This time last year ...

I was in labour ...

It started on the 7th Feb last year, I was already 5 days overdue. We'd arranged to have some friends over to lunch if there was still no show. That morning I thought I'd lost some water so the midwife was called. She came round and said that all was still intact and fine so we continued with our lunch plans.

Our friends came over for a late lunch, the children had lots of fun playing then whilst sat at the table I had 3 pretty big contractions although, they weren't unbearable that I couldn't just breathe through them. Reminded me of the early ones I had with my eldest and as her labour took 26 hours, I thought that if this is just the beginning, best I just relax and get a good dinner in my tummy!

At around 5:30, feeling particularly stuffed, the men went and did the washing and my friend and I sat on the settee, along came another contraction to which my friend announced that they were going home, taking my eldest with them. I packed a little overnight bag for her and saw her off .. I told Mr G that I didn't think it was time so we'd wait for an hour and see what happens. I sat down for a bit, then got restless so started tidying up, going through my hospital bag and checking the nursery was tidy. After 45 minutes, I decided enough was enough - not that I was in pain, they were pretty frequent by this stage and we still had a 45 minute journey to the hospital!

We got to hospital, I had 5 contractions between the entrance of the hospital to the maternity unit. We were put into a delivery room as the midwife decided that by looking at me, I was having a baby this evening. They left us in the room, I sucked on gas and air, holding onto the bed which had been raised for me. Then, remembering that I used the whole drugs cabinet last time, and the pain was getting a little too much, I asked for pain relief. They examined me and said I was 8cms dilated! With my eldest, I was going 1cm every 4 hours, so at this point I did tell the midwife that I loved her. After the examination, probably about 10 minutes afterwards actually, she said that I'm going to feel the need to push soon - remembering that I was only 8 cms 10 minutes ago, I worried and she reassured me that it was time and not to fight it. 8 minutes later, my second baby daughter was laying on my chest .. Wow. Amazing.

I would be pregnant a million times, and have a million births just like that .. if only it didn't mean having a million babies!

Anyway, now, that beautiful baby girl is 1 - well, at 10:08 this evening. She is amazing, she's confidently walking, babbling away, loves cuddling her dolls, talking on the phone. She's started scribbling on paper, feeds herself - beginning to feed herself with a spoon. She's in 18/24 size clothes, size 4 shoes .. she's a very funny little baby and I love her so so much.