My labour...

I head to my 40wk appointment on Friday Sep 2nd with Mum and cousin Mel (my labour support crew). The doctor completes a "stretch and sweep" which sounds as bad as it is. I hate doctors on the best of days and usually require sedation just for a simple appointment. My pregancy is proving to me and everyone else how strong I can be and i leave the docs feeling violated yet proud I didnt kick the bitch that just did that to me!
Shopping wasn't the best choice I made but i put the pains down to having someones hand jammed up inside me for half an hour and go about my day. Mum and I have driven up from Bunbury for todays appointment and I decide we should stay at my place in the city because I'm not up for the drive back.
I cook us dinner and put on a movie, ignoring the dull ache in my belly.
I can't however ignore the pop I felt or the leaking that followed. My water broke. It's 9pm and the movie just started. bugger! thats the least of my worries. I failed to acknowldge the labour process the whole way along because I truely believe that expectation will lead to disappointment when you cant control a situation and hyping up a stressful time will only make the fear real and the stress levels higher. So my water breaking sends me straight into shock and we call the hospital. If I hadn't have gone into shock I've have been told to stay home for now but lucky for me they called me in because my labourt was shorter than expected.

My contractions are long, painful and faster that I imagined as we pack the car. Mum takes a wrong turn and I yell at her, we are already half an hour from my hospital and wrong turns aren't part of what little plan I have. She informs me she want to return the video we hired.. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!
I facebook the pending arrival and call Mel quickly to have her meet us straight away.

When we do arrive at the hospital the nurses are greeted by my vomitting on their doorstep. nice. Mum's trying to keep my jumper out the way and I scream at her that that's the least of our worries. Poor lady can't do anything right.

I'm admitted by 10pm and am checked at 6cm's. I take the offer of morphine and the poor doc with the needles cops a mouthful for taking to long to put in my drip!
I should have paid more attention at my classes cause nothing is keeping me calm or comfortable. Water feels like needles on my body, walking is impossible because I have no strength to stand and I'm a little too aware of how naked and fat I am!
That soon becomes the least of my worries.

I ask for the epidural and am refused because it's too last! SHIT! no one said anything about there being a too late.
My contractions are intense and I cried out of embarrasement because I wet myself. again... soon the least of my worries.
Having no idea how much time has passed I decide it feels better to push that to try to relax and babys heart rate drops. I'm forced to roll from my kneeling position to my back and the midwife tells me to get serious with my pushing! Ha! what a joke! as if I wasnt.
Then I begin to understand what she means and baby joins us in the world at 0210 on september 3rd 2010.
Weighing in at 7lb3oz and messuring 47cm I name my baby girl Peyton Alexis Josephine French and notice my favourite song "better be home soon" by crowded house is playing somewhere in the background.
When the nurse put my daughter on my chest I was overcome with sudden relaxation. no tears, no more than the feeling that this is exactly how this story should end. and the next one should begin.
Mum and Mel are crying but I would be too If I'd seen things from the angle they did! I'm just so happy to have my baby safe in my arms and begin to wonder how I am going to keep her safe for the rest of my life!