned and checked. I continued to be sick for about an hour. Steve and I were both exhausted. Steve left to go home around 1.30am and I nodded off to sleep for a while. About 2.30am the nurse came in and asked if I wanted a shower which but this point I really did as I was covered in every bodily fluid imaginable. It was one of the best showers I ever had. I felt pretty good just a little tender but i walked to my room afterwards on my own and slept quite well.

I guess it was one of those days where you felt like you made a pretty good contribution to the world !