Baby was four days overdue when my waters broke at 2:30 am, went to the hospital later that morning but was told to go back home as contractions had not started. We were told to come back 12 hours later if no changes for an induction. Still no sign of contractions so we went back to the hospital but was told to go back home again as they were very busy and needed the bed. 

Finally returned as they wanted and started induction using a pessary. Contractions did start but no sign of cervix dilating much more than 4cm after 6 hours. Finally given gas and air which helped but when they suggested the IV to speed up contractions i wanted the epidural as the pain was so intense. The anestheistist tried 3 times to do the epidural but kept hitting a blood vessel. I ended up having diamorphine instead and was pretty spaced out. 

I then developed a fever and my blood pressure started to fall so I ended up having an emergency caesarean. Baby was born safely but due to the medicines that I had taken she was not breathing at first and needed intervention. 

I had lost 2.6 litres of blood during surgery and the surgeons were concerned when i started to feel that the anaesthesia had worn off. They were struggling to control the bleed and needed another opinion from another senior consultant who was at another hospital. He would take 20 minutes to get to the hospital so they had to put me under a general anaesthetic. 

The consultant waited for me to wake to explain what had happened, he said that he has only come across one other person who had survived that much blood loss but for my body to restore the blood count so quickly. 

He said they had to use several machines to check my blood count as they couldn't believe how quick I was replenishing it. 

Turns out that i had the strep B infection and both baby and I had to stay in hospital for a week. Ava also had two failed attempts on a lumbar puncture. The infection came because my waters had broken so early on but I was not induced soon enough. 

It was really traumatic for my husband and family and myself. It very nearly could have ended so terribly. It is going to take time for me to get my head around it all and not cry every time I think about it. Just have to remember that we are finally all here and at home, well