It was the most magical night of our lives

by Sandra

Something inside me told me to go to the doctor for a pregnancy test. I made the appointment and went for the blood test. My GP would not give me the slightest hint of whether my suspions was right or not. She just kept telling me to phone the next day for the result. I went to removed the cotton and plaster as I did not want to say anything to my husband.

It took me almost the entire day to get the courage to phone for the results. When I finally did the receptionist had to get the doctor to phone me back as he was busy with a patient. My nornal GP had left for the day so her partner called me back to tell me the results were positive. I burst out crying, and he was so worried he was unsure whether I was happy or not so I explained to him that my husband is going to be the happiest man alive.

My boss was so worried about me, but I just could not tell anyone before telling my husband, so I told him everything is ok, and I left work. I got in my car and drove straight to my husband's place of work, crying all the way. He was so shocked to see me there and in tears. He ran throught a list of people that could possible be hurt or worse, but I told him it was nothing like that, but I could not tell him there in front of all his employees. So we went outside his shop and I told him on the pavement "we going to have a baby". He hugged me and laughed and asked me if I was ok. Why I was crying? Was I not happy? This was what we wanted, but I explained to him that they were happy tears.

I immediately went and bought a pregnancy magazine and read it from cover to cover.

I decided that I wanted to have a natural pain relief free birth and my husband stood by my decision. I discussed this with the gynogologist and she recommened a midwife. Ingrid was wonderful throughout the entire pregnancy, explaining every question I ever had in such fine detail. I felt so comfortable and happy. I had no pregnancy problems and I walked around the most proud mother to be.

My water broke on the 12 July 2003 at 14H45 while I was home alone and for the first time I felt nervous, so I phoned my husband and told him. He rushed home from work and then together we phoned Ingrid. She wanted to meet us at 16H00 at her clinic to make sure it was my 'waters' that had broken and on examining me she confirmed it.

We meet up with her at the hospital at 10pm to monitor the babies heart beat, but I want not having the baby there I was having the baby at an ABU unit, so she suggested we meet at the ABU unit at 00H00. Up to that point, although in labour I was in no pain or discomfort.

On the drive to the ABU the pains were getting stronger and intense. It took me 20 minutes to get from the car across the road and up the stairs to the front door of the ABU.

I finally got to my room and the matron brought me a birthing ball while we waited for Ingrid, but the birthing ball just did not work for me. It was not long and Ingrid arrived and put water in the bath and helped me in. The warm water helped ease the pain, Ingrid did an exam and said I was 5cm dialated and that was just after 1am. She gave my husband a jug and showed him how to slowly pour water over my stomach, but he was pouring the water over me with one hand and drinking my cold water with the other like there was no tomorrow. It was so funny. I was supporting him and telling him its ok just breath and relax.

Then things started to speed up. The contraction we so intense and coming so fast. Ingrid had settled in with her paperwork and told us to expect baby at around 7 or 8 the morning but my baby had other plans. I started pushing and Ingrid just turned to me and asked if I was pushing. Being a first time mom. I had no idea. She rushed over and did another internal exam, just to have this shocked look on her face, and said we were 10cm dialated, try not push and she rushed out the room to call Joanne the assisting midwife. My husband was on his nerves that she had left the room he got up and moved towards the door leaving me in the bath.

Ingrid was back in seconds with a huge oxygen tank which she assured us was routine and nothing to worry about. Because I was so uncomfortable in the bath, I asked her to help me out which she did and I kneeled on the floor beside the double bed with the top half of my body leaning on the bed. My baby's head would come and then just as it was about to come down it would go back up. This went on for a while and then Joanne said to me "just watch me and breath as I do", but I told her I was not sure if I could. She said that fine just try, so we breathed together once then twice and on the third I just said to myself this baby is coming out now. With the next contraction I sat into it and screamed into my pillow and pushed and kept pushing until my baby's head was out. Ingrid said one more push like that and baby will be out, and that is exactly what happened. My daughter was born at 02H45 wighting in at 3.295kg.

My husband and I just stared at this little bundle, our little baby, until he could take it no longer and asked what the sex of the baby was. I looked down and saw we had a little girl. He was over the moon to be told he has a little girl of his very own. He fell onto the bed and told us how tied he was. It was the most magical night of our lives.

Our little princess is now 3 years old and we are just waiting to find out if we are pregnant for the second time.