Im a FTM and had no idea what to expect. My partner finished work on Valentine's day and drove the 2 hours home, he called me on the way to check if I needed anything and made a joke about him being ready for my waters to break now because he would like to have some time off work. A few hours later we sat watching telly and I felt a pop then some warm fluid run down my legs, I told my partner that I thought my waters had broke and asked him to get something to clean it up and help me to the bathroom, that's when they really started coming out and I noticed a pink tinge to them. I rang the midwife and we made a plan for me to go in to be checked at 10pm (3 hours after the pop) so I got a shower and we put all the bags in the car. When we arrived they monitored babies movement and my contractions and took a swab to check my waters. By this point my contractions had started and was at 7 minutes apart but bareable. Around 11.30 the midwife came in and said my water hadn't broke it must of just been a watery show, i wasnt having strong or frequent contractions so it probably wasnt labour and sent me home without any further checks or pain relief. We got home around midnight and within that half an hour drive home my contractions had become pretty intense but still 7mins apart so I jumped in the bath hoping to relive them. An hour later I was out and ready for bed at this stage I was up and down in a lot of pain with every contraction but still 7 mins apart. I took some pain relief and tried to sleep but by 2.30am I was in unbearable pain every 2 minutes so my partner rang the hospital and told them he was bringing me back in. I got put straight in a delivery suit, got examined and was 8cm dilated....I immediately asked for an epidural and was offered (and took) diamorphine and entaknox while I waited. Turned out my water had broken. 18 hours of labour 2 and a half hours pushing, a cut and suction cup later our beautiful baby girl was born. Daisy Harper