11/01 @ 14:20 - My water broke. I was laying on my bed when I felt a little gush. I joked to my husband that I'm pretty sure I didn't just pee myself (when I was pregnant, a cough or sneeze could call for new undies). As soon as I said that the little gush turned into full on gushing! I was like baby!!! My water just broke!!!

My husband jumped into action, bringing me a towel and then setting about to get all our things together while calling the Maternity home. I was only 36weeks and because of my blood type they said I should come in.

When got there, they hooked me up to the CTG and did all their observations. Since I wasn't having any contractions at that point, they proceeded to book me into my room. They provided me with a birthing ball and an exercise mat and explained all the exercises I could do. I was so calm and happy to be there. It's a private Maternity home and everyone is so kind and patient. My bed was comfy and my husband had an amazing looking lazy boy in the corner in the room.

As the night progressed, my contractions slowly began but they were mild to say the least. When I hit the 12 hour mark, they checked to see if I was dilated and I was only 1cm along. As they do not deal with complicated pregnancies/births, I had to be referred to either another private hospital that DOES or a government hospital. My husband and I do not have medical aid and we're unfortunately not well off enough to just have huge ass hospital bills! So government hospital it was.

I was instantly miserable. They put in a drip and a catheter and called the ambulance for the transfer. The ride was absolutely horrifying and by the time we got there I was near tears. The catheter was hurting me and just the thought that I'd left that calm and happy place put me in a mood.

I was taken to an admissions ward where my husband was not allowed in. After monitoring us on the CTG and doing another internal they said they'd move me to a normal ward where I'd wait to be induced. I waited 4 hours just to be moved to that ward! My husband sat outside the admissions ward on a plastic chair the entire time and the nurses refused to go and give him any information.

Eventually I was moved to a room with 5 other ladies in it (my husband was not allowed here either except during visiting hours) but my bed was not made and hospital staff must do it. I waited another 3 hours for that to happen while sitting on a hard plastic chair. When my mom walked in visiting hours, I seriously just burst into tears. I was exhausted and my body hurt from having to lay a certain way for the CTG to make connection.

Once my bed was made, I tried to sleep but couldn't really. I probably slept 5-6 hours from the Friday till the Saturday evening when they finally had space in first labour ward to induce me.

13/01 @ 19:00 - Induced. I won't harp on about the pain and whatever but eventually at about 5am Sunday morning, I was 5cm and they moved me to the labour ward. My husband and step mother were my labour companions (my mom was too afraid to see me in pain and worried that she wouldn't know how to get me through it). I was examined every 2 hours to see how far along I was. In the meantime I laid there in pain. Writhing and moaning through each contraction. I was EXHAUSTED.

14/01 @ 12:05 - 10cm. The midwife came in to deliver my baby ( I requested a female doctor and there wasn't one available ). She was prompt and to the point and as much as I wanted to kick her in the face at the time, I appreciate her approach because I needed a firm hand. I struggled to push at first because I couldn't understand the position I needed to be in and how to bear down. Eventually I pushed and baby started crowning. My step mom was so excited I could see it in her face! They encouraged me to keep going, my husband held my head up for me and I held onto him for support and after 3 more huge pushes, my beautiful baby boy gushed right out of me. It was the longest and most painful experience ever but it's true what they say, once baby is out... all of that goes away and all you see is the beautiful life you brought into the world.

3.19kg and wide awake at birth.

I don't know what I would have done without my step mom. She helped me with my breathing, took turns with my husband to rub my back and kept me focused when I needed it most.

After everything, laying in the bed, holding my baby, I looked at my husband (who couldn't stop staring and grinning at his son) and said "I did it. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to but I did it." His response? "You did. And I'm so proud of you". If I wasn't so exhausted, I would have burst into tears at that.

We're on day 5 today and Ilyaas is the perfect little man. Doesn't give us a hard time. He sleeps well, feeds well and poops like a grown ass man!