I was 10 days past my 'due' date, as I was with my first 2, so was booked in for another induction on the 2nd of September.

We arrived at the hospital just before 7am. When the Dr did an internal my cervix was still high and not favourable. I had the gel applied and the Dr was coming back around lunch time to see how things were going.

Within an hour, (while I was walking around) I found I was 'waddling' a lot more and had some pressure down there, as well as some very, very mild contractions that weren't too uncomfortable.

Around 11am, the contractions were starting to get a little uncomfortable, but I just thought I was being a bit 'soft', as the gel had never caused anything more than very mild contractions before.

11:45 and I was starting to have to lean on benches and swivel my hips to get through the contractions. The midwife suggested getting in to the shower and I thought that was a good idea. I was on the floor leaning over a chair and using the warm water from the shower head as pain relief on my belly.

DH was instructed to count the contractions and it didn't take long for them to be nearly on top of one another. He thought I was mistaken, because they were coming so fast and he couldn't keep up! "I'm going to go get the midwife", he said in a bit of a panic.

When the midwife examined me on the bed, I was around 9cm's dilated with a bit of a 'lip'. Not long after, the midwife called my Dr and I was up on the bed on all fours, leaning over the bed head.

I agreed to let my Dr break my waters and then got back in to my labouring position. I remember feeling the Dr or midwife checking baby's heartbeat a bit as I was pushing, but it didn't put me off. When the baby's head was out I heard my Dr say "Hello sweetheart" and referring to her as "Darling" also, which was a bit nice.

Baby was born posterior, just like my son 17 months before, though I didn't experience any back pain with either, it was all in my abdomen.

I was instructed that I probably wouldn't have to push to deliver the baby's shoulders and sure enough they came out with no problems.

My pushing stage lasted just under 14 minutes and baby Lily was passed up to me from between my legs. I was actually the first to see that she was indeed a girl, as the scans had shown. Lily cried straight away and I was able to roll from my birthing position to my back and have a cuddle with her while my Dr gave me some stitches for some 2nd degree tearing.

Lily actually did a pee on me and not long after a poo as well. She was born at 12:45pm, weighing 9lb 2oz and 53cm's long. We put her on the breast for a little while and I was able to go for a shower and walk to the maternity ward when we were ready to go.

2 weeks on and I have had very little discomfort from my tearing/stitches and they all seem healed and well.

Lily has been sleeping a lot and so far seems a placid baby. (Touch wood!)

Thankyou for reading my birth story