It’s a long one but bare with me!

Baby girl’s due date was 5th April. I’d finished work 17th March and hated the sitting around waiting as it caused my anxiety to soar, despite having a great pregnancy with no complications.

25th was my mums birthday and I was getting ready to see her when I just felt so off. I’d slept in till 10am that morning (I was waking at 7/7.30am everyday) and I just had this strange indescribable feeling coming over me. I hadn’t felt bub as much as usual so I rang maternity triage and asked to go in to be monitored.

I get there about midday and it’s a long wait. I’m finally monitored and the nurse says she is going to refer me for an ultrasound for babies growth and I will be called for this to be booked in a few days. I leave about half 4 and get to my mums. I broke down as I suddenly thought ‘what’s wrong with baby and why are they only now concerned’.

Had a lovely cuppa and mama cuddles to calm down then stood up to go to the toilet... I feel a pop and a huge gush. 5.30pm my waters have broken. When I say mine and my mums jaws dropped to the floor, we couldn’t believe it 😆 it would not stop so I cleaned up and got onto the phone to the birth centre as that’s where I was planning on giving birth. I had to go in to get the waters checked so waited for my partner to get to my mums house then we headed off.

Waters checked at 7.30pm, all clear and just have to go home and hope things start within 36hrs. Got home (only 5 mins away) and got in the bath. Contractions started 8.30pm and went all in, there was no steady labour. 3 mins apart, 1 min long. Got into bed, couldn’t sleep. Got back in bath but started to get to the point I was way too uncomfortable. Ring birth centre and go in 1.30am. 4 cm dilated on arrival and straight into the birth pool. The feeling was amazing and suddenly I felt so much more comfortable. I very quickly got the urge to push and asked for gas and air. I thought I was screaming and grunting into it but my partner and midwives were saying I was being so calm and quiet! Before I knew it her head was there. It was an indescribable pain but over with as quickly as it started. Her head got a bit stuck but with one last big push she was out at 4.45am.

I only held her for a few seconds as her cord was wrapped round her neck and she wasn’t breathing. Cord was cut and she was rushed out to the resuscitation station where the midwives worked amazingly to get her breathing. My god she has a set of lungs on her! Finally she was bought back into the room and I could look at my beautiful girl.

I have never truly felt love like it. She was a little chunk at 8lbs 8oz and blessed us with 10 extra days of loving her! She’s a week old today and it has been tough with feeding and jaundice but she’s finally on the right track, feeding like a champ and better in herself.

Anybody looking to have a water birth, do it. It was the best experience I could of had. The relaxing atmosphere 100% helps to keep a calm head and concentrate on breathing through it all.

Welcome to the world Aurora 🌹