My water broke at 7pm which was heaps exciting!! I had been on teh computer complaining about tomorrow being my due date and no signs of labour, stood up and my water broke just like that! I was jumping up & down, my husband thought it was bizarre I was so happy that hideous pain was about to begin!

Contractions started pretty much straight away but very mild. Went to the hospital (a per procedure) which was a fun experience with two towels weged between your legs! Had to wait 40mins as all midwives were off with a quote "difficult patient" so I dripped all over the carpet in the waiting room! When they checked me out, he still wasnt fully engaged and was posterior. I elected to go home to labour and try and turn him around a bit. The contractions were about every 7-10mins but very managable still at this stage.

Went home and put the older baby to bed, let my husband kip on the couch and I laboured away in my living room with some oil burning, candles going, and silence - it was awesome! Every time a contraction came along I wuld go on hand and knees and just breathe through it. It was a very spiritual and connecting time for me & Cole and I was tempted to stay home & do it all there! I hadnt even contemplated a home birth til then but it felt right to be at home by myself in the nice peaceful quiet with no-one disturbing me - something I am seriously contemplating for next time!

Around 2am contractions were up to 3mins apart and very painful so decided to go back to the birthing centre so I could use the shower & tub (my bathroom right next to toddlers room and didnt want to scare/wake her). Arrived at hospital 4cm dialated, hated the shower so jumped in teh tub and laboured three til about 7am. Every time a contraction came I would go on hands and knees again and hubby would pour cups of warm water over my lower back where all the pain was.

Had to get out of the tub when I wanted to push as they didnt do water births at this hospital, which is the only thing I would change for next time - I never want to leave that water!! Once I was out the pain seemed a bit harder to cope with. I draped myself over the head of the raised bed so I was kneeling upright and passed out between contractions, waking up to push. I chewed on teh end of the gas hose but the gas itself made me feel sick, though the process of finding it (my eyes were closed the entire time) and putting it in my mouth to chew on was enough of a disctraction to help me through the contraction.

Had been breathing him out ratehr than actively pushing for awhile as the lip of the cervix was still there, but Cole's heartrate started dropping so we decided to get him out ASAP. Pushed for about 20mins and he came out with the cord wrapped around his neck twice and his arm was bent next to his head - no wonder his heart rate was dropping!