Aaron arrived on 13th March 2017, 7 days before his due date. After 10 days of pre-labour, his appearance into the world was swift.

On the day of his birth, I felt no different from the pre-labour signs. I spent the day in the garden with my mam and Ollie. Surges continued to roll in, but I was expecting them to stop again. By 5.30pm, they had become regular, but not painful. At 6:00 pm, I called my mam to help with Ollie’s bedtime routine.

As Wayne and I went to the Rotunda Hospital, I played the GentleBirth Labour Companion track in the car. I relaxed into every surge and laughed with Wayne on the way. I used GentleBirth from the beginning of the pregnancy, and the tracks kept me focused and in control. We arrived outside the hospital at 6:50 pm, and spoke about our plan if I was in early labour – head home and rest as much as possible. I had two contractions before walking into reception while Wayne parked the car. I registered in reception and stood outside the waiting room leaning up against the wall, breathing through contractions. Wayne met me in reception and I held onto him with my eyes closed, humming and swaying to keep the focus on my baby and me.

At 7.15 pm, the staff called us into the admittance area. I remained standing and swaying, telling Wayne ‘if we ever have another baby I am having a homebirth with or without you’. Wayne had doubts about having a home birth. He feels differently about it now! The midwife called my name and handed me a sample jar. When I returned, she asked me to get up on the bed for an examination.

They placed the ECG around my belly to monitor the baby’s heart rate and the contractions. This is the only time I felt real pain. I was restricted and felt like I wasn’t allowed to move. I was told, “you are only 3cm but it’s quite so we will send you up, I will be back in a minute”. The midwife left and Wayne went to get the bags from the car. I had 2 strong contractions and couldn’t stay on my back any longer. The midwife and Wayne returned as I was getting up. I rolled onto my left hand side and my waters went with a loud pop. A of gush water followed by a strong surge. When I stood up, I instinctively dropped into a squat, holding onto a sink in front of me.

I couldn’t help but bear down; baby was coming! The midwife kept telling me to stand up and get into the wheelchair she brought in. I couldn’t stand up, so I was assisted back onto the trolley bed, and covered with a sheet. I lay on my right hand side with my eyes closed and felt the sensation of being in a lift. I called out “Wayne” to see if he was still with me and asked him was he alright! He just laughed and said ‘Yeah, you alright’!!

At 7.30 pm, I was wheeled into the delivery room I had a really strong urge to bear down again so I got myself onto all four. I crawled from the trolley onto the labour bed and baby’s head began to crown. With the next surge, his head was born. The midwife commented about baby’s black head of hair. It woke me from my focus and I said, ‘No way, really, Ollie was so bald’. I couldn’t wait to see my baby with his black hair. Waiting for the next surge felt so long. It finally came and he was born, I got myself over onto my bum and scooped him up at 7:34 pm. I felt a huge relief that we made it to the room and I asked the midwife to turn off the lights. The midwife said, “I doubt you want the injection”, I said, no thank you! An injection of Oxytocin to bring on the placenta.

My baby and I stayed skin to skin for about 20 minutes, before the midwives wanted the placenta out. The shift was due to change and they wanted to get home. I unlatched baby and handed him to Wayne.

My baby and I stayed skin to skin for about 20 minutes, before the midwives wanted the placenta out. The shift was due to change and they wanted to get home. I unlatched baby and handed him to Wayne.

One of the midwives helped him put his nappy on. The other midwife asked me to kneel on the bed with my arms around her neck. She “massaged” my stomach firmly, which was intense. I said with a smile, “I liked you about 5 minutes ago”. She apologised, saying it has to be done as you didn’t get the injection and asked the other midwife to help by pulling on the cord. The placenta came out and I got my baby back with just a nappy on.

I asked could I go home tonight, she said, we cannot make you stay but you could have a postpartum haemorrhage or complications so “they” would prefer you to stay. I’m not sure who “they” are but I decided to stay for the night. I had a 1st degree tear but did not require sutures and total blood loss was 100cc.

We walked down to the ward and I was in the last bed by the window. I stood at the window holding my tiny baby focusing on his gentle breath, longing for my own bed. Wayne stayed with us until after 11:00pm, and got us set up with water and snacks before he left. I didn’t sleep at all that night. I was so excited for Ollie to meet his baby brother.