It all began wednesday the 9th of feb, had an appontment at hospital for CTG and scan just to check fluid etc. round bubs, and because I was post 4 days. DH did end up being able to come with me so that was good, but anyway was just a routine visit, which it was, nothing to report, yip everything is fine said the dr, will book you in for induction on the 16th.  Before we left though DH said to me "are you taking ya bags with you just incase they say, you cant go home?"  No I said, cos I wont need them, that makes me nervous.  Anyway he said "rito, dont take anything then" whilst he was in the shower getting ready I thought "bugger it" and chucked everything in the car.  Anyway after the appmt, got home and DH decided to go mow lawns etc, was about 6pmish, thats cool I was fluffy round inside then DH mate called in on his way home and they had a beer together, I couldnt really sit still whilst he was there and kept moving round, uncomfy,  I thought great the pains that I had been getting every nite for the past 3 nites were starting again but earlier, (instead of bedtime) Anyway MW rang to see how I got on @apptmt, said all was well but getting pains again, she said to hang in there just a few more "practice" contractions and it will happen, she told me I could take some panadiene instead of just panadol, told her I would get some in the morning, that was cool, a bit later was trying to watch usual TV, Packed to the Rafters, actually, love that program, and I just couldnt get comfy....telling DH I was in a bit of pain, and how long the nite was going to be if it was going to be like the rest and just keep dragging out.  Anyway, he ran me a bath and I went and soaked in that till I was ready to go to bed, it was nice and took pain away a bit. Dreading bedtime again, hoped in and lay there til 11.15pm-cos I remember thinkin after DH was asleep, man I cant handle it being all nite again....lay on counch til 12am ish then I had to go wake DH cos I was so uncomfy, pains were getting alot closer together, but yet I didnt really think I was in labour cos it was similar to other nites, DH started to time the contractions, they were between 3-4mins apart and lasting between 30-90secs, I had a piece of paper on the fridge in the weeks up to labour saying the differnt phases of labour and what to look 4, I told DH cant be labour cause 30 sec contractions didnt sound long enough.  DH said by this time my breathing had changed and got far more intense really breathing through my teeth, and my whole body was shivering uncontrollably, he wrapped me up trying to keep me warm and said we needed to contact MW, I really didnt want to ring here thinkin it was 1am in the morning, and Id already been talking to her, and I didnt think I was in labour then, but didnt want to ly in bed all nite either, anyway rang her and she said for us to meet her at the maternity home at 2am, 30min drive for us, luckily the car was still packed from the afternoon, got there with my spew bowl, and she said "feeling nausish, thats a good sign"   she checked me and said I was 5cm dialated but my cervix was paper thin,so all I needed was my waters to break & it would be all go, asked me what I wanted to do, stay there or still go to hospital, I choose to go to hospital, (which I had always wanted)  she was pretty quick about it then, pretty much hurrying us out the door, I think it hit me I was in labour when she said-"you are going to have a baby tonight!!!" Anyway that meant another 30min trip in the car......urghhhhh yuck!!!!!!  Got to hosp, the delivery suite was all ready, got me on the gas, which was absolutely gross but I liked being able to focus on my breathing with it,  MW asked how I felt bout waters being broken, I said go 4 it, cos she said it can delay the process a bit with bubs head bouncing round on the membranes for some time.....broke my waters and discovered there was meconium in them, which was lucky she did that cos would never had known otherwise, I panicked at bit, and said the baby is stressed isnt it, but the MW was very good and said "its ok we are going to get this baby out"  A bit after that the contractions got alot more intense and stronger & longer, MW said if I wanted pethidine I would have to make the decision to have it very shortly, DH reckons I prob had 1-2 more contractions and was like "yip give me pethidine!!  Wasnt too much longer after that, that I started to get the urge to push....MW told me what to do and took the gas away, told me to push push push with the contraction, it felt so weird cos I was trying to hold onto my legs breathe through the contraction and yet push with all my might in the contraction......At one point I said I couldnt do it I was to tired and just couldnt do it, she told me to focus and I needed to push this baby out, as weird as it was I had kinda got caught up in everything else that I hadnt been thinking about the baby at the end of it all, so hearing her say that was good incentive to get through.....next couple of contractions I pushed so hard like nothing I had ever done before and I felt this huge relise of pressure and next thing this warm, defenceless, slippery little person was put up on my chest,  I was completely shocked he was here....DH was so proud and amazed himself, he thought it would have been more like mid-day before they even talked about seeing a head lol, me too, amazed at how quickley he was here 4.49am, after arriving at the hospital at 2.35am-the time just went so fast, even though it was most the nite.  DH got to cuddle Alex whilst I lay there and gazed at my beautiful family, the MWives worked there magic and stitched me up.  Within the hour I was out of bed showered,  and we were back at the maternity home by 10am that morning.  Because Alex had meconium in his waters, his was on 24hr obs, which they did at the home, and everything is ok.  I still cant belive our little man is here, and his entrance into the world was nothing like I had expected.  Absolutely loving my new role as his Mummy, he is just the cutest and I could stare at him all day long-LOVING IT!!

Amazing birth stories ladies, crazy sweet knights that would have been so out of it to see the baby still in her water bag!!  How come your MW had to come from Alex can I ask, that is a wee way away from you if your based in Dunedin

ChikkyD-I didnt get numbed to be stitched just got told to suck on the gas.....reckon that hurt more then the labour itself.  lol  I also birthed at the same hospital as you literally 4 days later!!

Bowie Im also a feb mummie and have been lurking in the jan feb, what gorgeous pics of your wee man, I need to get my act together and get some pics of our wee boy before he gets too big!!!  I mite come back tommorow and share my birth story too!!